Adrienne Bailon and Ja Rule

Ja Rule prison sentence - Rapper and actor Ja Rule left a state prison on Thursday after serving most of his two-year sentence for illegal gun possession.

However, the 36-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, still has pending tax issues to deal with and that will send him back to jail.

The platinum-selling rapper will go straight into federal custody in a tax case, reports CBS.

CBS reports Ja Rule may have less than six months left to serve on those charges, though and may be eligible for a halfway house, citing defense attorney Stacey Richman.

An order to pay $1.1 million in back taxes is one of the main reasons he wants to get back to work, she said.

Rolling Stone has more details here and reminds that Ja Rule's "state prison term began in June 2011 and was the result of a 2010 traffic stop in which New York City police said they found a loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic gun in (his) car."

"He admitted in federal court in March 2011 that he failed to pay taxes on more than $3 million in income between 2004-06 and was sentenced to 28 months in prison."

Explains tax charges...

"I in no way attempted to deceive the government or do anything illegal," Ja Rule 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."

(Image: WENN)