Rapper ASAP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, may find himself stuck in Swedish custody for at least another week due to "interference" from the US State Department and President Trump. Unnamed sources familiar with the case told TMZ that President Trump's offer to pay for the rapper's release may count as interfering in Swedish internal judicial matters.
The artist, who has been held in Sweden since 3 July over a street brawl, will be kept in custody until at least 25 July and could be charged by the Stockholm District Court.
He found himself an unlikely friend in President Donald Trump after POTUS declared that he would be prepared to pay for ASAP Rocky's release following a phone call on Saturday with Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 20 июля 2019 г.
According to Trump, Lofven assured him that ASAP Rocky would receive a "fair trial." The Swedish prime minister also asserted "the complete independence of the Swedish judicial system, prosecutors and courts."
The Swedish authorities detained ASAP Rocky and his two companions - his bodyguard and another man - in Stockholm where he gave a headline performance at the Smash x Stadion hip-hop festival. On 30 June, the artist with accomplices became involved in a street brawl, which resulted in a person being beaten and cut with a broken bottle, according to Swedish authorities.
The rapper has denied the allegations and later uploaded a video showing a part of the conflict.
Subsequently, the artist's arrest was was extended for an extra two weeks so that an investigation could be conducted.
ASAP Rocky has complained about his prison conditions saying that entering Kronoberg prison was like "walking into a toilet".
His team set up a Change.org petition that labelled the jail “inhumane” and claims that he is being held in solitary confinement for "self-defence" without access to "palatable and life sustaining food.”
The Swedish prison governor has replied saying that the prison was in "good condition".
An online campaign to "Free Rocky" has been established in Stockholm.
