Foxy Brown was singing a different tune when she showed up in court four days after refusing to appear to face assault charges.

The 28-year-old rapper, who is serving a year at Rikers Island prison for violating probation, arrived at Brooklyn State Supreme Court wearing casual street clothing.

She pleaded not guilty to charges that she threw a mobile phone at a neighbour who complained about the volume of her car radio. The plea was entered by her lawyer, John Sampson, the district attorney's office said.

Last Friday, Brown twice refused to appear in court for her arraignment. Prosecutors rescheduled her appearance, warning that if she refused to show up, the court would issue an order allowing correction officers to put her in handcuffs and force her onto a bus.

Brown was arrested in the New York City borough of Brooklyn in August and accused of striking Arlene Raymond, 25, after the pair got into a fight on July 30 over Brown blasting her car stereo near her home.

She was arraigned on charges of assault, attempted assault, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon - the mobile phone.

Justice John Ingram extended Raymond's order of protection to December 18, 2008, and ordered Brown back in court on December 17.

Brown is in jail for violating probation - skipping her anger management classes and travelling out of the city without permission - in a Manhattan case involving a fight she had with manicurists in a nail salon three years ago.

The rapper, whose real name is Inga Marchand, has a new album, Brooklyn's Don Diva, due out next month.