Fat_Joe
loading...

On June 24, Terror Squad rapper and former Big Pun affiliate Fat Joe was sentenced to prison for tax evasion. The Bronx rhymer faces four months and a fine of $15,000 for failure to file income tax returns on approximately $3.3 million in earnings. Initially, he was charged on failure to file tax returns from 2007 to 2010, but the charges were reduced after he agreed to a plea bargain. Unfortunately, Joe isn't the only rapper as of late to be experiencing the consequences of unpaid taxes. Just a few minutes ago, we re-ran a story originally featured in our December/January 2012 issue, in which former XXL staff writer Seth Colder Walls spoke to a handful of rappers and their camps over the course of a few weeks about fiscal problems and how they've affected rappers. Here we've compiled an updated list of rappers who have recently had run-ins with the law.

ja_rule_30
loading...

Ja Rule

After being released from prison, gruff-voiced rapper Ja Rule remains under house arrest stemming from a 2011 Tax Evasion conviction. He served a total of 24 months in a New York State correctional facility concurrently with a weapons charge. He is rumored to still owe the federal government approximately $1.1 million.

lauryn_hill_10
loading...

Lauryn Hill

On May 6th of this year, soulful songstress Lauryn Hill was sentenced to 3 months in prison for failing to pay taxes on nearly $3 million in income between the years of 2005 and 2009. During her sentencing, Hill likened the music business to the slavery experienced by her ancestors, and went on to claim that not paying taxes was necessary when she was forced to "drop out of the public life" for the sake of her six children. The multiplatinum artist signed a $1 million deal with Sony to release new music, the majority of which she reportedly used to pay her $900,000 tax bill.

Fat_Joe
loading...

Fat Joe

On June 24th of this year, Fat Joe was sentenced to four months in prison for failing to pay taxes between the years of 2007 and 2010. He pled guilty in December 2012 to failing to pay taxes on over $1 million in income. Estimates suggest that he owes the federal government roughly $700,000 in back taxes from his New Jersey-based companies Miramar Music Touring Inc. and Terror Squad Productions Inc. He is scheduled to begin his sentence on August 25th.

beanie_10
loading...

Beanie Siegel

Former Roc-A-Fella spitter Beanie Siegel is currently serving a two-year prison sentence for failing to file federal income tax returns from 1999 to 2005. He reportedly owes the federal government over $700,000. At sentencing, he accepted responsibility for his crimes, but claimed that his money was mismanaged by family members during his 2004 prison stint stemming from gun and drug charges.

Nas-Illmatic
loading...

Nas

The state of Georgia is currently seeking over $1 million from Queens-bred MC Nas, who also owes the federal government several million dollars in unpaid taxes. Nas' concert promoter Live Nation has been forced to garnish Nas' tour wages in order to repay the state of Georgia. This unfortunate sum is supplemented by the thousands of dollars Nas is required to pay monthly in child and spousal support to ex-wife Kelis. The Illmatic hit-maker has also had his Georgia home foreclosed upon.

More From XXL