Ja Rule, the 36-year-old rap star, left jail in upstate New York where he has served his term of two years for illegal gun possession. But instead of returning to public life, Ja Rule must go straight back to prison.

Ja Rule was escorted by U.S. Marshals out of the Mid-State Correctional Facility, and awaited word from the Federal Bureau of prisons about where he will serve the remaining 28-months of his tax case sentence, according to the Boston Herald.

The rap star owes $1.1 million in back taxes, but may be eligible for a halfway house where he can spend his remaining jail time.  

Ja Rule was initially sent to prison in June 2011, after NYC police officers found a loaded semiautomatic weapon in his car. The rapper pled guilty to the weapons possession charge in 2010.

In March 2011, Ja Rule admitted that he failed to pay taxes on the money (more than $3 million) that he earned between 2004 and 2006.

He told the judge of the federal court, "I in no way attempted to deceive the government or do anything illegal. 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."

Ja Rule expressed hope that he could make music during the remaining months of his sentence to help pay back the money he owes in taxes.

Defense attorney Stacey Richman commented on Ja Rule's possible entry into the halfway house, saying, ""Many people are looking forward to experiencing his talent again."