Hip-hop artist 2 Chainz pleaded guilty on May 5 to misdemeanor possession of codeine and was ordered to enroll in an 18-month drug rehabilitation program.
The rapper, whose legal name is Tauheed Epps, was originally charged with felony drug possession.
Prosecutors said police at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) found a liquid containing codeine in his checked baggage on June 11. The “sizzurp” or “purple drank” was a mixture of cough medicine with codeine, soda and candy.
Under a plea negotiated with prosecutors, the complaint was amended to a charge of misdemeanor possession without a prescription and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz found Epps eligible for a deferred entry judgment.
If the rapper completes the 18-month counseling and drug rehabilitation program as ordered, his case will be dismissed, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Schwartz gave 2 Chainz a sobriety bracelet with the words “Stay Clean and Sober” and said celebrities should serve as positive role models.