Rocky Aoki once said that he had “three kids from three different women at exactly the same time.” He found out about the seventh with the third woman when he was sued for paternity. In 2005, Rocky sued four of his children (Grace, Kevin, Kyle, and Echo) for an alleged attempt to take control of the companies he founded, which, at the time, had an estimated value between USD $60–100 million. He was an offshore powerboat racer along with the 1986 APBA world champion Powerboat throttleman Errol Lanier, a former Fort Lauderdale, Florida fireman who saved his life in a near fatal powerboat crash in 1979 under the Golden Gate Bridge. After injuries suffered in a 1982 accident, the Tenafly, New Jersey resident told sportswriters that he was leaving the sport. In 1973, Rocky Aoki launched Genesis, a softcore men’s magazine. The title changed hands several times, eventually becoming an explicit publication long after Aoki’s period of ownership. Despite not enjoying the mainstream popularity of rivals Playboy and Penthouse, the magazine remained in activity for nearly 40 years.

Before his death, Rocky Aoki had become a United States citizen. Aoki was the recipient of The International Center in New York’s Award of Excellence. He died of pneumonia in New York. At the time of his death he had been suffering from diabetes, Hepatitis C, and cirrhosis of the liver. His Hepatitis C was reportedly the result of a blood transfusion after a 1979 speedboat crash under the Golden Gate Bridge. At the time of his death, Rocky Aoki was survived by his seven children, his wife and four grandchildren. These included musician Steve Aoki and model Devon Aoki.