How Long Have Rihanna And A$AP Rocky Been Dating? Their Relationship Timeline Explained
A$AP Rocky finally confirms that Rihanna is "the One!"
Getty After years of speculation, A$AP Rocky has finally put the rumors to rest.
Not only did A$AP Rocky confirm that he and Rihanna are dating, but he called the singer "the love of my life."
In an interview with GQ, Rocky referred to Rihanna as "my lady," gushing about the star in an adorable, loving way — the way frankly we all do when we talk about Rihanna.
When asked what it's like to be in a relationship, Rocky replied "without hesitation," saying, "So much better when you got the One. She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones.”
That comment about Rihanna being "the One" was no slip-up. He said it again, louder for those in the back.
“I think when you know, you know. She's the One.”
How long have Rihanna and A$AP Rocky been dating?
Rumors of a romantic relationship between Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have been circulating on and off since 2013.
While it took until now for either to officially confirm their relationship status, sources told various outlets that there was more than just a simple friendship and business-oriented relationship between the two on and off for nearly a decade.
Here's a timeline of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's rumored relationship history:
2012: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have their first professional collaboration.
A$AP Rocky gave a featured performance in Rihanna's single, "Cockiness (Love It)."
2013: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were first rumored to be dating.
ASAP Rocky (stylized as A$AP Rocky), whose real name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, was first rumored to be dating Rihanna in 2013.
The two had been on tour together, with A$AP Rocky joining her as the opening act for the North American leg of her Diamonds World Tour, and were reportedly seen kissing on the set of the video for her song "Work."
A$AP Rocky insisted he and Rihanna were "just friends" — period.
While gossip continued to spread about their onscreen chemistry being even hotter offscreen, A$AP Rocky, who was in a relationship with model Chanel Iman at the time, shot that talk down.
'I don't even look at her like that. She's sexy, but I'm good," he told MTV News.
The dating rumors intensified based on Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's Instagram posts.
The two artists posted a series of pictures "doing cute, couple-y things together" on Instagram.
As it turns out, however, the photos in question were really promotional images from the video they were shooting together for his song "Fashion Killa."
Sources continued to say Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were "just friends" ... with benefits.
While one insider insisted, "He’s like a brother to her, they’re cool,” another said, “There is no dating relationship happening between the two, but they are definitely sleeping with each other. So that can obviously lead into things more romantic."
And yet another source who claimed to have witnessed their interaction on the "Fashion Killa" set got even more descriptive.
"They came out arm in arm and kissed," the source said. "Then they moved locations to a bodega in Soho. A$AP and his boys were like, catcalling, as Rihanna walked in. Then they talked [at the] end of scene. The cameras stopped rolling, they got closer laughing and whispering and then they made out."
2015: After his break up with Chanel Iman, A$AP Rocky denied rumors that he was dating Rihanna (again).
In a 2015 interview with MTV News, Rocky said of his breakup with Iman (who went on to marry New York Giants’ wide receiver Sterling Shepard in March 2018), "Me and Chanel broke up in June and I got really depressed because I knew that she deserves better than me, And that's the truth. Everybody knows it. And I don't wanna be the guy to Lauryn Hill her, if you know what I'm saying. I love her so much that I would rather not be with her than hurt her."
But when asked in an interview with Hot 97 two months later why he and Rihanna weren't an item he replied simply, "Because that never happened. If it happened, then it would have happened. We didn’t do that. You know? ...
"To be honest with you, that’s not what I’m looking forward to, I’m looking forward to the friendship that I already have with all these females, because life is so complicated."
2017: The rumors died down when Rihanna starts dating Hassan Jameel.
Rihanna began a relationship with Hassan Janeel, Toyota heir and billionaire from Saudi Arabia, ending talk of anything romantic between her and Rocky. At the time, he was rumored to be dating Kendall Jenner.
2019: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky start hanging out more and more.
Even though the rumors of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's relationship seemed to have been put to rest, they revved up with a vengeance again in October 2019, when Rihanna was spotted at the Rolling Loud festival hanging out with A$AP Rocky after his performance.
Then in December, they attended the British Fashion Awards together.
And just weeks later she was spotted in Sweden at A$AP Rocky's first performance back in Stockholm following his arrest and subsequent jail there that summer.
2020: Just a few days after her reported split from Jameel, Rihanna was seen supporting A$AP Rocky at yet another concert.
The A$AP Mob — the rap collective whose moniker stands for "Always Strive And Prosper" and includes A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, and other mainly New York-based rappers — puts on what they call Yams Day every year in celebration of the life of Steven "A$AP Yams" Rodriguez, a fellow member of the A$AP Mob who died in 2015 of an accidental drug overdose.
And while the January 17, 2020 concert brought out the likes of Tyler, The Creator and Lil Yachty, it was Rihanna's appearance that made headlines, because she was seen getting cozy with A$AP Rocky backstage.
That year's Yams Day Benefit concert happened to take place shortly after sources confirmed Rihanna and Hassan Jameel had called their three-year relationship quits, causing many to wonder if Rocky was the reason she and her billionaire Saudi boyfriend broke up.
Tongues continued wagging when Rihanna and A$AP Rocky collaborated on a Fenty Skin line for men.
And over the course of the next several months, the pair continued to raise eyebrows.
They were spotted together in New York City several times after a source told People Magazine the two were officially dating. And soon after, took a Christmas time trip to Barbados, reportedly with Rihanna's family.
"Spending Christmas together was an obvious step for Rihanna and A$AP," a source told Entertainment Tonight. "They've known each other for so long as friends and in a work setting, which makes it so easy for them to get along, travel together and be involved in each other’s lives to the full extent. They always have such a good time together and definitely seem in love."
2021: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are spotted leaving an event hosted by Drake together.
On April 11, 2021, Rihanna and Rocky were seen together not only attending an event the "Hotline Bling" rapper and long-time friend of Rihanna held at Los Angeles restaurant Delilah, but they reportedly left together as well, sparking renewed talk about whether or not they are dating.
2021: A$AP Rocky confirms the good news!
And that brings us to present day!
All our good vibes to the happy couple.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET, and more.