By Chris Richburg and Jamile Karout
More than eight months after beginning a 12-month prison sentence at the Rose Singer Center for women at Rikers Island in New York, Foxy Brown is a free woman.
Police were present as the rap diva (born Inga Marchand) was released Friday (April 18).
As soon as she was released from prison, she changed outfits and was greeted by her mother Judith Marchand and lawyer New York City Councilman Charles Barron, as well as hundreds of reporters and fans, some with posters and pink balloons, others with “Free Foxy Brown” T-shirts.
Brown wore a leather jacket, jeans, a black shirt, designer pumps and a stylish Fendi designer doo rag over her hair.
Brown’s entourage arrived in a fleet of luxury vehicles that included three Rolls Royce’s, a number of SUV’s and a Maybach, that was filled with clothes.
Her family, friends, managers and a hair stylist and makeup artist were all part of the group of people that greeted Brown.
Brown’s release concludes months of legal ups and downs for the rapper, who was sentenced to serve time at Rikers on Sept. 8 for violating the terms of her 2004 probation by taking a trip to Florida from New York without court permission.
She was also sentenced for a July 2007 encounter with a neighbor that resulted in Marchand striking the neighbor in the face with a Blackberry cell phone.
During her time at Rikers, the Brooklyn rapper was reportedly sentenced to 76 days of "punitive segregation" on Oct. 16, after committing three violations at Rikers Island.
Marchand ultimately served 40 days of the sentence. The rapper is reportedly set to hit the ground running as she gears up for the release of her long-awaited album, Brooklyn’s Don Diva.
The album, which will include production from Kanye West, Swizz Beatz and others, is slated to hit stores on May 13.
The rapstress is also in talks to be featured in a reality TV show on VH1.
The series will center on how the rapper readjusts to life after being released from jail as well as her efforts to promote Brooklyn’s Don Diva.
Brown will next appear in court on May 5 over the Blackberry incident.
Bonus media:
Click here for the Foxy Brown Freedom Photo Gallery