Rapper A$AP Rockywhose real name is Rakim Mayers, appeared in court for the start of jury selection in his trial and rejected a plea bargain from the prosecution.

The "Glory to the Lord" singer is accused of firing a gun at his ex-boyfriend in 2021 and could face up to 24 years in prison if convicted.

A$AP Rocky is in a relationship with singer and fashion mogul Rihanna. Par they share two sonsRZA and Riot.

A$AP Rocky appeared in court in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday for jury selection in his felony trial.

According to APrejected a final offer from Los Angeles County prosecutors.

Had the rapper agreed to the deal, he would have pleaded guilty to one of two felony charges against him and would have served six months in prison with three years probation and seven years probation.

However, A$AP Rocky and his legal team rejected the offer, although his lawyer Joe Tacopina hinted at a key defense strategy during the court proceedings.

Tacopina plans to claim that the firearm in question is a "starter gun," a non-lethal prop that the rapper allegedly carried for safety reasons.

Over 100 potential jurors were summoned on the first day of Rocky's trial.

The presiding judge, Mark Arnold, has shared his plans to quickly empanel a jury, with opening statements expected to begin as early as Wednesday.

Arnold also strictly limits the time attorneys can question potential jurors.

Arnold told prospective jurors: "Mr. Mayers is an entertainer. His name is A$AP Rocky. His life partner is also an entertainer. Her name is Rihanna. Because Mr. Mayers is an entertainer, a celebrity, who can't hurt him, and it can't benefit him."

The judge will also allow media coverage in court during the trial after jury selection.

The charges against Rocky stem from an alleged altercation between him and his childhood friend, Terrell Efron, on November 6, 2021.

Efron claimed Rocky shot him in the middle of a heated argument near a Hollywood hotel. He also claimed that bullets hit his wrists.

The incident reportedly marked the culmination of a feud between Rocky and Efron.

A preliminary hearing was held in November 2021, where the then presiding judge, ML Villar, ruled that there was enough evidence for Rocky to stand trial on the charges against him.

After Vilar's verdict, Tacopina he said"We're not disappointed, we're not surprised, we expected to go to trial, we planned for a trial all along. Rocky will be vindicated when this is all said and done, no questions asked."

A$AP Rocky's trial comes at a time when his career is booming despite legal troubles.

He was named one of the celebrity chairs of the Met Gala in May and will star in the soon-to-be-released film directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington.

However, if he is found guilty, his career could be derailed and there could be questions about his achievements.

Meanwhile, Rihanna has yet to appear in court amid her partner's trial. Her presence in court could generate even more attention, but the chances of that happening are slim.

Tacopina indicated that the "Umbrella" singer is unlikely to appear in court, but their relationship has given the trial much more media attention.

According to Radar Onlinean insider said Rihanna and Rocky "started fighting all the time because he just has no patience for anything."

The source also said that Rocky's mood had turned terrible, adding that the couple's sex life had deteriorated following his legal troubles.

The insider claimed: "Before this mess with the trial, they could barely stay away from each other, but their sex lives are non-existent these days. They're both just too stressed out."

According to the insider, Rihanna was afraid of becoming a single mother if Rocky was convicted and had to serve a long prison sentence. So the prospect of that happening "absolutely freaked her out".