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The Game has been charged with hitting an off-duty Los Angeles police officer during a basketball game. The rapper, whose real name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, was charged with one felony count of making criminal threats and one count of misdemeanour assault and battery.

The 35-year-old pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Monday, as reported by Los Angeles Times.

Prosecutors say Taylor and the officer, Onyebuchi Awaji, played on opposite teams at a basketball game at Hollywood High School in March.

After a foul call against Taylor, authorities say he approached the officer and threw a punch, according to Los Angeles Times.

Taylor faces up to three years in prison if convicted. He is free on $50 000 bail and is due back in court July 30. A purported video of the incident shows Awaji holding the ball with both hands after the whistle is blown and the game paused.

Another player alleged to be Taylor approaches him from the side while he is not looking and sucker punches him in the face.

Earlier this month TMZ reported that the police officer was suing the hip-hop artiste for more than $12 million following the incident for distress, pain and suffering caused. He wanted $50 000 to cover his medical bills to date and a further $100 000 to cover future hospital bills, while the remaining $10 million was in punitive damages.

At the time of the fight, TMZ reported that sources close to the rapper claimed threw the punch out of self-defence, and that Awajihad threatened to shoot him.

The site also published video of The Game on his way to court on Monday – hours after spending $40 000 on champagne at his BET after-party in Playhouse, Hollywood – in which he’s asked if he thinks he’ll go to prison.

‘‘Don’t know, I’m about to go see,’ he replies. ‘I believe in the American justice system.’’

Two weeks ago Superior Court judge ordered “The Hate It or Love It” rapper to pay $200 627 to Karen Moore, a former employee, for defamation and inflicting emotional distress.

The nanny claimed he had posted false statements about her on Instagram and Twitter, which damaged her reputation and caused her to lose work. – dailymail