McKinley Phipps, Jr. (born July 30, 1977), better known simply as Mac, is an American rapper and songwriter from New Orleans' 3rd Ward. Mac 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 2 solo albums and 1 album as part of the 504 Boyz on No Limit, including 1998’s Shell Shocked, which peaked at #11 on the US Billboard 200.
In 2001, Mac was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He has been released from the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in Louisiana. On Parole after serving 20 years of his sentence Phipps maintained his innocence throughout his sentence, and his parents have campaigned to re-open the investigation into his case for many years.