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Gucci Mane was released from Fulton County Jail at around 12:15am. He still has to fulfill the community service that he owes the state, but he was released much earlier than his one-year sentence dictated, presumably for good behavior. Now he’s free to perform at SummerJam here in NYC on June 6th, and there’s a couple other big appearances that we’ll see him at too ; )

Here’s an excerpt from the statement that Gucci read as he stood outside the jail:

“…my incarceration also came at a pivotal point in my career, just as my first major label album was dropping. I was forced to miss what should have been one of the proudest moments of my life. This is something that I will make sure never happens again. My time in jail was trying, but I grew from it and am now a stronger and better person. I want to continue on a positive track and truly focus on being a role model to my fans and my community. I am looking towards the future with a newfound respect and appreciation for the law and a strong dedication to my music and my career.

With that in mind, I have already begun to make positive strides towards the future. I have launched a new label, 1017 Brick Squad Records in affiliation with Asylum/Warner Bros Records, and I am working with a new team.”

UPDATE: watch video of Gucci’s post-release press conference (thanks to Thaddeus/ExclusiveAccess) after the jump….

Read the full statement and see more photos after the jump….

Here is Gucci Mane’s full statement….
“First and foremost I would like to thank my legal counsel Dwight Thomas and Michael Holmes for their excellent representation, as well as my label Asylum and Warner Brothers Records for sticking with me through my situation and helping me through my time behind bars. Most importantly, I want to thank all of my fans for their support while I have been away. Your letters and your words of encouragement helped me make it through. None of my success would be possible without you.

I have made some mistakes in my life that have hurt a lot of people who care about me. I have worked very hard to get past them, but those mistakes have brought me to where I am today, and they will not be repeated. These past six months have been a difficult time but fortunately I have learned a great deal from my experience. I was able to do a great deal of soul searching; I am coming out with a new attitude towards life.

Unfortunately, my incarceration also came at a pivotal point in my career, just as my first major label album was dropping. I was forced to miss what should have been one of the proudest moments of my life. This is something that I will make sure never happens again. My time in jail was trying, but I grew from it and am now a stronger and better person. I want to continue on a positive track and truly focus on being a role model to my fans and my community. I am looking towards the future with a newfound respect and appreciation for the law and a strong dedication to my music and my career.

With that in mind, I have already begun to make positive strides towards the future. I have launched a new label, 1017 Brick Squad Records in affiliation with Asylum/Warner Bros Records, and I am working with a new team.

I am looking forward to getting back to business and to start making hits. I am extremely excited about my new album, The Appeal, which will be dropping at the end of the summer. Over the course of 2010, 1017 Brick Squad records will also be releasing albums from my artist Wacka Flocka Flame as well as my group Brick Squad, which features Wacka, OJ Da Juiceman and myself. In July, I will be heading out on a nationwide tour, hitting venues across the country and continuing the movement.”

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(twitpic of Gucci giving his first statement, with DJ Holiday by his side, via StixMalone)

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A crowd of media were waiting outside the processing area…

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DJ Holiday and Shawty Lo were on hand outside…Waka Flocka joined them later.