Lil Wayne faces a year in prison after pleading guilty to gun charges arising from a 2007 arrest.

The 27-year-old admitted attempted criminal possession of a weapon in a plea deal and will be sentenced at New York State Supreme Court in February.

The rapper – born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr – was arrested in July 2007 when a gun was found on his tour bus after a hip-hop concert in Manhattan.

His sixth album Tha Carter III was the best-selling album in the US in 2008.

The record won best rap album at the Grammy awards in February, where Lil Wayne picked up three other prizes.

According to a spokeswoman at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the rapper would have faced more serious gun possession charges had the case gone to trial.

Lil Wayne also faces felony drug possession and weapons charges in Arizona after drugs and a handgun were allegedly found on his tour bus in January 2008.

The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Lil Wayne cut a sombre figure on Thursday as he acknowledged he had had a .40 calibre semi-automatic loaded gun on his tour bus in 2007.

Rapper Ja Rule was arrested after the same New York concert on gun possession charges. The rap star, known to the court as Jeff Atkins, has pleaded not guilty. He has a court date next month.

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