(CNN) -- There is an old saying: Out of sight, out of mind.

T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, has mentored at-risk students as part of his community service.

But when rap star T.I. disappears from the hip-hop scene to complete his one-year, one-day sentence in federal prison, several music experts say, that won't be the case.

The self-proclaimed "King of the South" will be sticking around, thanks to the success of his most recent album -- the double-platinum, Grammy-nominated "Paper Trail," released last September -- his community service efforts and a reality show on MTV that has resonated with fans, they say.

"I think that if anything, it will gain him more fans and actually support his fan base, because he's talked about making a mistake," said Emil Wilbekin, editor in chief of Giant Magazine, which focuses on urban music and lifestyle and featured T.I. on its November 2008 cover. "He's talked about taking care of the error of his ways."

T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, was sentenced to prison in federal court in Atlanta, Georgia, last week on weapons charges. He will be taken into custody no earlier than May 19.

In addition to serving prison time, the court asked T.I., 28, to pay a $100,300 fine on weapons charges related to purchasing machine guns and silencers.

"I would like to say thank you to some and apologize to others," Harris said at his sentencing Friday. "In my life, I have been placed in the worst-case scenario and had to make the best of it."

Though he had been in legal trouble before, Harris' current situation began when he was arrested just hours before he was to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.

The rapper had provided a bodyguard with $12,000 to buy weapons. Harris was not permitted to own any guns, however, because he was convicted in 1998 on felony drug charges -- possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute -- in Cobb County, in suburban Atlanta.

After his arrest, he entered a plea agreement, which federal authorities called unique because it allowed the rapper to remain out of prison for a year while he performed community service.

Harris has already left a strong mark on the hip-hop genre, music experts say, which should position his career well when he is released. Harris had been named to the Forbes list of top-earning rappers, making an estimated $16 million in 2006.

His fan base has expanded in the last year, with some of the growth due to "Paper Trail," which has sold close to 2 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

This year, Harris went on to star in the MTV reality show "T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go," which chronicles his efforts to shave years off his sentence by completing his community service. The show features him talking to schools and community groups "about how to avoid the trouble he now finds himself in," according to the network's Web site.

To keep Harris in the spotlight, Jason Geter, part owner of Harris' record label Grand Hustle Entertainment, said the company will release a remixed copy of "Paper Trail" with five new songs this summer. He says Harris is shooting music videos set to be released when he is in prison.

"We come from a world if you don't work, you don't eat," Geter said.

In addition to music, Harris' television production company Grand Hustle Productions, which produced the MTV reality show, is filming a second reality television series for MTV about celebrity racing. Also, in the heist film "Takers," produced by Screen Gems and set for release in January 2010, Harris will appear alongside actor Matt Dillon.

And Grand Hustle Entertainment officials say Harris' clothing line for young men, AKOO, will continue to be available in stores.

Geter said
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