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Daily Mirror
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Amy Denman & Scarlett O'Toole

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's relationship timeline as baby son's name is finally revealed

The name of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's son has finally been revealed as RZA Athelston Mayers, after the couple kept it quiet for almost a year.

They welcomed their son in May 2022 and had been keeping tight-lipped about his name, but it seems they've now settled on the perfect moniker.

A copy of the little boy's birth certificate has revealed he is named RZA Athelston Mayers, apparently in honour of the Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky now don't have long to wait until they become parents again, after Rihanna revealed she is expecting a second child during her Super Bowl performance earlier this year.

The 34-year-old Diamonds singer made her comeback to live performing with the highly-anticipated gig and debuted a blossoming baby bump, just nine months after welcoming her first child.

After finding love with her long-time friend A$AP Rocky, the world fell in love with their romance, too. Here, we take a look at how their relationship developed from good friends to becoming parents together...

2012: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky collaborate

All good romances start out as friendships – well that's what they say don't they?

Well Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's friendship began in 2012, after the pair performed a remix of Rihanna's track Cockiness (Love It) at the MTV VMA's.

As A$AP joined Rihanna on stage, Rihanna danced while he rapped a verse and the pair left the audience screaming as they hugged before he planted a kiss on her neck and left the stage.

Despite the pair's steamy show, Rihanna and the rapper, who's real name is Rakim Mayers, were just friends as the singer is said to have briefly rekindled her romance with ex Chris Brown at the end of 2012.

Rihanna showed her friendship with A$AP when she tweeted a message of condolence to the Praise The Lord rapper when his father died.

She wrote to him on Twitter: "My most sincere condolences bro" followed by the hashtag #BajanBlood.

2013: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky go on tour and continue work together

As Rihanna toured the world with her Diamonds gig, A$AP Rocky joined her as her opening act from March 2013 until May of the same year.

He joined her tour again for a handful of dates in October and November.

Rihanna then returned the favour by appearing in the rapper's music video for his song Fashion Killa. The pair play a loved-up couple in the video, which seems them shopping for clothes together.

A$AP also mentions Riri in the lyrics as he says: "Her attitude Rihanna, she get it from her mama."

2015: A$AP denies romance speculation

A$AP denied ever being romantic with Rihanna (Getty)

In an interview with New York City radio station Hot 97, the rapper denied being in a romantic relationship with Rihanna.

A$AP, who has also joined forces with Lana Del Rey, Alicia Keys and Selena Gomez, said: "It never happened.

"If it happened, then it would have happened. We didn't do that. ... That's not what I'm looking forward to. I'm looking forward to the friendship that I already have with all these females."

In the same year, Rihanna was briefly linked to Travis Scott – but the pair never confirmed their romance.

2017: Looking elsewhere for love

In 2017, Rihanna started a serious relationship with Toyota heir Hassan Jameel, but she kept a low profile throughout their relationship.

Rihanna kept coy about her romance, and when she was asked in a 2019 interview if she was dating anyone, she replied: "Google it".

The pair were very private during their romance and were reported to have split at the beginning of 2020.

And around the same time, A$AP was linked to Kendall Jenner. A$AP and Kendall attended the Met Gala together in 2017, where they were snapped on the red carpet but neither publicly confirmed their romance.

2018: Rihanna and A$AP's friendship continues to grow

Pals Rihanna and A$AP Rocky continued to hang out together (Getty Images)

Despite the musicians not being in a romantic relationship together, they attended a number of events as one another's plus one.

In June 2018, Rihanna and A$AP attended a Louis Vuitton fashion show together during Paris Fashion Week and sat in the front row.

Later on in September of the same year, A$AP posed for photos as Rihanna's fourth annual Diamond Ball, for Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation, which is named in honour of her grandparents.

The rapper looked slick in a black suit and a black shirt buttoned to the top.

In 2019, the pair continued to show off their friendship as the L$D artist attended Rihanna's fifth annual Diamond Ball.

2019: Romance rumours

Romance rumours began as the pair attended The Fashion Awards in 2019 (Getty Images)

Despite many years of friendship, the pair set tongues wagging as they attended the Fashion Awards red carpet together.

Rihanna looked stunning in a silky teal dress with an oversized cape, which she paired with a pair of stunning teal court heels.

Meanwhile, A$AP wore a black suit with a T-Shirt underneath, allowing the Fashion Killa's outfit to take centre stage as they posed together.

The pair laughed and smiled as they posed together on the carpet and looked relaxed in one another's company.

2020: Rihanna's split from billionaire as A$AP romance rumours swirl

A$AP even starred in a Fenty campaign with Rihanna (Instagram)
Rumours the pair were an item began to swirl (AFP via Getty Images)

In January 2020, it was reported that Rihanna's romance with the Saudi Arabian billionaire Hassan was over.

A source claimed to People the breakup was down to the fact the pair's lives were "too different" making it "hard to maintain a relationship".

In the following weeks, rumours Rihanna and A$AP were together began to swirl.

Rihanna was spotted at A$AP's concert to honour his late friend A$AP Yams who died of a drug overdose in 2015.

However, according to The Sun Rihanna was "reluctant to put a label on it as it’s so soon after Hassan".

A source added: "They're really enjoying each other’s company and taking things easy as it’s still early days."

The rapper supported Rihanna's skincare venture (AFP/Getty Images)

But, another source denied the rumours as they told E! News: "Rihanna is single.

"She just got out of a long intense relationship with Hassan. She's wants to be single and isn't going to jump into something. She's hanging out with ASAP Rocky, but she is not dating him."

By the end of 2020, the pair were spotted together in New York's Beatrice Inn and it was claimed they were an item.

A source later claimed to People that a smitten Rihanna and A$AP were "inseparable".

They added: "It's a new relationship, but they both seem very into it."

Although neither confirmed their romance to the public, things appeared to be getting serious as the Praise The Lord rapper joined the Man Down singer in Barbados to spend Christmas with Rihanna's family.

2021: Rihanna's first public nod to her man as romance blossoms

While on her sunny Caribbean vacation, Rihanna posted snaps of herself modelling shoes A$AP designed in collaboration with footwear designer Amina Muaddi.

As she posted the snap on Instagram the Umbrella artist wrote in the caption: "new year's resolution: apply the pressure".

The pair continued to be snapped out together but still remained coy about their relationship. Until...

2021: A$AP confirms his feelings for Rihanna

After months of speculation and years of fans praying the pair would get together, A$AP called Rihanna "my lady" in an interview with GQ.

Hinting at how serious they were, he said the singer was "the love of my life".

A$AP was also asked what it was like to be in a relationship as he said: "So much better when you got the One. She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones. I think when you know, you know. She's the One."

2022: Rihanna and A$AP's baby joy

Rihanna and A$AP announced they were set to become parents for the first time (AFP via Getty Images)

In January 2022, Rihanna and A$AP posed together to show of the singer's bump and reveal they were expecting their first child together.

The iconic shoot saw Rihanna ware a bright pink longline coat – which she left unbuttoned to show off her bump – along with a pair of pale blue denim jeans and a huge blingy cross, which touched the top of her bump.

Dad-to-be A$AP wore black leather trousers, a denim jacket and a cream jumper for the occasion.

The pair were said to be excited about parenthood as a source told People: "She couldn't be happier and is so excited to be a mom.

"She's loving all the changes to her body during pregnancy and has always celebrated pregnant women in her runway shows for Fenty."

In May, the pair threw a secret baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of their little one.

The pair were said to have flown friends and family in from Barbados for the intimate rave-themed event.

Later that month, on May 13, it was reported by TMZ that Rihanna had given birth to a baby boy.

2022: Rihanna speaks about A$AP for the first time

Rihanna opened up about moving A$AP Rocky 'from the friendzone' (Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)
Rihanna recalled their first public performance (Getty Images)

The usually-private Rihanna let people into her romance with A$AP in an interview with Vogue in April 2022.

She said: "People don't get out of the friend zone very easily with me.

"And I certainly took a while to get over how much I know him and how much he knows me because we also know how much trouble we can land each other in."

Looking back on their first ever public sighting at the VMAs in 2012, Rihanna said: "He grabbed my a*s on stage. That was not part of the rehearsal! I was like, 'What are you doing!?' ... [After it happened], my manager was like, 'Oh, God, she must like this guy a little bit. She never lets this s**t slide'."

She also revealed that the pair's romance became serious in the coronavirus pandemic as she said: "He became my family in that time.

"My mother has a really good read on people. She observes first and then she'll move slowly. I guess I'm like that too. There are some guys that I've dated that she won't even look at to this day. But she was charmed by him from the jump."

2023: A$AP gushes over fatherhood

A$AP and Rihanna are proud parents (NBC via Getty Images)
The rapper gushed over Rihanna's upcoming Super Bowl performance (Variety via Getty Images)

In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, the rapper described parenthood as "unexplainable".

He said: "It's just one of those things.

"I'm a member of our club now, like, the dad club. You see a dad, you see me. ... I'm a full dad now."

He added: "Being outside and working and being creative, it drives more energy for you ... to think and soak things up like a sponge now that I'm a dad, because I have a whole [other] perspective.

"But it honestly helps you get home to your family and get home to your baby. And I can't even explain it, man.

"You come home to heaven every day. I'm so thankful. God is good, man."

2023: Rihanna is pregnant again

Rihanna showed off her baby bump as she performed at the Super Bowl (Ross D Franklin/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

As the singer performed at the Super Bowl in February, she debuted her baby bump and revealed she was expecting baby number two.

She showcased her gorgeous growing bump as she donned a red boiler suit – which she wore open with a tight red top, which had a shiny panel on, to show fans her bump.

The news was confirmed to Mirror by her representatives shortly after her performance.

Fans erupted with joy over Rihanna's pregnancy and fans were in awe of her performance as one tweeted: "Rihanna just gave us one of the most visually stunning performances of all time, IN THE SKY WHILE PREGNANT".

Another wrote: "the fact that rihanna pulled all of this off and she pregnant again damn".

And a third penned: "I don’t think @rihanna understand the level of excitement she brought to everyone that loves her and her music. She sang classics that made us go way back. Danced and sang while pregnant. Epic!"

2023: Marriage rumours

A$AP Rocky and Rihanna sparked wedding rumours at the Met Gala (Variety via Getty Images)

A$AP Rocky and Rihanna sparked marriage rumours with her social media post after the Met Gala.

The singer arrived at the star-studded event in a white bridal-style gown and was shrouded in white flowers as she paid tribute to the late designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Sharing behind the scenes snaps from the event a few days later, Rihanna added a cryptic caption that left fans speculating whether the singer had tied the knot or was planning to in the future.

"Shout outz 2 the bridal party….here come de bride #idoKARL#METgala2023," she wrote under a carousel of snaps.

"It’s the caption for me" one fan wrote in the comments.

A second suggested: "Maybe they are secretly married," while a third added: "She said 'I'm married now.'"

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