Ms. Shawntae Harris, known to the public as Da Brat, was sentenced to three years in prison for an incident involving a cheerleader, a show of feminine machismo, and a subsequently broken rum bottle. May all her encounters with handcuffs and broom handles during her stay be pleasant ones.

From the Boston Herald:

Rapper Da Brat, born Shawntae Harris, has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to hitting a hostess in the head with a rum bottle, Usmagazine.com reports.

The 34-year-old rapper was also sentenced to seven years’ probation, 200 hours of community service and completion of substance abuse treatment, mental evaluation and anger management classes.

“I love y’all,” she said to her relatives as a deputy hauled her away, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported. “We love you too,” came the family reply.

The assault occurred at a Halloween party in Atlanta’s Studio 72, when the rapper lived up to her name and got bratty. She got into a fight with then-Atlanta Falcons cheerleader Shayla Stevens, who was working as a hostess, The Associated Press reported.

Police said Harris and Stevens got into a disagreement after they bumped into each other. Stevens walked away and moments later was hit in the face with the bottle. The cheerleader was left with a deep cut to the cheek and a swollen forehead. She also has a permanent scar on her face.

This is not the first time, Harris, a native of Chicago and protege of Jermaine Dupri, has gotten physical. In 2000, she was arrested after she struck another woman at a bar. She was sentenced to 12 months’ probation at the time.

Being privy to hyper-sensitive news is usually a good thing in this journalism racket. That is, until you hear that a revered Atlanta Falcons quarterback whose name rhymes with “dick” has been peddling a national dog fighting organization and consistently murdering under-performing canines by means of electrocution, drowning, shooting, and other means not right with the Lord. Full story is here.