Lil’ Kim celebrated Independence Day one day early with her release today from a US federal detention centre.

Rapper Lil’ Kim has begun serving a 366-day prison sentence for her conviction on charges stemming from a 2001 shootout outside a New York City radio station.

Rap diva Lil’ Kim is facing a long prison sentenced after being convicted in New York of lying to a federal grand jury to protect friends who were involved in a shoot-out outside a radio station.