LATEST: Rapper YUNG JOC narrowly escaped having his bail revoked on Wednesday (26Dec07) when he finally turned up to court - seven hours late.

The It's Goin' Down hitmaker - real name Jasiel Robinson - was scheduled to face a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon in a Cleveland, Ohio court at 8.30am on Wednesday, but failed to show up at the hearing, prompting prosecutors to request a warrant for his arrest.

Robinson's attorney, Stanley Jackson Jr., claimed the Grammy-nominated star was out of town attending to personal financial and family obligations.

And when the rapper finally made an appearance in court later that day, Municipal Judge Michael John Ryan decided not to put Robinson in jail, instead setting a preliminary date of 25 January (08) for the hearing.

His bond of $100,000 (£50,000) - which Ryan had increased following Robinson's no-show - was reduced to the original $50,000 (£25,000).

Robinson faces the charges after being arrested on Sunday night (23Dec07), accused of attempting to take a loaded semi-automatic handgun through security at Ohio's Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

The hip-hop star maintains his innocence, insisting he did not know the weapon was in his carry-on luggage, but he faces up to 18 months behind bars if found guilty.