Grammy-nominated American rapper Mystikal, whose legal name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to a rape charge stemming from an incident at his Louisiana home in 2022.

Mystikal received the sentence on Tuesday after previously entering a guilty plea to third-degree rape. The plea agreement reduced the original charge from first-degree rape, which carries a mandatory life sentence under Louisiana law.

According to CNN, the rapper pleaded guilty in March under a deal that capped his prison term at 20 years, five years below the maximum penalty for third-degree rape.

According to reports from the sentencing hearing, Mystikal attempted to withdraw his guilty plea days before the court appearance, arguing that he had not been given sufficient time to fully consider the consequences of the agreement. The request was ultimately unsuccessful.

During the hearing, the victim urged the court to impose the maximum sentence. She alleged that Mystikal physically assaulted her at his home in Prairieville, Louisiana, punching and choking her, pulling out her braids and forcing her into sexual acts.

In response to the victim’s statement, Mystikal reportedly told the court: “If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence.”

The rapper has remained in custody at the Ascension Parish Jail since his arrest in 2022 after being denied bond.

Mystikal rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits including Shake Ya Ass, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance. He later received additional Grammy nominations for the album Tarantula and the single Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against the Wall).

This is not the first time the rapper has faced serious criminal charges. In 2003, Mystikal pleaded guilty to sexual battery and served a six-year prison sentence.

The latest conviction marks another major legal setback for the rapper, whose music career once placed him among the most recognisable names in Southern hip-hop. (TRIBUNE)