LIL WAYNE FANS! HOW ARE YOU GONNA SOO WOO ON THE DAILY NEWS?

Lil Wayne was shipped off to jail Monday, with his lawyer saying he wanted to hang tough at Rikers Island by doing his time with the general population.

And he'll get his wish.

Even though defense lawyer Stacey Richman initially claimed that city officials were forcing the rapper into protective custody, it turns out he's going into a regular cellblock.

Correction Department spokesman Stephen Morello said the "Lollipop" singer will have "general population escort" status.

That means he'll be escorted by a correction captain when outside of his housing unit - just like gang members

Inside, he's free to socialize under the watchful eye of guards with the 17 men on his cellblock - or stay locked in his cell.

"It's his choice," Morello said.

He said the agency never got a request from Lil Wayne to be treated like any other inmate - and Richman conceded she never made one because she assumed it would be shot down.

Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, pleaded guilty in October to felony gun charges involving a semiautomatic pistol found on his tour bus in 2007.

His sentencing was delayed twice, once for surgery on his diamond-studded teeth and once because of a courthouse fire.

When the sentencing finally happened, a crush of photographers and screaming fans followed him into the Manhattan courthouse. He spent his last moments of freedom in the bathroom with rapper Birdman, who tagged along for the hearing - and had nothing to say in court.

"Keep your head up, Weezy," a fan shouted as officers guided him to a holding pen. With good-time credit, Lil Wayne could be out in eight months.