Rapper Remy Ma is confident she will not need to serve her eight-year prison sentence for weapons and assault charges in full - because she is sure she will be vindicated upon appeal.

The 26-year-old hip-hop star - real name Reminisce Smith - was convicted in March of assault, weapons possession and attempted coercion for shooting Makeda Barnes Joseph in the abdomen last year.

She was convicted of the charges and sentenced in May, despite maintaining her innocence, claiming the shooting was an "accident".

Smith has since hired top lawyers William Murphy, Jr., Kenneth Ravenell and Richard Levitt to launch an appeal against the verdict, and is hopeful her legal team will clear her on all counts.

She says, "With the addition of Mr Murphy, Ravenell, and Levitt, I now believe I have assembled a team that will have the might and expertise to tell my side of the story.

"I am confident that after hearing everything, my side will prevail. Mr Murphy comes highly recommended and I am pleased that he has agreed to lead my defence team."

And Murphy Jr., a senior partner in the Murphy Firm, has also predicted his client will walk free following an appeal.

He tells AllHipHop.com, "We are pleased to handle Remy Ma's appeal.