ASAP Rocky is back in the headlines after a flirty onstage comment in Phoenix left fans debating whether the joke crossed a line. During his June 23 stop at Arizona’s Mortgage Matchup Center for the Don’t Be Dumb tour, the Harlem rapper looked into the crowd and said, “Thank god y’all didn’t know me when I was single ‘cause I would have f**ked the s**t out of you if you was pretty.”
The moment quickly went viral because Rocky is not exactly single. He and Rihanna have been together since 2020 and share three children: sons RZA and Riot, and daughter Rocki Irish Mayers, who was born on September 13, 2025. Rocky publicly called Rihanna “the love of my life” and “my lady” in a 2021 GQ interview, which is why some fans felt the Phoenix comment sounded messy, even if it was meant as playful crowd work.
The timing also made the clip more noticeable. Rihanna has recently been showing public support for Rocky, including attending the opening night of his tour in Chicago. She also playfully hyped him in a separate interview while holding his Vibe cover, saying, “And this is my n***a. My baby daddy brought Vibe back. You know, the vibe has been lost. The vibe has been brought back. Oh my god, look. Right there. I f**ked that n***a and I had his babies.”
Still, this is not the first time Rocky’s words have stirred backlash. In 2015, his explicit “Better Things” lyrics about Rita Ora sparked criticism, with Ora later calling the remarks “tasteless,” according to NME. That same year, Rocky discussed relationships and group sex on Hot 97, saying, “I wouldn’t sacrifice a relationship for orgies. I’d just have the orgies and not tell,” according to The Fader.
Rocky also faced heavy criticism over past comments about activism. In resurfaced remarks covered by Pitchfork, he said, “I did not sign up to be no political activist,” while explaining why he did not want to rap about Ferguson. During a later Breakfast Club appearance, he reportedly called Black Lives Matter a “bandwagon,” said “all lives matter,” and defended Bill Cosby by saying, “I do know he’s innocent.”
Rocky and Rihanna have not publicly addressed the Phoenix clip, but the reaction shows how quickly a throwaway concert joke can reopen a larger conversation about celebrity relationships, respect, and the long shelf life of controversial comments.
