42 Dugg Released From Prison After 6 Months, Yo Gotti Greets Him Outside

42 Dugg is a free man again -- released from prison earlier after serving 17 months for gun possession ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

The Detroit rapper was greeted by family, friends and his CMG Records boss Yo Gotti on Monday outside the Georgia prison where he'd been since May 2022.

After a rousing welcome home, we're told they immediately got some good grub and headed straight to the studio!!!

If you recall, 42 lashed out about his prison conditions back in May of this year ... claiming he was being held illegally past his court date, and the U.S. Marshals were playing mind games with him as if they'd captured Ethan Hunt.

42 led the feds on a manhunt for months, starting at the end of 2021, when he was supposed to turn himself in to a West Virginia prison.

He eventually was sentenced to 1 year, and quickly had regrets after intake at the prison -- he lashed out at the lack of hot water and other amenities on the inside.

Gotti offered up a pretty penny for his release -- $2 million to any attorney able to get his sentence shortened.

No word if he ended up forking out that dough, but Dugg is definitely home.

His arrival comes just in time for the upcoming CMG Tour featuring, arguably, the hottest team in rap ... Moneybagg Yo, GloRilla, EST Gee and more.