WESTERN BUREAU — Popular US hip hop artiste, Ja Rule, has been served with a summons to appear before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court this week for his use of profanity at last year’s staging of Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest.

The artiste was served with the summons early yesterday morning as he was leaving the Sumfest show ground in his limousine following a thrilling performance at this year’s staging of the reggae show.

The serving of the summons came less than 24 hours after he apologised for having offended anyone with his use of profanity during his performance at the show last year.

“I didn’t know it was such a big problem. I think I tried to keep the profanity down last year,” he told reporters at a Sumfest press conference Saturday afternoon.

“I mean, this is hip hop and one slips out here and there every now and then. And I’m sorry if I offended anybody but it was not done purposely. I’m sorry,” he said.

But despite his apology and the prospect of facing a Jamaican court for a breach of the law, the hip hop star apparently could not help but use profanity at this year’s Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest.

“I know I’m not supposed to (use profanity) but there’s no other way to do this song,” he informed the zealous audience who apparently could not get enough of his lyrics.

“What’s my mother f… name?” he asked as part of the prelude to the number Are You Ready.

And in those instances when he but started the question with “what’s”, the crowd filled in the rest.

Now, the young artiste could be slapped with a second charge of using indecent language.

“I didn’t hear any (profanity) but if I can get the evidence I will proffer additional charges,” Superintendent in charge of the St James police, Owen Ellington told the Observer yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, it is not clear when Ja Rule will appear before the court since, according to Superintendent Ellington, he has four days in which to respond to the summons. The expectation is, however, that he will appear before the court today.