Both Ja Rule (left) and Lil' Wayne (right) were picked up by cops on Sunday night in two seperate incidents, both were packing heat.

Hip hop artists Ja Rule and Lil' Wayne were both nabbed by cops last night just within the same hour just a few blocks away from each other.  Both were carrying .40-caliber pistols.

At around 10:30pm Sunday night, the NYPD says they stopped Ja Rule's 2004 Maybach on the Upper West Side of Manhattan for excessive speeding and expired tags.  While searching the car and the rapper, cops found a .40-calibur pistol.  Ja Rule, born Jeffrey Atkins, his driver and a female companion were all arrested on charges of criminal possession of a weapon.

Just an hour later and a few blocks away, Lil' Wayne' was caught by cops evidently smoking weed on his tour bus.  When police searched Lil' Wayne's mobile digs, they found a .40-caliber pistol.  Lil' Wayne, born Dwayne Carter, was also arrested.  His charges are marijuana possession and criminal possession of a weapon. 

Both rappers were awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday afternoon.

I wonder if they're cellmates?!