Rapper Mystikal, from New Orleans, has pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree rape after being accused of assaulting and robbing a woman at his home in 2022.
Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, made the guilty plea on Tuesday (March 17), after initially being indicted on first-degree rape, simple criminal damage to property, domestic abuse battery by strangulation, simple robbery, and false imprisonment.
He could have faced a life sentence if convicted of the initial charges, however after pleading guilty to third-degree rape he now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Tyler, 55, is set to receive his sentence at a hearing in June.
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In the 2022 incident, the rapper is accused of having beaten and choked a woman in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. The victim further accused Tyler of having taken her keys and phone, alleging he raped her while as she searched for money he had taken from her.
Mystikal has a documented history of legal issues related to sexual and domestic violence. In 2004, he faced allegations of sexually assaulting his hairstylist, leading to a six-year prison sentence. Upon release, he was required to register as a sex offender.
In 2012, he served three months in jail on misdemeanor domestic abuse charges. In 2017, he was charged with rape and kidnapping, though those charges were ultimately dropped by authorities.
Mystikal released his debut album in 1995 before joining Master P’s No Limit roster. He soon became a big name on the label in the late ‘90s, and in 2000 he released his best known single, “Shake Ya Ass” which was nominated for a Grammy in 2001, and “Danger (Been So Long)”. During the height of his career he was featured on collaborations with Mariah Carey, Joe, Blackstreet, and Ludacris.
Greg Harris