The judge who sentenced Eminem was able to use an ironic phrase they had been waiting for all their lives: music

In the early 1990s, Eminem ascended to the rap stratosphere.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing for the young artist – real name Marshall Mathers III – who regularly found himself in trouble with the law.

In one incident, he was hauled before a judge in 2001 on two charges of carrying a concealed weapon and brandishing a weapon.

Both charges stemmed from a parking lot confrontation with a Detroit rap group a year earlier, in which the two-time Grammy-winning singer allegedly pulled an unloaded 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.

At the time, Eminem faced a five-year prison sentence, which would have put an end to his meteoric rise.

Eminem was in court in 2001 after he was found with a concealed weapon. (Bill Pugliano/Newsmakers)

However, luck was on one young rapper’s side during his trial in June, and he was instead sentenced to a year of probation.

He also paid more than $2,300 (£1,758) in fines and court costs, and took part in community service.

The American rapper pleaded no contest to both charges, telling the court that the gun was not loaded, while witnesses in the case said Eminem did not point the gun in anyone’s direction.

But amid the extremely serious circumstances surrounding the case, the hit that made him famous a year earlier, The Real Slim Shady, was used by the judge, who invoked the song’s lyrics when addressing the rapper.

“Mr. Mathers, now is the time to stand up,” Judge Denise Langford Morris told him.

She then warned the musician “he was lucky no one was hurt or killed.”

“Poor judgment is an understatement for what you did,” she added.

Eminem’s lawyer, Wally Piszczatowski, described the verdict as “fair” and said his client was “happy” that “the criminal cases are over.”

Slim Shady was not amused by the judge’s joke. (PAUL SANCYA/AP POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

“He is very happy that the judge treated him as she would treat any other citizen… instead of convicting him because of his celebrity status,” Piszczatowski said.

Despite asking the judge to send the rapper to prison, prosecutor Mark Bilkovic was “satisfied” with the decision.

“She’s going to hold a hammer over his head for the next year… If he messes up just once, she’s going to haunt him,” he said.

The rapper remained unusually quiet during the sentencing, saying nothing other than “No, ma’am” in his response to the judge.

The sentencing came the same year the rapper was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, and gave an iconic performance of ‘Stan’ at the awards ceremony with Elton John.