Ja Rule to serve 2-year prison term in deal

Ja Rule agreed Monday to go to prison for two years in a gun case, becoming the second platinum-selling rapper set to do time after arrests in the aftermath of a star-studded hip-hop concert in July 2007.

The rapper-actor - whose gravelly voice, thuggish tough talk and duets with R&B divas made him one of rap's stars in the early 2000s - pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. Lil Wayne was arrested separately the same night and later pleaded guilty to the same charge, The Associated Press reports.

Speaking in a low voice, Ja Rule said nothing beyond "guilty" and "yes" to a Manhattan judge's questions as he admitted to a charge that involves attempting to have a loaded gun outside one's home or workplace. Police said they found a loaded gun in a rear door of his $250,000-plus Maybach after it was stopped for speeding.

His plea deal promises the 34-year-old rapper, born Jeffrey Atkins, a two-year prison term compared to the 15-year stint he could have faced if convicted of the original gun charges against him. He remains free until his sentencing.

"This isn't a good day," Ja Rule said as he headed to a waiting SUV, waving to some fans who recognized him behind his dark sunglasses. His lawyer, Stacey Richman, declined to comment.

He's due in court Feb. 9 to set a date for his sentencing.Ja Rule scored a Grammy Award nomination in 2002 for the best rap album with "Pain is Love." He also has appeared in movies, including the 2001 film "The Fast and the Furious" and 2003's "Scary Movie 3." Originally from Queens, Ja Rule has lived in Saddle Brook, N.J., in recent years with his wife and children.