Michael L. Tyler
(born September 22, 1970 ), better known by his stage name Mystikal
, is an American rapper who grew up in the 12th Ward near Tchoupitoulas St of New Orleans, Louisiana. He is one of the few artists from Master P's New Orleans-based No Limit label to achieve both critical and commercial success, and achieved recognition for his signature style of rapping, a combination of speedy delivery with erratic rhythms and guttural shouts and barks.
In 2003, Mystikal pleaded guilty to sexual battery and extortion. He is currently serving a six-year prison sentence in the Louisiana State Prison system. [1]
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MYSTIKAL TICKETS
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High school and military service
Michael Tyler went to Walter L. Cohen High on Dryades St in
New Orleans. Following his graduation from high school in 1988, he enlisted in the United States Army.
Tyler was stationed at
Fort Riley, Kansas, and deployed to the
Gulf War. Upon returning from action he was found in possession of drugs and failed a urine test. He was reduced in rank from SGT to PV2, and, after a second positive urine test and allegations of drug distribution within the unit, he was court-martialed and sentenced to two years at
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Ironically, he is a highly decorated Combat
Engineer Veteran and the only Prior-Service affiliate of the famous No-Limit Records organization. PV2 Tyler started his service in the 3rd PLT, Bco 35th En Bn, Basic Training/AIT,
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. At Fort Riley, Kansas, he was a member of Cco and Aco 1st EN BN.
Music career
Mystikal's debut album,
Mystikal
, released on local, New Orleans-based
independent record label Big Boy Records in 1994. He found himself in some conflicts with fellow local
rappers from
Cash Money Records including U.N.L.V. and
B.G. amongst others. They dissed him on tracks like
Drag 'em in tha River
by U.N.L.V. and
Fuck Big Boy
by B.G. He struck back with the diss
Beware
which was on his sophomore effort
Mind of Mystikal
. Mystikal's sister, Michelle Tyler, who sang the chorus on "Not That Nigga" was murdered (stabbed) by her boyfriend, Damion Neville (grandson of
the Neville Brothers' Charles Neville), prior to the album's release. The songs "Dedicated To Michelle Tyler" and "Murder 2" on the
Mind of Mystikal
and
Unpredictable
albums, respectively, refer to Mystikal's sister's murder.
Mystikal signed to
Jive Records and released
Mind of Mystikal
in 1995. The album sold well, and he signed to
Master P's
No Limit Records for
Unpredictable
in 1997, which also sold well and garnered Mystikal critical praise. In 1998, Mystikal made his first major guest appearance on Busta Rhymes'
Extinction Level Event
on the track "Iz They Wildin Wit Us & Gettin' Rowdy Wit Us?". His real breakthrough was
Let's Get Ready
, released in 2000.
Let's Get Ready
contained "
Danger (Been So Long)," which featured rising pop star
Nivea, and was the
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one single in June, 2001. The album also featured the popular,
Neptunes-produced hit "
Shake Ya Ass."
Let's Get Ready
debuted at Number One on the
Billboard 200, making it Mystikal's only chart-topping album to date.
Mystikal's most recent solo release was the 2001 album
Tarantula
, which contained the hit single, "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against The Wall)". Though it presented Mystikal's typical and unique flow style, the song also saw a blending of
jazz and
swing elements with
hip-hop. The well received album was nominated for a
Grammy Award for
Best Rap Album in 2003, and Mystikal was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance that same year.
[2] Mystikal was also featured prominently in the single, "
Move Bitch" by
Ludacris as well as "
I Don't Give a Fuck" by
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz along with
Krayzie Bone, both in 2002. In 2003 he starred in the film
13 Dead Men.
Offences and imprisonment
On
January 16,
2004, Mystikal was sentenced to six years in
prison after pleading guilty to forcing his hairstylist to perform sex acts. He also admitted to
extortion. The rapper and two
bodyguards forced the woman to perform oral sex, have sex with them, and accused her of stealing $80,000 in checks. Mystikal initially denied the assault, but confessed after a
videotape of the crime was found at his home. Bodyguards Leland "Pokie" Ellis and Vercy "V" Carter also pled guilty to sexual battery.
[3]
In
August 2005, while incarcerated on the state sexual battery and extortion charges, Mystikal was charged
federally with two
misdemeanor counts of failing to file
tax returns for 1998 and 1999. On
January 12,
2006, he was convicted in
federal court of the tax offenses, but was allowed to serve the one year federal sentence concurrent with his six year state sentence.
[4]
Mystikal was incarcerated at Louisiana's
Elayn Hunt Correctional Center. On
January 19,
2006, Mystikal was denied
parole at a
parole board hearing.
[5]
On
January 11,
2007, Mystikal was released from custody on the federal misdemeanor tax convictions (as his one-year sentence had expired), but he remains in custody on the 6-year sentence for the Louisiana state felony convictions.
Discography
Solo albums
Year
| Album
| Chart Positions
|
US
| US Hip-Hop
|
1994
| Mystikal
| -
| -
|
1995
| Mind of Mystikal
| 103
| 14
|
1997
| ''Unpredictable
| 3
| 1
|
1998
| Ghetto Fabulous
| 5
| 1
|
2000
| Let's Get Ready
| 1
| 1
|
2001
| Tarantula
| 25
| 4
|
"—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released
|
Compilation albums
Year
| Album
|
2004
| Prince of the South... The Hits
|
2004
| Chopped & Screwed
|
Singles
Year
| Single
| Chart positions
| Album
|
U.S. Hot 100
| U.S. R&B
| U.S. Rap
|
1995
| "Y'all Ain't Ready Yet"
| 106
| 41
| 12
| Mind of Mystikal
|
1997
| "Ain't No Limit"
| -
| 63
| -
| Unpredictable
|
1998
| "The Man Right Chea" A
| -
| 56
| -
|
1999
| "That's The Nigga"
| -
| 60
| -
| Ghetto Fabulous
|
2000
| "Shake Ya Ass" (feat. Pharrell Williams)
| 13
| 3
| 7
| Let's Get Ready
|
2001
| "Danger (Been So Long)" (feat. Nivea)
| 14
| 1
| 3
|
"Don't Stop (Funkin' 4 Jamaica)" (feat. Mariah Carey)
| 123
| 42
| -
| Glitter
|
2002
| "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)"
| 37
| 8
| 7
| Tarantula
|
"Tarantula" (feat. Butch Cassidy)
| -
| 76
| -
|
"If It Ain't Live It Ain't Me"
| -
| 104
| -
|
- A Did not chart on the Hot 100 or Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts (Billboard
rules at the time prevented album cuts from charting). Chart peak listed here represents Hot 100 Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts data.
Other Recordings
- "The Edge Of The Blade" - from the album Blade: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
. Although on the soundtrack album, the song was not featured in the film "Blade".
References
- Mystikal Still Incarcerated, Reps Clarify 'Released' Status
- Rapper Mystikal sentenced to six years
- Rapper Mystikal sentenced to six years
- AHH Stray News: 50 Cent Sued, Mystikal, Ms. Dynamite, Dilated Peoples
- AHH Stray News: 50 Cent Sued, Mystikal, Ms. Dynamite, Dilated Peoples