Young Buck is "officially a free man," so says his first post-prison tweet posted earlier today.

Buck, 32, was released from Mississippi's Yazoo City Federal Prison, four months shy of his 18-month sentence stemming from a weapons bust in 2005.  

The "Shorty Wanna Ride" rapper, born David Brown, was sentenced to three years in 2012 for gun possession and was later found guilty of tax evasion. He started serving time last August and remained optimistic outside of his sentencing hearing. "My pride is through the roof," he told reporters. "My head is held high and I'm just looking to get all this behind me."

Prison time capped off a turbulent fall from grace for Buck, which included the government raiding his house, but freedom means a new chapter on various fronts. Aside from his physical release, Buck is out of bankruptcy thanks to the nearly $400,000 liquidated to cover his massive IRS debt. 

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(Photo: Chris Connor / WENN)