It has been a good year so far for New Orleans native Michael Tyler. Better known as gravel voiced rapper Mystikal, his album Let's Get Ready shot to the top of the American Billboard chart at the end of last year, and with rap continuing to infiltrate the European charts, Mystikal is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Nelly, Outkast and, of course, Eminem as another American rap superstar who has managed to duplicate his US success in Europe.

So far, so good. Southern Rap has exploded in the last six months and Mystikal's hard-hitting vocals and edgy grooves couldn't have come at a better time. When asked about what makes him different from his East/West counterparts, Mystikal has a definite theory.
"Individuality. I grew up in New Orleans and we didn't have gangs, or the whole gang mentality. I think that made us more individual*.
He also talks about musical influences: *I have a diverse musical background. In New Orleans there is everything. Jazz, Soul, Gospel, and that influences my music*.
At the moment Mystikal has not one but two singles making waves on the music scene here and in Britain. In addition to 'Danger' his second single release from the album, he can also be heard on southern R...B crooner Joe's hit 'Stutter'. Mystikal is enthused over the reactions to his efforts: *It just goes to show how big hip-hop is getting*
Like many US rappers, Mystikal had considerable success in America long before he was known on this side of the Atlantic. Let's Get Ready is in fact his fourth album release and Ghetto Fabulous from 1999 put him in the major league. Previous to that, he enjoyed a stint with seminal rap label No Limit. The label, run by Master P and based in New Orleans churned out hard edge beats and hardcore gangsta lyrics at a steady stream, to a huge group of fans who were perhaps more interested in the gangsta ethos than in vocal talent or musical merit. While Mystikal and other artists on the label enjoyed huge sales for a few years, they never enjoyed mainstream exposure, as radio and TV wouldn't put their material on their playlists. Having now emerged as one of the more critically acclaimed rappers of that crew, Mystikal is happy to have left No Limit behind. With heavy MTV rotation and sales figures reaching dizzy heights, he is content to be a true one-man show: "I had to compromise on a lot of things when I was with No Limit. Now it's all about me and I can also come face to face with my audience*.
Last month, Mystikal was nominated for a Grammy in the category Best Rap Solo Performance, for his single 'Shake Ya Ass'. An honour that he describes as *the biggest achievement for a rapper*. Unsurprisingly, the award was picked up by Eminem, who Mystikal claims to have nothing but respect for, even though he admits his tip for the prize was Nelly: "I like Eminem, Nelly and Outkast, for sure. I like anyone who is making a difference to Rap".

Let's Get Ready is available now on Jive