EXCLUSIVE

Kevin Gates^[1] walked out of prison Wednesday morning, as scheduled, and no surprise warrants this time around ... TMZ has learned.

Gates served 9 months of a 30-month sentence^[2], and was released from an Illinois state prison on parole. As we first reported, he'll be on mandatory supervision^[3] and can't possess any firearms.

The rapper was also released from custody last year in Florida -- after doing time for kicking a woman at one of his concerts -- but was immediately re-arrested^[4] for an outstanding warrant in Illinois for a weapons charge.

References^ Kevin Gates (www.tmz.com)^ 30-month sentence (www.tmz.com)^ mandatory supervision (www.tmz.com)^ immediately re-arrested (www.tmz.com)

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