Ja Rule Leaves Prison on Gun Charge, Heads to Jail for Tax Case

Queens, N.Y., emcee Ja Rule is ready for his second shot at the rap game but he has to get out of prison first. Thankfully, his release happened today for a gun charge. But he's still not in the clear yet.

Rule, born Jeffrey Atkins, was released from Mid-State Correctional Facility in upstate New York this morning. The rapper is currently being held in Oneida County Jail in central New York for his pending tax case -- he must wait for word from the Federal Bureau of Prisons on where he'll carry out that sentence.

He has less than six months left in his 28-month sentence for possession of a firearm and tax evasion. In 2010, Rule was convicted of both charges, subsequently his firearm sentence was reduced for good behavior, but he has been serving out both sentences concurrently.

As Rule's firearm sentence draws to a close he'll most likely be sent to serve out the remainder of the tax evasion sentence at a federal halfway house, according to the Associated Press. Then upon his release, the rapper will still have to be supervised for a year.

The 'Pain Is Love' creator also has to handle a remaining balance of more than one million dollars owed to the IRS, so he says he's ready to get back to the studio. Rule has said that he's been hard at work on his next LP.

Beyond the music and money problems, one has to think Ja Rule just wants to get back to his family. His defense attorney Stacey Richman says that he's looking forward to being at his daughter's graduation.

Watch Ja Rule's 'Real Life Fantasy' Video