Michael Lawrence Taylor, who performs and releases music under his Mystikal guise, is a rapper and actor from New Orleans. After releasing his eponymous debut album in 1994, Mystikal soon found himself in conflict with a number of other New Orleans-based rappers who were affiliated with Cash Money Records, including Lil Wayne, U.N.L.V. and B.G. After trading insults on a number of diss tracks, Mystikal proved himself as an individual who's not afraid to stand up for his integrity. Continuing to release material that finds him evolving and growing as a musician, Mystikal has proven to be one of the more talented Southern hip-hop artists of his generation.