A$AP Rocky is clear … he did NOT shoot A$AP Relli … pushing back against his accuser, whom Rocky says is simply trying to make a cash grab.

The rapper’s acclaimed lawyer, Joe Tacopina, tells TMZ … “Rocky didn’t commit a crime. It was an extortion attempt by a former associate, who threatened to make false criminal accusations if Rocky didn’t pay him.”

Remember … A$AP is accused of firing shots at A$AP Relli during a dispute in Hollywood back in November, with Relli claiming bullet fragments caused a hand injury. Relli is suing Rocky over the alleged incident, and Rocky is also facing felony firearms charges.

Tacopina tells us he has 2 eyewitnesses who back Rocky’s story … not only that Relli wasn’t hit by bullet fragments, but that no shot was even fired. In other words, Tacopina says Relli has made up the story in a “get-rich-quick scheme.”

Rocky hired Joe because a couple of his friends — YG and Meek Mill — were also successfully repped by Tacopina.

Tacopina says both the civil and criminal cases against his client are slam dunks … “What will become abundantly clear in the upcoming months, based on facts and evidence, is that Rocky is innocent of these charges.”