The 'Babushka Boi' rapper, who was arrested in the country for assault, originally wanted to perform for her former fellow inmates, but his request was turned down.
- Dec 12, 2019
AceShowbiz - A$AP Rocky has made his return to Sweden following his headline-making arrest for assault in the country. Hitting the stage at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm on Wednesday, December 11, the rapper made quite a statement during his set by performing in a cage that resembled a jail cell, a not-so-subtle reference to his time behind the bars.
Concertgoers were met with of a stage-wide metal cage enclosing male dancers who were dressed in prison uniform. They attempted to break free as soon as Rocky began to perform. But instead of being let go, they were later joined by Rocky who kept performing hits after hits. "Thank you to everybody who showed up here today in Sweden," he said. "I didn't bring you here together so we can talk about Swedish authorities, politics or American politics. I brought you here today for love and unity."
Rocky donated a portion of the ticket proceeds to Swedish Network of Refugee Support Groups, which is a volunteer organization that works with refugees and asylum seekers.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, originally wanted to perform in front of his former fellow inmates at Kronoberg Prison in Stockholm, but Vilhem Grevik from the nation Prison and Probation Service confirmed that his request had been turned down due to logistical and security issues.
"Even when I'm denied access to donate or perform for the inmates in Sweden I still want to raise awareness for the immigrants and poor ppl of outside surrounding areas," he said of the rejection at the time. "This has been a difficult journey, but I feel it's my task to give back to ppl who supported me when I was down."
Rocky was arrested and taken into custody in July in Sweden on an assault charge after an altercation with two men in the street. He was found guilty of the charge in August, but did not face additional jail time.
