Former rapper Ja Rule was release from an upstate New York prison on Thursday morning after serving most of his two-year sentence for illegal gun possession.

Unfortunately for Rule, the 36-year-old musician will be headed straight into another facility to serve time for his tax case…

Eurweb.com reports:

U.S. Marshals escorted Ja Rule out of Mid-State Correctional Facility at 9:30 a.m. He was being held at the Oneida County Jail in central New York as he awaited word from the Federal Bureau of Prisons about where he’ll serve time in the tax case.

The rapper, who had been in protective custody because of his celebrity, has some time remaining on a 28-month sentence for tax evasion that ran concurrently.

Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, may have less than six months left and may be eligible for a halfway house, defense attorney Stacey Richman said. Back taxes are one of the main reasons he wants to get back to work, she said.

“Many people are looking forward to experiencing his talent again,” Richman said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mack said Atkins owed the IRS $1.1 million and didn’t immediately know what if any had been paid. Once out of custody, Atkins also faces a year of supervised release.

Stay Tuned.