Ja Rule released from prison

Rapper Ja Rule was released from a New York prison today after serving two years for tax evasion and illegal gun possession charges, according to the NY Daily News.

The "I'm Real" star was picked up from Ray Brook Federal Prison around 10 a.m. this morning by his wife, Aisha Murray Atkins. He will be in home confinement until July 28.

In 2010, Ja Rule plead guilty to to attempted criminal possession of a weapon, for which he received a two-month sentence. This comes after he was caught with a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his car in 2007.

He turned himself in in June 2011, and was sentenced to 28 months for tax evasion -- TMZ reports that he failed to pay taxes on more than $3 million. His two sentences ran concurrently.

He had been released in February from his first sentence, but was taken into custody after authorities discovered his unpaid taxes.

His original release date was set for July, and his home confinement will last until his original release date. He returns home to his wife, who was his high-school sweetheart, and their three children.

While incarcerated, Ja Rule released an album called Pain Is Love 2.