NY Congressman, Adriano Espaillat, strongly advocates for Flacko’s return.
It’s safe to say, the month of July 2019 will forever be one to remember for Harlem-hailing rapper, A$AP Rocky. On the very first day of the month, a video surfaced of Rocky and his crew beating on a man in Sweden, after he and his friend tirelessly followed and harassed the star and his posse, and allegedly grabbed a couple of women’s asses on the way. After that, it was reported that Flacko had been arrested in Sweden on suspicion of assault, and well, this news seemed to trigger a hurricane of troubling updates on a detained Rocky. The world has been watching as reports come in like a whirlwind every day, with Rocky said to be facing a potential 6 years behind bars, and fellow A$AP Mob member, A$AP Ferg taking to Instagram to share the troubling news with fans that the “Sundress” rapper had been placed in solitary confinement “with no visit or phone call privileges.” With many calling for his freedom, others claiming that they won’t perform in the country due to the way authorities are treating Rocky, and Tyler, The Creator, ScHoolboy Q, and Lil Yachty even pledging to boycott performing in Sweden because of the situation, it’s not looking too good for Swedish Authorities. Now, the Harlem rapper is getting political support as well, as Congressman Adriano Espaillat, U.S. Representative for New York’s Thirteenth Congressional District, is advocating for his return.
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On Wednesday, July 10, Congressman Espaillat sent several letters to the U.S. State Department, U.S. Embassy in Sweden, and the Swedish Ambassador in Washington, insisting on Rocky’s innocence and requesting justice in his case. The fan petition raised more than 400,000 signatures in its first day, meaning that Rocky’s case appears to have a strong supporting, but Congressman Espaillat is fixed on helping Flacko’s case along even more, speak up for the “important member of the Harlem community.” “He’s part of a growing, young movement of artists that, first of all, I commend because they identify with the neighborhood where they live, which in this case is Harlem,” Espaillat explained. “Harlem is a neighborhood that is very special because Harlem is not just about the Apollo or 125th Street. It’s really about an attitude and a personality and a history and a legacy. And so, for him to be a young person and continue to identify with Harlem, and be a strong presence of the artist community in Harlem, is great. That’s why I’m going to bat for him.”
