Ja Rule has opened up about the financial mistakes that landed him in federal prison, admitting he misunderstood how taxes worked after earning millions at the height of his music career.
During a recent interview, the American rapper recalled believing that cash payments did not count as taxable income because they were not “on the books.”
Looking back, he admitted he treated the money like it came with no obligations, a mistake that ultimately caught up with him.
According to Ja Rule, he earned about $3 million (about Shs11.2 billion) before realizing he still had to report the income and pay taxes.
I thought if they paid me in cash, it was not on the books. I treated it like free money.
The rapper’s comments echo the charges that led to his 2011 federal conviction.
Prosecutors said he failed to file income tax returns on more than $3 million he earned between 2004 and 2006.
A federal court later sentenced him to 28 months in prison. He served part of that sentence while also serving time in New York on a separate gun possession conviction.
Reflecting on the experience, Ja Rule said the ordeal taught him valuable lessons about money, taxes and the importance of understanding financial responsibilities, regardless of how someone earns their income.