Beanie Sigel was released from prison in New Jersey Tuesday after serving one year on federal gun and drug charges, his lawyer said.
Sigel, born Dwight Grant, still faces a Sept. 19 retrial on an attempted murder charge in Philadelphia, said defense lawyer Fortunato N. Perri Jr.
The 31-year-old South Philadelphia native and Jay-Z protege released his third album, “The B. Coming,” in March while behind bars at a federal prison in Fairton, N.J.
Sigel spent at least some of his recent jail stint in solitary confinement, Roc-a-fella label co-founder Damon Dash said in a spring interview promoting the album.
Sigel had pleaded guilty to the federal charges, which stemmed from a 2002 traffic stop in Philadelphia.
The upcoming trial involves a July 2003 shooting outside a West Philadelphia strip club, when Sigel allegedly shot Terrance Speller repeatedly during a dispute. A jury deadlocked on the charges at an April 2004 trial, which was attended by Jay-Z and Beyonce.
Sigel’s three albums — “The Truth” in 2000, “The Reason” in 2001 and “The B. Coming” — each hit the top five on the Billboard album chart. Many of the rapper’s songs depict guns, drugs and violence.