Mystikal sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in rape case

Content warning: This story contains discussion and descriptions of alleged domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Mystikal has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping a woman in 2022 at his Louisiana home.

The victim, who was in court on Tuesday (June 16), requested that the judge give the maximum sentence, per WBRZ. Addressing the court, she said that Mystikal – real name Michael Tyler – had punched her, pulled braids out of her hair, and forcibly raped her.

Following the victim’s address, Tyler told those in the courtroom, “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.” The rapper was then sentenced to 20 years for third-degree rape.

In 2022, Tyler was arrested and later charged with first-degree rape, domestic abuse battery (specifically, strangulation and false imprisonment), drug possession, robbery and criminal damage to property.

At the time, he entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and was scheduled to begin trial in March. However, before the trial, he entered a plea agreement, pleading guilty to lesser third-degree rape charges, a result of a deal that reduced the rapper’s potential sentence. Under Louisiana law, if he had been found guilty of the first-degree rape charge, he would have automatically face a life sentence.

Tyler was charged in a separate sexual assault case in 2017. That case was dismissed due to lack of evidence.

As of 2004, Tyler is a lifetime registered sex offender following a conviction for sexual assault and extortion. He was sentenced to six years in prison. The musician – best known for his 2000 song ‘Shake It Fast’ – was released in 2010. Then, in 2012, Tyler served three months in jail for violating the terms of his probation.

His last album ‘Tarantula’ was released in 2001, but since his prison release, he has collaborated with the likes of Lil Wayne, Tech N9ne and Trinidad James.

Mystikal also teamed up with Mark Ronson for ‘Feel Right’ from Ronson’s 2015 album ‘Uptown Special’.

For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.

If you’ve been affected by domestic violence in the UK you can contact Refuge’s freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. In the US, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline on 1800 799 7233.