Being a rap star seems like the life. Unfortunately, a limitless amount of money, hos and clothes isn’t enough to ensure the industry’s brightest acts stay on the stage and out of the clinker. Here’s a list of rapper’s who’ve let illegal activities cut into their cash flow.
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Carter Jr. was sentenced to one-year in prison after police found him carrying a gun after a concert in New York City. The rapper has been banned from entering Europe.
TI
A popping career, a huge payroll and a new wife couldn’t keep T.I. on the straight and narrow. Clifford Harris Jr. was remanded back to prison for 11 months last October after violating terms of his parole — he’d just served a year for gun charges.
Ja Rule
After a long hiatus from ruling the pop charts, Jeffrey Atkins was sentenced to serve two years in prison for gun and drug possession charges. The former Murder Inc. front man was given a delay in March 2011 to finish his upcoming album.
Snoop
Over the last twenty years Mr. Calvin Broadus Jr. has racked up a slew of alleged charges, for crimes ranging murder to firearm possession. The ex-felon’s last arrest was in 2007 for “reeking” of marijuana at a concert in Sweden.
Gucci Mane
A string of crimes — ranging from drug possession to assault — have periodically kept the So Icey Records CEO in the slammer. Earlier this year Radric Davis, a poet turned rapper, filed a plea of mental incompetence to avoid further jail time.
Shyne
Jamal Barrow took his former record label’s moniker, Bad Boy, to heart. Sadly, the Belize native never got a chance to shine on the charts. His star power was quickly dimmed after he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a shooting melee at a New York City nightclub.
Mystikal
Back in 2000, the Louisiana-bred rap star had crowds mesmerized with his infectious hit, produced by Pharell Williams, “Shake It Fast”. Sadly, his reign on the top wouldn’t last. Michael Tyler elected to use street justice and forced a stylist he accused of theft to perform sexual acts with him and his guards. All parties were punished.
Remy Ma
Reminisce Smith is probably doing a lot of that nowadays. The budding rap starlet’s career was cut short when she popped a former friend in the gut after accusing her of stealing several thousand dollars. Remy received eight years in prison and is eligible for release in 2013.
Lil Kim
When the pint-sized pop star rapped, “under pressure, I”ll lie for you, die for you. Luger by the thigh for you, right hand high for you,” she meant it. But in real life you have to pay for such infractions. Kimberly Jones received 10 months in jail for lying in court about the whether she knew the perpetrators of a crime.
C- Murder
One night on the town changed Corey “C-Murder” Miller’s life forever. After killing a 16-year-old at a club the No Limit rapper’s received a limitless prison sentence. He’s in jail for life.
Foxy
Temper tantrums, including smacking people and throwing items, eventually led to Ms. Inga Marchand’s demise. The former rap superstar was sentenced to a one-year long prison stint after violating probation. Not very foxy.
