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  • Hick Hop musician Kid Rock is going to court today (Sept. 14) to face a jury over charges stemming from a fight at a Waffle House restaurant near Atlanta.

    Robert James Ritchie, better known as Kid Rock, and five members of his entourage appeared before a DeKalb County judge this morning.

    In the civil lawsuit, Harlen Akins claims the musician cursed at him during the early-morning fight in Oct. 2007, and members of his entourage beat Akins up and smashed his cell phone.

    The musician stopped at the restaurant following a performance in Atlanta.

    The fight reportedly broke out after Akins recognized a woman in Kid Rock’s party and spoke to her.

    Akins filed the lawsuit in 2007.

    Kid Rock pleaded guilty in March 2008 to a misdemeanor charge of simple battery.

    In a post on his website after his conviction, the rocker blasted a judge for denying his request to serve his 80 hours of community service by performing for US troops stationed in the Middle East.

    “Apparently he thinks it’s more important that I do something else rather than sing, shake hands, take pictures and spend time with the men and women who put themselves in harms (sic) way to protect the very freedom he and all of us live by,” the singer wrote.

    Georgia State Court Judge Alvin T. Wong, denied the request.

    Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.