Coolio is due to take the stage tonight at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, where he is scheduled to perform at the American Music Awards along with the recently revived Blondie and members of the Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep. But last Thursday, the rapper made a slightly different public appearance -- at the South Bay Municipal courtroom in Torrance, California.

Coolio was there as part of a preliminary hearing related to his arrest last September for drugs and weapon possession after being pulled over for a routine traffic violation (see "Coolio Arrested On Weapons, Drug Charges").

After hearing motions from both Coolio's lawyers and the district attorney's office, the judge ordered that the case be held over for trial in Southwest Superior Court, which is also located in Torrance, and scheduled a February 9 start date for the proceedings.

No word yet on when Coolio's new solo album, the follow-up to 1997's "My Soul," is due out -- although the rapper planned to have the record finished in December, so we'll keep you posted.