Los Angeles  - Rapper T. I. was sentenced to a year in jail Friday for violating federal weapons charges by attempting to buy unregistered automatic weapons and silencers.

The sentence was part of a plea deal under which T. I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, has already served more than 1,000 hours of community service.

T. I., 28, is also starring in an MTV reality show called Road To Redemption in which he speaks out about the pitfalls of guns, drugs and violence.

On the show, which is to start airing Tuesday, T. I. tells viewers that fear was the reason he tried to buy the guns. His best friend, Philant Johnson, was killed following a post-performance party in Cincinnati in 2006.

"Today I would like to say thank-you to some, and apologize to all," the rapper said at the sentencing, according to MTV. "Everything I learned was through trial and error. I've learned lessons in my life to put in my music so people won't make the same mistakes as me." (dpa)