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Arrest warrant issued for rap star Chief Keef for not appearing in court Friday

A $50,000 arrest warrant was issued Friday for emerging Chicago rap star Chief Keef for failure to appear in court as directed.

Keef, whose real name is Keith Cozart, was due to appear in front of Lake County Judge Veronica O'Malley for a pretrial hearing on a driving under the influence of drugs charge out of Highland Park.

Defense attorney Leah Starkman said by phone that Cozart, 19, was unable to attend the hearing because he is working in California.

Starkman, who also did not attend the Friday's hearing, refused to comment about the warrant. She said she was unable to make the court proceeding Friday, but had another attorney appear in court in her place.

Cozart faces one count of misdemeanor DUI and a potential sentence of one year in jail.

He remains free from custody after posting the required 10 percent of his $3,000 bail after his March 6 arrest.

Starkman said after a previous hearing that Cozart believes "he is being unfairly targeted" by police in North Shore suburbs because of his notoriety.

Judge Joseph Waldeck granted a special bond at a previous hearing allowing Cozart to fly out of state as needed for work. Waldeck retired as a judge shortly after the ruling.

The case was picked up by O'Malley, who told Starkman in June that Friday was the last time the two sides would be allowed to settle the case before trial.

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