Rapper Mystikal sentenced to 20 years in prison after rape conviction

Rapper Mystikal has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to a rape charge stemming from a 2022 case in Louisiana.

The Grammy-nominated artist, whose real name is Michael Tyler, was handed the sentence on Tuesday after a judge rejected a last-minute attempt to withdraw his guilty plea.

Mystikal admitted to third-degree rape in March as part of a plea agreement, but before sentencing he asked the court to strike the plea from the record. According to CNN, the rapper argued that he had not been given enough time to fully understand the consequences of his decision.

The judge declined the request and proceeded with sentencing.

During the hearing, the victim addressed the court and described the abuse she said she suffered during the attack. She alleged that Mystikal pulled her braids, punched her, choked her and raped her.

Following the victim’s statement, Mystikal responded by saying: “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.”

The judge ultimately imposed the maximum recommended sentence under the plea deal — 20 years behind bars.

Mystikal was arrested in 2022 and had been held without bond at Ascension Parish Jail while awaiting the outcome of the case.

The sentence means the rapper is expected to spend at least the next 15 to 20 years in prison, depending on how authorities calculate credit for time already served.

The conviction marks another major legal downfall for the once-successful hip-hop star.

It is not the first time Mystikal has served prison time for a sex-related offence. In 2003, he was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual battery.

The latest sentence effectively ends any immediate hopes of a career comeback for the rapper, who rose to prominence with hits including Shake Ya Ass and Danger (Been So Long).

According to CNN, Mystikal declined to comment after the sentencing hearing. His attorneys also reportedly chose not to make any public statements regarding the outcome of the case.

The 20-year sentence closes a legal battle that has followed the rapper since his arrest three years ago and adds another chapter to a career repeatedly overshadowed by criminal convictions.