Rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping a woman at his Louisiana home in 2022. The 20-year sentence was part of a plea deal that reduced the charge from first-degree rape, which carries a mandatory life sentence. This is not Mystikal's first run-in with the law; he has a previous conviction for sexual battery in 2003.
Mystikal's lawyer had attempted to withdraw his guilty plea just days before sentencing, citing that he had not fully understood the consequences. However, the court rejected this request. The victim addressed the court and urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence, citing the severity of the crime.
Mystikal is known for his hit song 'Shake Ya A**', which earned him a Grammy nomination. He has been held without bond since his 2022 arrest. Prosecutors had planned to bring up Mystikal's 2003 guilty plea to sexual battery and extortion as evidence of prior crimes.
The victim in the 2022 case received a payment of $350,000 from Mystikal, according to court records. This case is the latest in a string of allegations against the rapper, who has previously been charged with rape and kidnapping charges in northwest Louisiana. Those charges were dropped in December 2020.