Update!

Five Things Lil Wayne Will Be Doing in the Big House

Multiplatinum rapper turns himself in to begin yearlong sentence for weapons charge; here's what he'll be up to

By Josh Grossberg Mar 08, 2010 7:41 PMTags
Lil' WayneJohn Shearer/Getty Images

A month after sentencing in his illegal weapons case was postponed for the mother of all root canals, and a week after an accidental courthouse fire did likewise, Lil Wayne was formally taken into custody Monday to begin his one-year stint at Rikers Island.

The Grammy-winning hip-hopster, who declined to address the court before he was led out in handcuffs, could get out in as early as eight months if he manages to behave himself.

So what will life be like behind bars for Weezy, and will he be getting any special favors?

Hell no, says Steve Morello, spokesman for the City of New York Department of Corrections.

"There's no such thing as celebrity treatment," he said.

Tell that to his fans. Last Tuesday, Wayne made a surprise cameo at Jay-Z's Madison Square Garden concert and received a warm welcome as he and Young Jeezy performed the fittingly titled rap "I'm Goin' In."

"We with you 100 percent," Jeezy told Weezy.

A week ago, Wayne (real name: Dwayne Carter III) was feted by his crew at Miami's club LIV, presented with a cake inscribed "Keep Ya Head Up." And a few days before he went under the knife, he posted a rambling, bleep-worthy goodbye to fans, letting them know how much he loves them and that he had been working hard in the studio to make sure there's plenty of Lil Wayne in rotation while he's away. He also launched his own Twitter feed.

Meanwhile, here are five things the multiplatinum artist can look forward to in the Big House:

1. A Regimented Schedule: Let's hope Wayne doesn't like to sleep in. The wake-up call for all Rikers inmates is 4:30 a.m., at which time they're served breakfast. Lunch is at 11 a.m. and dinner's at 4:30 p.m. On the menu tonight? Noodles with sausage and marinara sauce.  A side of steamed greens.  A green salad.  Four slices of wheat bread (baked fresh at Rikers everyday!), sliced peaches and a choice of fruit drinks or ice tea.

2. The Block Is Hot All Right: In between meals, Wayne will pass the time in a 10-by-6-foot cell replete with a bed, sink, toilet and window facing a wall. The good news is he'll be able to watch TV and hang out with other inmates in his "classification" in a day room. That classification is "general population/escort," which according to Morello means it's a higher level of security than the general prison population of 13,000, but it's a lower level of security than protective security. So if he wants to mingle outside his housing area, a security evaluation deems that he  be accompanied around the grounds by a captain due to his celeb status.

3. Li'l Music: Lil Wayne won't be able to listen to much unless it's on the television or via a transistor radio, which he can buy at the commissary. While he told Rolling Stone he was looking forward to having his iPod, he can forget about it—portable MP3 players are banned. But he can spend all that quiet time writing new rhymes for consideration on Tha Carter IV, the album he plans to release once he's sprung. Speaking of his temporarily stalled rap career, before heading to Rikers, the Grammy winner shot several music videos for tracks on his latest album, Rebirth, to be rolled out while he's in the clink.

4. Job (or Lack Thereof): While most inmates are assigned some type of work to keep them occupied, Lil Wayne isn't likely to do much, since jail officials would prefer to keep his visit low-key. He also won't be able to choose when he can take his extracurricular activities.

5. Catching Up With His Crew: He'll be allowed two visits a week, which can take place on both weekdays and weekends. He'll also enjoy two outgoing time-limited phone calls a week as well.

________

At least Lil Wayne is in good company. Check out our Court Appearances photo gallery.