Rapper Mystikal Admits Guilt in Louisiana Rape Case

BATON ROUGE, La. — Mystikal, the rapper once celebrated for his Grammy nominations in the early 2000s, entered a guilty plea on Tuesday regarding a rape incident that occurred at his home nearly four years ago, as detailed in court documents.

Known legally as Michael Lawrence Tyler, the 55-year-old artist admitted to third-degree rape during proceedings in an Ascension Parish courtroom.

Requests for comments from Tyler’s attorney went unanswered as of Wednesday.

Facing a potential sentence of up to 25 years without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension, Tyler is set for sentencing on June 15.

Since his arrest in 2022 for allegedly raping and choking a woman at his residence in Prairieville—approximately 18 miles from Baton Rouge—Tyler has remained incarcerated without bond at the Ascension Parish Jail.

Emerging from New Orleans, Tyler gained fame in the 1990s, particularly with his 2000 single “Shake Ya A(asterisk)(asterisk),” which earned him a Grammy nomination for best rap solo performance.

His legal troubles are not new; in 2003, he pleaded guilty to sexual battery and received a six-year prison sentence. That same year, he was nominated for two Grammy awards: Best rap album for “Tarantula” and best male rap solo performance for “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against The Wall).”