Lil Wayne Released from Jail: Lessons from Post-Prison Celebrities

"Free at last," in the words of Lily Wayne's manager, "Cortez Bryant." Bryant Tweeted the news after a delay in Lil Wayne's release from Rikers Island prison in New York on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010. According to Young Money president Mack Maine, the rapping superstar planned to spend his first hours of freedom with friends, and enjoy a steak dinner. First he needs to fly to Arizona to appear in court and sign paperwork for a plea bargain (three years unsupervised probation) deal stemming from a January 2008 possession charge. Now that Lil Wayne is free, it's time for him to be schooled. Where will he find these lessons? In the post-prison lives of other celebrities.

Lil Wayne Post-Prison Do's and Don't's: Lessons from Celebrities

Martha Stewart

In the words of fashion guru and Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn, "carry on." After Stewart's prison stay in 2004, the domestic and money-making mogul slipped right back into her apron. By 2006, her company was again pulling a profit, and despite pulling the plug on "Blueprint Magazine" in 2007, she has been steaming ahead. She may have been off the radar for 10 months, but looking at her career now, it's as if she never experienced a blip in her money-making machine.

Lil Wayne may already have that figured out, as he released "I Am Not a Human Being" on Sept. 27, 2010, while he was in prison. The show, and the beats, must go on.

Lindsay Lohan: Just Don't

Lil Wayne knows how to work the Internet, from having his in-prison letters published on Weezythanxyou to releasing through "digital channels" before material hit stores on Oct. 12, 2010. He just needs to stick to "all business" on his Twitter account, unlike the loopy and naive Lindsay Lohan. If he feels the urge to Tweet about things he should not be doing, he should delete his Twitter account. What else does Professor Lohan teach us? Don't use social networking while under the influence, and whatever you do, don't pose for pictures with any illegal items.

Robert Downey Jr.

Lil Wayne can learn from Robert Downey Jr., who learned that his actions do have consequences. Possessing illegal substances, being around fire arms for which you don't have a permit -- these actions have consequences.

Downey stars in the biggest comeback story of the past few decades. He claims it did toughen him up, but other than that, it didn't help or change him. The "Iron Man" and "Sherlock Holmes" star went to jail twice back in 1996 and 2001 for drug offenses. Since then, his life has become less reckless, thanks to a court-ordered drug treatment program. Downey has been again enjoying commercial and artistic success. He compares being in prison to being in a public school. Apparently, Robert Downey Jr. learned his lesson.

Time will tell if Lil Wayne has learned his well enough to graduate to the head of the class.