U.S. rapper Ja Rule was released from prison on
Tuesday after serving about two years on gun
and tax evasion charges, a spokesman for the
U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons said.
Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, was
released from federal prison in Ray Brook, New
York, and will be under house arrest until July 28,
a spokesman for the “Always on Time” rapper
said.

Ja Rule, 37, pleaded guilty in 2011 to failing to file
tax returns over a five year period and attempted
criminal possession of a weapon in 2010.

He was sentenced to 28 months in prison after
failing to pay $1.1 million in taxes between 2004
and 2008, prosecutors said.

The rapper was also sentenced to two years in
prison for possessing a semi-automatic handgun,
which police found hidden in his car following a
2007 concert in New York.

He was able served both sentences concurrently.

Ja Rule scored No. 1 albums with 2000′s “Rule
3:36″ and 2001′s “Pain Is Love,” which also
garnered a Grammy nomination.

The rapper is best known for his collaborations
with Jennifer Lopez, “I’m Real” and “Ain’t It
Funny,” which both topped the U.S. Billboard
song chart in 2001.