Mystikal Facing Weed And Gun Charges

Rapper Mystikal, far from being dead or injured (see "Mystikal & Silkk Alive And Well") faces a felony weapons charge and a misdemeanor for drug possession after being stopped in Kenner, Louisiana on Thursday, according to media reports. Mystikal, a.k.a. Michael Tyler, was pulled over after allegedly being spotted smoking a joint. The police searched his vehicle and discovered a 9 mm handgun.

The No Limit rap star told the media on Monday that he had only been stopped because he was driving a flashy car and that he hadn't been smoking the joint. He said it was an old roach sitting unlit in the ashtray, and that he didn't even realize it was there.

He said his gun was registered and that he needed it for protection, and that he hoped to get off with just a fine.

Tyler, who released his second Mystikal album, "Ghetto Fabulous," just last week, added that he thought God was telling him not to celebrate that hard.