Mystikal Pleads Guilty To Third-Degree Rape In State Court, Is Facing Up To 20 Years Of Prison Time

Michael Lawrence Tyler, professionally known as Mystikal, rose to fame for his rap career. He began his career in the mid-1990s as part of Master P’s No Limit Records and later found mainstream success with songs like Danger (Been So Long), Ready to Rumble and several others. However, the rapper’s career came to a halt when he was arrested in 2022, and he has since pleaded guilty.

Mystikal pleads guilty to third-degree rape

The US rapper, Mystikal, appeared in State Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in connection with a case that led to his arrest in 2022. The musician had been in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, since his arrest in late July 2022. Mystikal appeared in the state court outside Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on March 17, 2026 (ET). According to local news outlets WBRZ and WAFB, he now faces up to 20 years in prison following his guilty plea in court.

What are the charges against Mystikal?

The rapper, Mystikal, was originally charged with far more serious crimes when he was arrested in late July 2022. The 55-year-old rapper was charged with first-degree rape and domestic abuse. Earlier, Mystikal had pled not guilty to these charges, including rape, simple robbery, domestic abuse battery and false imprisonment. His guilty plea was reportedly part of a deal that reduced the overall severity of the case against him. However, if he had been convicted as originally charged, he would have faced mandatory life imprisonment.

Who is Mystikal?

Mystikal, also known as G Money, was born on September 22, 1970, in New Orleans’ 12th Ward. His father ran a small neighbourhood store. However, unfortunately, he passed away when the rapper was only seven years old. He attended Cohen High School and later worked as a combat engineer in the United States Army before paving his way into the music industry. Mystikal faced another challenge when he found his sister, Michelle Tyler, dead on his 24th birthday. While there are no records of his relationships, Mystikal has two children, Million Tyler and My’chelle Tyler.

Mystikal’s troubled past with the law

This is not the first time that Mystikal has been at odds with the law. In June 2003, he was arrested for sexual battery and extortion of his hairstylist, a crime he pleaded guilty to. On January 15, 2004, he was sentenced to six years in state prison. The case was filed against the rapper after he and his two bodyguards are said to have forced a woman to steal USD 80,000 and forced her into oral sex. In August 2005, while incarcerated on state sexual battery and extortion charges. He was charged federally with two misdemeanour counts of failing to file tax returns for 1998 and 1999. 

He was released from prison on January 14, 2010. However, on February 22, 2012, he was arrested again on a misdemeanour domestic abuse count. He was detained for 9 days, then released before being sentenced to 3 months in jail on April 16, 2012. However, that wasn’t the last of it. In 2017, Mysikal turned himself in at the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Department after a warrant was issued in his name. He was charged with rape and kidnapping before authorities ultimately dropped the case.

What’s next for Mystikal?

The 2022 case to which Mystikal pleaded guilty on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 (ET), before a March 30, 2026 (ET) trial date, centred on a victim who told investigators he had raped her, beaten her and choked her. The woman also said he took her phone and car keys to stop her from leaving and then forced her to send him money over the platform Cash App. According to reports, Mystikal’s sentencing hearing was tentatively scheduled for June 2026.

What are your thoughts on Mystikal pleading guilty to the charges? Let us know.

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