Mystikal will stay incarcerated until his 2026 trial after a judge denied bond in a rape case that could lead to life in prison.
Mystikal was denied bond on Tuesday in Ascension Parish, where a Louisiana judge ruled the rapper will remain in custody until his trial on rape and other felony charges begins in 2026.
The 55-year-old performer appeared in court as Judge Steven Tureau rejected his request for release, despite emotional offers from his mother and business manager to monitor him if granted bond, according to Louisiana First.
Tyler has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a 2022 incident, including first-degree rape, domestic abuse battery by strangulation and false imprisonment.
The trial is set to begin March 30, 2026, and is expected to last about a week. Tyler’s next court date is scheduled for January 21, 2026.
The decision marks yet another legal setback in a long history of criminal allegations against the Grammy-nominated artist, best known for early 2000s hits like “Shake Ya Ass” and “Danger (Been So Long).”
Tyler’s criminal record includes a 2003 conviction for sexual battery and extortion involving his hairstylist.
He served six years at Louisiana’s Elayn Hunt Correctional Center after pleading guilty to coercing the woman into oral sex while accusing her of stealing $80,000 in checks. A videotape of the incident was later found in his home, leading to a prison sentence despite expectations of probation.
After his release in 2010, Tyler registered as a sex offender but continued to face legal trouble. In 2012, he was arrested for domestic abuse battery, which landed him back in jail for violating probation.
In 2017, Tyler was charged with rape in Caddo Parish and held on a $3 million bond until 2019. Those charges were eventually dismissed, but his time out of custody didn’t last.
If convicted of first-degree rape in the current case, Tyler faces a mandatory life sentence under Louisiana law.
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