Ja Rule has revealed that he will be releasing his new album, 'The Renaissance Project,' on June 7, the day before he starts his prison sentence for a criminal weapons charge.

The Queens was arrested with a handgun in 2007 with fellow rapper Lil Wayne, and pleaded guilty to the weapons charge in December. Last week, Rule's lawyer successfully lobbied to have his prison sentence delayed so that he could settle a federal tax issue. He will now surrender to authorities on June 8, to begin his two-year prison term.

"Breaking news.........RENAISSANCE PROJECT JUNE 7th!!! ... " Rule tweeted over the weekend. The album, his seventh, will be released through his record label Mpire Music, and distributed by Fontana Distribution.

'The Renaissance Project' was initially titled 'Venni Vetti Vecci 2010,' a play on his debut album of the same name. Rule axed the title after an experience he had while on a recent trip to Africa. "I changed the name of my album from Venni Vetti Vecci 2010, first of all, Venni Vetti Vecci was my baby; that was my first album," Rule explained. "You can never duplicate that era in time. That was my whole life's work in that album up until that time."

Despite a looming bid in the clinker, Rule seems to be enjoying himself. In Australia over the weekend, he lounged poolside in Surfers Paradise.



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