In a dramatic turn in a high-profile legal case, American rapper Mystikal, born Michael Lawrence Tyler, has pleaded guilty to third-degree rape stemming from a 2022 incident, marking yet another chapter in the artist’s long-standing legal troubles.
The 55-year-old entered his plea in an Ascension Parish courtroom and now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Tyler had originally been charged with more severe offences, including first-degree rape, simple robbery, domestic abuse battery, and false imprisonment.
However, under a plea agreement, the charges were reduced, sparing him the possibility of a life sentence that could have been imposed under the initial indictment.
The case revolves around allegations from a victim who told investigators that Tyler assaulted, beat, and choked her, before preventing her escape by taking her phone and car keys.
She further alleged that he coerced her into transferring money via Cash App following the incident. Authorities were alerted after the victim was taken to hospital, where the complaint was formally reported.
This conviction adds to Tyler’s troubled legal history. He previously served a six-year prison term after pleading guilty in 2003 to sexual battery and extortion in a separate case.
As a result, he is listed as a registered sex offender. In 2017, he was again charged with rape and kidnapping, though those charges were later dropped when a grand jury declined to proceed with the case.
Mystikal rose to prominence in the late 1990s as part of Master P’s No Limit Records, achieving widespread recognition with hits such as “Danger (Been So Long)” and “Shake Ya A**,” and earning multiple Grammy nominations.
The court is expected to announce Tyler’s sentence in June, which will determine the length of his incarceration.
