Max B 'Wasn't Prepared' For Court Battle

The hip-hop star was last year (09) found guilty of killing of a hotel guest in a botched robbery in New Jersey in 2006.

The Harlem rapper, real name Charly Wingate, was charged with felony murder and handed a heavy jail term.

But he is adamant he could have won the case if he had spent more time with his lawyers instead of working on his debut album, Vigilante Season.

The star tells MTV.com, "I was working, not focusing on the case at hand that mattered. And (in) the end, when I had to go in that courtroom, I wasn't prepared. I just let my lawyer do whatever. That's a lesson. You got be on top of lawyers, you gotta do your own studying when you get situations like that. You can't put your faith in his hands. They're only human. Humans disappoint people. You gotta put your faith in God. You gotta work hard."

Wingate has also cleared up reports he was handed a harsh 75-year jail term and insisted he is hopeful his appeal will be successful, telling Vlad TV, "Let me straighten this out, I didn't get sentenced to 75 years, I got 40, they sentenced me to 40. I was a little devastated, it was excessive. My time was excessive, my charges were excessive, I got total faith in my appeal."

And the rapper hopes other stars who have found themselves in jail recently, including Lil Wayne who is serving a year-long sentence on weapons possession charges, and recently-freed T.I., count themselves lucky to have had a "second chance" at life.

He adds to MTV.com, "They should feel grateful. They should be thankful they got another chance."