Rapper charged in shooting

Rapper Beanie Sigel faces a preliminary hearing Monday on charges that he shot a man outside a Philadelphia bar last week.

Sigel, whose real name is Dwight Grant, turned himself in to Philadelphia police on Thursday and was released Friday after posting $150,000 bail. The shooting victim, 26-year-old Terrence Speller, was hospitalized but is expected to recover.

Sigel’s lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., said Monday that his client denied involvement in the shooting. Sigel also has a preliminary hearing slated for Wednesday on an unrelated assault charge and is expected to be arraigned later this month on a separate charge of possessing a firearm without a license.

Perri said he was not aware of any change in plans for the Aug. 5 release of “Beanie Sigel Presents State Property 2,” a hip-hop compilation featuring several tracks by Sigel and various Roc-A-Fella label mates.

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Randy Lewis