DMX Has Been Released from Prison After Serving Time for Tax Fraud

DMX was released from prison on Friday.

The rapper, born Earl Simmons, was released from Gilmer Federal Correctional Institution in Glenville, West Virginia, the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed to PEOPLE.

Although Vulture reported DMX, 48, was originally scheduled to be released on Sunday, the Bureau of Prisons has a policy of releasing inmates on “the last preceding weekday if their projected release date falls on a weekend or legal holiday,”

One day ahead of the star’s release, his lawyer Murray Richman, told Vulture that DMX is “very happy.”

“He’s looking forward to being home. He’s never been hotter than now — people have been seeking him out all over,” he added.

The Blast previously reported that as soon as he was released from prison, DMX would spend time with his girlfriend Desiree Lindstrom, and their son Exodus, 2.

DMX’s attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Less than one year earlier, the rapper was ordered to serve a year in prison for tax fraud.

During a court proceeding last March, Federal Judge Jed Rakoff granted the rapper’s request to play his 1998 hit “Slippin’” before the judge made the decision to sentence the star, who previously pled guilty to one count of tax evasion, to 12 months behind bars, according to the Associated Press.

DMX “sobbed” as Richman recalled his client’s “nightmarish” childhood while the music was playing. In addition, DMX nodded his head slightly to the beat of his own song.

RELATED VIDEO: Meek Mill Released From Jail After Serving 5 Months, Rapper Thanks JAY-Z and Fans

The star’s sentence also includes three years of supervised release and he must pay back $2,292,200, as previously reported by The Blast.

In July 2017, DMX faced a 14-count indictment for allegedly evading $1.7 million in tax liabilities by hiding his income. If the father of 15 was found guilty on all counts, he could have faced up to 44 years in prison.

Prosecutors accused DMX of a “multi-year scheme to conceal millions of dollars of income from the IRS,” the attorneys said in a statement at the time.

“DMX made millions from his chart-topping songs, concert performances and television shows. But while raking in millions from his songs, including his 2003 hit ‘X Gon’ Give it to Ya,’ DMX didn’t give any of it to the IRS. Far from it, DMX allegedly went out of his way to evade taxes, including by avoiding personal bank accounts, setting up accounts in other’s names and paying personal expenses largely in cash,” the statement said.