Rapper Mystikal Pleads Guilty to Third-Degree Assault

Louisiana rapper Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault on Tuesday in Ascension Parish Courthouse, marking a significant reduction from the more severe charges he faced following a 2022 incident at his Prairieville home.

The 55-year-old artist, known for hits like "Shake Ya Ass" and a chart-topping album in 2000, entered the plea as part of an agreement that caps his potential prison sentence at 20 years. Originally indicted on first-degree assault, domestic abuse battery by strangulation, simple robbery, false imprisonment, and related drug possession charges, Tyler had faced a mandatory life sentence if convicted on the top count. He had previously pleaded not guilty and was scheduled for trial on March 30, but the court canceled that date after the plea. A presentencing investigation is underway, with sentencing set for June 6.

The case stems from events on July 30, 2022, when a female acquaintance visited Tyler's residence to discuss a financial matter. According to investigators with the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, the conversation escalated into violence. The woman alleged that Tyler choked and beat her, took her car keys...