McKinley Phipps, Jr., better known simply as Mac, is an American rapper from New Orleans' 3rd Ward. He began rapping as a child, releasing his debut album The Lyrical Midget at the age of 13 in 1990, under the stage name Lil Mac. Mac would eventually sign with Master P's No Limit Records and would grow to be one of the most critically acclaimed artists on the label, both as a solo rapper and as a member of the super group 504 Boyz. Mac released two solo albums and one album as part of the 504 Boyz on No Limit, including 1998's Shell Shocked, which peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard 200.
In 2001, Mac was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years in prison at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in Louisiana, and was released on parole on June 22, 2021, after serving 20 years of his sentence. Phipps maintained his innocence throughout, and his parents have campaigned to re-open the investigation into his case.