Tha Carter isn't down for the count.
A grand jury indicted Lil Wayne on felony drug and weapons charges stemming from his Jan. 23 bust near Yuma, Ariz. after his tour bus was searched at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint and agents allegedly turned up a wide variety of contraband.
The 25-year-old rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is facing one count each of possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Wayne pleaded not guilty during a court hearing Friday. A status hearing has been scheduled for Mar. 7.
He and his entourage were pulled over at 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 in Dateland, about 78 miles east of Yuma.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, federal agents turned up nearly four ounces of marijuana, a little over an ounce of cocaine, 41 grams of Ecstasy and miscellaneous paraphernalia. They also found $22,000 in cash and three guns, including a .40-caliber pistol that Wayne has a concealed-weapon permit for in Florida.
Two of his buddies, Curtis Stewart and Harold Johnson, were charged with marijuana possession.
Wayne has been free on $10,185 bail and his attorney, James Tilson, said Tuesday that this lil' hitch in the hip-hopper's git-along won't affect his appearance schedule.
"He is currently touring as we speak," the lawyer told the Yuma Sun.
The "Best Rapper Alive" purveyor is set to perform with his fellow former Hot Boys, rappers Juvenile and B.G., for the first time in seven years Sunday at Club Dream in New Orleans as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities.
The group, which also included Cash Money Records rapper Turk (who's been serving a 10-year prison term on an attempted-murder charge since 2004), had a falling out over royalties and disbanded in 2001.
Just to make things interesting, Juvenile was arrested Tuesday in Mississippi after officers pulled him over for having an expired vehicle tag and found pot in his car.
The 32-year-old New Orleans native, real name Terius Gray, was booked for misdemeanor drug possession and released later in the day.
The reunited Hot Boys are expected to be joined onstage by Cash Money producer Mannie Fresh and UGK artist Bun B, who's mourning the loss of the other half of his group, Pimp C, who died Dec. 4 of sleep apnea made fatal by an accidental overdose of prescription medications.
Meanwhile, Wayne says his legal troubles won't affect the release of his already much-delayed solo album Tha Carter III—whenever that may be.
"It's one of those albums people are really waiting on, so OI made it so that whatever is on it will stick with you forever," he told Billboard recently. "I'm taking my time with it. And I'm giving artists I respect and people I want to do songs with—not songs the label fixed—an opportunity to collaborate."
"I've got nothing to say about that," he replied when asked about his Arizona arrest.