Ja Rule has apparently been released from prison. N.O.R.E. dropped a tweet today (May 7), indicating that he spoke to the long incarcerated rapper and instructing fans to welcome the legally troubled star home.

N.O.R.E.'s tweet is below.

As of press time, Ja Rule has not shown any digital signs of life outside of the slammer. His Twitter feed has been dormant since May 2, and he has not issued a tweet himself letting everyone know of his status, so we'll have to take N.O.R.E.'s word for it for now.

Ja, born Jeffery Atkins, has been battling legal issues for quite some time. In February, he wrapped a two-year sentence on a gun charge. However, his freedom didn't last long.

Immediately upon release, he was taken into federal custody to serve out the rest of his sentence for tax evasion, since he still had four more months left on a 28-month sentence that ran concurrently with the gun charge.

The rapper, who was the best-selling rap artist in 2001, reportedly owes $1.1 million in back taxes that must be repaid.

He was said to be detained at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center with a scheduled release date of July 28. It appears that he may have been discharged early. If so, welcome home.

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