T.I.'s Freedom Up in the Air as Judge Orders Hearing

Rapper, who's on probation and supervised release for a weapons conviction, has to answer for recent drug bust in L.A.

T.I. may be king of the South, but it's the judge who's lord of the law.

The rapper will have to sing for his freedom at an upcoming hearing in Atlanta, where he's been summoned to appear in federal court to argue why he shouldn't be locked up again after being arrested for drug possession in Los Angeles, along with wife Tameka "Tiny" Cottle.

Anyone?

According to the summons issued by U.S. District Court Judge Charles Parnell, who resided over T.I.'s weapons case, sentenced him to prison and set the terms of his probation, the Takers star has committed multiple violations.

First, he was arrested, a big no-no when you're on probation. Second, he tested positive for opiates when he submitted to a urinalysis at the U.S. Probation Office in L.A. the day after his arrest.

And, per the summons, T.I. was hanging out with a convicted felon named Cortez Thomas, an association not approved by his probation officer, Jack D. Briscoe, who requested the hearing.

The date of the Atlanta hearing, at which T.I. will have to argue why his supervised release should not be revoked, is TBD. But it's gonna happen, and when it does, the prosecution will reveal its sentencing hopes.

"We are very disappointed in Mr. Harris' recent conduct," Sally Quillian Yates, the U.S. attorney told E! News. "We will make our sentencing recommendation at the revocation hearing."

Meanwhile, T.I. is in the neighborhood.

The Grammy winner was said to be "in great spirits" last night at an album-release party for Trey Songz hosted by Target at Ventanas in Atlanta.

—Reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum and Cristina Gibson