US Rapper A$AP Rocky arrives at court in Los Angeles

Rapper A$AP Rocky was joined by his partner, billionaire pop star and businesswoman Rihanna, in court Wednesday as he stands trial in Los Angeles for felony assault charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty, stemming from an incident in which he is accused of firing a handgun at rapper A$AP Relli outside a Los Angeles hotel.

The rapper’s trial began Friday after he turned down a plea deal which would have required him to plead guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in exchange for 180 days in jail but without the plea deal, the rapper faces up to 24 years in prison if he is convicted.

A$AP Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina has said the rapper was carrying a “prop gun” he got from a music video set that is incapable of firing real bullets, also arguing prosecutors lack evidence including fingerprints and the gun from the alleged assault.