A$AP Rocky’s Lawyer Explains Why He Turned Down Representing Diddy In Court

Joe Tacopina has been buzzing ever since he helped A$AP Rocky receive a “not guilty” verdict in his recent felony assault trial. The 58-year-old lawyer recently revealed that his efforts were requested to help Diddy in his upcoming sex trafficking and racketeering trial, but he turned the opportunity down for one particular reason — or rather, one particular person.

“I was asked to take a look at the case, that’s another case I said I was not interested in,” the New York attorney told The Breakfast Club, before revealing that his ties to JAY-Z and Roc Nation kept him from taking the case. “I represent Roc Nation; a lot of people in Roc I’m very close with. [JAY-Z] and [Roc Nation president] Desiree Perez, who’s the most amazing, like bomb of a boss. Jay is amazing. You know, Jay Brown, all those people are just, like, they really are special, special people. That’s sort of family to me and I don’t think they see eye-to-eye with P. Diddy.”

Hov and Puff’s relationship has been discussed a lot over the last few months, especially when the Brooklyn rapper was named in a rape lawsuit alongside the Bad Boy founder back in December 2024. Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing the alleged victim, has since dismissed the case. Representatives for the 4:44 rapper claimed that despite the optics, Jay and Diddy were not as close as they may have seemed over the last few decades.

Joe Tacopina gave his take on JAY-Z and Diddy’s relationship. “Everyone wants a picture with P. Diddy, at one time or another, when they went to a party,” he said. Of course, distancing oneself from the controversial mogul now as he awaits trial could be viewed as a convenient revelation, but Tacopina’s close ties to the billionaire may give his words more merit.

Nonetheless, Tacopina proudly denied adding another star to his list of clients which already included A$AP Rocky, Donald Trump, Michael Jackson, and Alex Rodriguez. Rocky was so pleased with the attorney’s efforts during his felony assault trial that he and Rihanna, the mother of his two children, promised to immortalize his name in their family lineage forever.

“[A$AP Rocky and Rihanna] grabbed me and they said, ‘Listen, our next baby is A$AP Joe,’” he told Extra after the trial. “I’m gonna hold you to that,” he responded to the couple. The Harlem rapper was facing up to 24 years in prison if he was convicted of shooting at A$AP Relli during a 2021 confrontation, but Tacopina successfully broke down Relli’s testimony and made him look like more of a liar than he already was, having committed perjury multiple times.