Ja Rule Prison: Rapper Not "Livin' it Up" as a Free Man Just Yet: Sent From State Prison to Federal Custody

Look's like Ja Rule fans will have to hang on a little longer for a new 'mesmerizing' hit from the hip-hop artist who has reportedly been released from an upstate New York prison this morning, but still needs to serve time in federal prison for tax evasion.

According to the Associated Press, the platinum-selling artist completed most of his two-year sentence for illegal gun possession in Oneida County Jail in central New York and is now headed straight into federal custody with a 28-month sentence stemming from tax evasion charges.

Rule may be able to catch a break by serving less than six months if he is eligible for a halfway house, as claimed by his defense attorney Stacey Richman. He still owes $1.1 million in back taxes, and is eager to get back to work to pay this off.

State correction spokeswoman Linda Foglia stated that the rapper, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, went to prison in Marcy in June 2011 and got out at his earliest release date. While there, he had two misbehavior reports for unauthorized phone calls in February 2012 and had work assignments on lawn and grounds crews and participated in education programs.

In the gun case, New York City police said they found a loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic gun in a rear door of Ja Rule's $250,000 luxury car after it was stopped for speeding, and he pleaded guilty in 2010.

He admitted in March 2011 in federal court that he failed to pay taxes on more than $3 million he earned between 2004 and 2006 while he lived in Saddle River, N.J.

"I in no way attempted to deceive the government or do anything illegal," he told the judge. "I was a young man who made a lot of money -- I'm getting a little choked up -- I didn't know how to deal with these finances, and I didn't have people to guide me, so I made mistakes." 

"Ain't it funny" how contrary to his lyrics, Ja Rule is NOT "always on time" when it comes to paying his taxes.