A$AP Rocky Riles Up Crowd in First Concert Since ‘Scary Humbling Experience’ in Swedish Jail

Fans could be heard chanting “F— Sweden!” during the rapper’s festival-closing performance

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A$AP had a chance to get wild for the night at Real Street Festival in Anaheim on Sunday. And given his current legal situation, awaiting a verdict on assault charges in Sweden, he took full advantage of it.

The rapper closed out the second and final night of the festival hosted by REAL 92.3 FM, appearing before a crowd at the Honda Center festival grounds that chanted “F— Sweden!” during Rocky’s his first gig since his release last week from a Swedish jail where he was held for over three weeks.

“I’m so happy to be here right now y’all can’t even understand it,” Rocky (né born Rakim Mayers) told the crowd at the start of his roughly one-hour set. “I’m so happy to be here right now. That was a scary humbling experience but I’m here right now. God is good.”

“People who didn’t even f— with me felt sympathetic for my situation, people was praying for me,” he continued. “That uplifted me when my spirits were low. Can’t thank y’all enough, that was crazy, thank you so much. Hip-hop never looked so strong together, we a big strong community together.”

The New York rapper’s appreciation for the West Coast was in full effect throughout the night as he brought out Tyler the Creator (dressed like a preppy golfer) and a red bandanna-wearing YG as well as A$AP Ferg.

“I’m so happy my brother is home,” Tyler said on stage after he and Rocky performed “Who Dat Boy.”

Rocky began his set behind a giant white sheet covering the stage during the first song “A$AP Forever” with flaming crash-test dummy graphics blazing on large twin screens. Once the sheet dropped, the rapper emerged wearing his own crash-test dummy mask and performed with his face hidden for two more songs.

The crowd responded to Rocky’s thunderous energy through out the show, opening mosh pits in the crowd on his command, bouncing and smashing into each other during songs like “Wild For the Night,” “Hands on the Wheel” and “Pick It Up.”

At the end of the show, he launched into “Yamborghini High” as a tribute to his former producer A$AP Yams, who died in 2015 at age 26. But first, he thanked the crowd once again for their support and asked that they “keep praying” for him.

Rocky is expected to return to Sweden next week to hear his sentence following a trial earlier this month. On July 3, Rocky and two associates, Bladimir Corniel and David Rispers, were arrested and charged with assault for their role in a street brawl in Stockholm. He and his associates pleaded not guilty and said he was acting in self-defense. The Swedish prosecutor has asked for a six-month prison sentence.

Rocky’s detention caused a worldwide stir, with even President Donald Trump calling for his release.

Fans soon posted portions of the performance on social media:

https://twitter.com/AniCaribbean/status/1160833185816567808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1160833185816567808&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yahoo.com%2Fentertainment%2Fap-rocky-performs-first-time-152637904.html

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