The sweetest part of A$AP Rocky’s Kia Forum show in Los Angeles on June 27 had nothing to do with the setlist. Mid-performance, Rocky spotted his toddler son Riot in the crowd and paused to call him out directly: “Riot Rose. Hey, son. Daddy loves you, son.”. You can see the video here on instagram.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaIgmlwCsOQ
Riot, who showed up in a denim jacket and noise-canceling headphones, needed a little nudging before he waved back. That nudge came from his mom, Rihanna, who was right there with him watching Rocky work the stage.
After the show wrapped, the family moment kept going backstage. Rocky carried Riot on his shoulders for photos, and the toddler also found time to give radio personality Big Boy a fist bump, which honestly might be the most confident two-year-old energy ever documented.
Rocky has talked before about how much having kids has genuinely shifted his day-to-day life. In an interview with Vogue, he said fatherhood gave him an easy excuse to skip the stuff he never really wanted to do anyway, saying he could “justify doing things, like not going to the club or just leaving after five minutes.” He jokingly added that he acts tired and leans into it.
He and Rihanna now have three kids together: sons RZA, 4, and Riot, plus daughter Rocki, who just turned 9 months old. That’s a full house, and Rocky seems pretty settled into the role, even if his version of “dad mode” involves performing for thousands of people and then giving your kid a shoulder ride through the venue.
From the crowd’s side, the moment clearly landed. Videos of Rocky calling out Riot’s name spread quickly across social media, with fans reacting to how natural and unscripted it felt. It wasn’t a planned bit or a stage-managed family photo op, just a dad seeing his kid in the audience and saying something about it.
Rihanna has kept a relatively lower public profile since giving birth to Rocki earlier this year, so her showing up at the Forum with the kids in tow felt like its own kind of moment. She’s been supportive of the Don’t Be Dumb tour without making it about her, which given her own profile takes a certain kind of intention.
Rocky is still mid-tour, and with three kids now in the mix, nights like this one in LA are probably becoming a more regular part of the show experience.
