Rihanna discusses 'cautious' start to dating A$AP Rocky, fears that come with motherhood

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's relationship was a slow burn from pals to parents.

The Fenty Beauty mogul, 36, opened up about their "cautious" start and the couple's sons RZA Athelston Mayers, 1, and 8-month-old Riot Rose, in the spring issue of Interview magazine.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky first met during rehearsals for their joint performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, according to the singer. The "D.M.B." rapper snuck in a backside grab on stage, which sparked early dating rumors.

"My team was worried that I wanted to have his head on a mantle," she recalled. "But I was like, 'Ah, nah.' That's why everybody was like, 'Oh my god. She likes him.'"

The duo remained close but didn't cross lines into dating until 2019, per Rihanna. "We saw fashion the same. We saw creative the same. We ended up in the same circles a lot. And past that, when we grew up, we ended up supporting each other's brands and products and creative all the time," she said.

"We've known each other for a long time. I've seen him in relationships. He's seen me in relationships. We've seen each other outside of relationships. We knew what we’re capable of, and the trouble that we could bring to each other's lives," Rihanna continued, explaining why they waited to date. "We can make or break each other's hearts. And so, we started dating with a lot of caution."

She added: "I just let whatever was supposed to happen, happen. It was just, 'This is a flower. It's either going to die or blossom. But I'm going to let it decide itself.'"

By 2020, Rihanna seemingly knew she and A$AP Rocky "were going to start a family," but said the COVID-19 pandemic made her more confident in their relationship. "Had it not been for COVID, we would've taken a lot more time to get comfortable with each other, to even know that we were ready," she said.

When it came to family planning, the "Work" singer said, "We didn't even really talk about it. There was no denying it. It was the best thing that ever happened to us. It just happened.

"I let God lead and just let go," she said. "When someone sees you completely, and believes in you, and thinks you're worthy of being the mother of their kids, it's a great feeling. I felt the same about him. I knew he would be a great dad."

As far as the future, Rihanna said she's open to more children but is letting her faith take charge. "I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two," she said. "I would try for my girl. But of course if it's another boy, it's another boy."

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky share first photos of their newborn baby, Riot Rose

Rihanna revealed her second pregnancy with son Riot Rose during her performance at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime show. However, the "Love on the Brain" singer joked that becoming a girl mom is an item that remains on her parental bucket list.

"So far, have daughters," Rihanna told E! News at a Fenty x Puma event in December when asked what she doesn't have in her life. "I'm batting at 75% for a boy next time. So, we'll just keep our fingers crossed."

Rihanna discusses fear that comes with motherhood

Speaking to Interview, Rihanna kept it candid about motherhood and the emotions of postpartum.

"The well-being of your kids, you worry about that constantly," she said when asked about her fears. "Nobody warns you that having kids means you’re going to worry every second of your life."

Rihanna also discussed the joy of being a mom, including RZA's first word: "Hey."

"I used to try to get his attention all the time, and I would say, 'Hey, hey, hey.' And one day he said it back to me in the same melody and I kept singing it and he kept following it over and over again," she recalled.

'I loved him differently as a dad': Rihanna gushes about A$AP Rocky's parenting

While her fans in the Navy have been anxiously awaiting new music, her sons are getting a free concert at home.

There favorites are not from her catalogue. "There's 'Penguins Salute.' There's 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.' Oh my gosh. RZA gets really emotional about that. And now he's really into 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.' 'The Wheels on the Bus' is a favorite from the beginning till now. That's just a classic. It's never going out of style," she said in true mom fashion.

"And oh, the new 'Incy-Wincy Spider.' … Because he thinks I'm going to tickle him when I sing that one. And he has a book about that, so he can put two and two together," Rihanna gushed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rihanna was 'cautious' to date ASAP Rocky, she says of beginnings