Lil' Kim leaves prison in style

Rapper Lil Kim grins after her release from the Federal Detention Centre in Philadelphia. She was serving a one year sentence for a perjury conviction.[Reuters]

Rapper Lil' Kim left prison on Monday after serving nearly 10 months for perjury and, in typical fashion, she did so in style.

Wearing a low-cut white top and flashy sunglasses, the diminutive star clutched a bouquet of flowers as she greeted fans before stepping into a shiny Rolls Royce.

She has been in jail since September after being convicted of perjury in testimony to a federal grand jury about a shooting outside a New York radio station. She was released more than two months early for good behaviour.

"Today is a joyous day for me and my family. I am extremely grateful and happy to be home," Kim said in a statement.

"Many special thanks go out to my fans, who were critical in helping me get through these past 10 months. I am looking forward to adjusting back to my normal life and getting back to work," she added.

Lil' Kim, whose real name is Kimberly Jones, won a Grammy award in 2001 and has produced albums such as La Bella Mafia and Notorious K.I.M.

During the February 2001 incident that led to her conviction, gunfire broke out after Lil' Kim's entourage encountered rap act Capone-N-Noreaga outside the radio station.

Kim testified she did not notice two of her close friends, Suif Jackson and Damion Butler, at the scene, but was discredited after the men later pleaded guilty to gun charges.

The 12 months-and-a-day sentence was lenient compared to the 33 months that prosecutors sought in the high-profile case, which shed light on complex rivalries in the hip-hop world. Lil' Kim is reported to have an ongoing beef with rap rival Foxy Brown.

Kim will transition into a 30-day house-arrest after her release from the Federal Detention Centre in Philadelphia.

Her publicist said Kim would spend some time with family and friends before going back to work.

"Kim had a lot of time to be able to think and she has definitely been the type of person to turn a negative situation into a positive one," said Tracy Nguyen.