The Magic and Redemption of Shyne

Picture source: Andscape and Billboard Magazine

Belizean-American rapper, Shyne was born Jamal Barrow on 8 November 1978 and gained prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Known for his deep voice and gritty lyrics, Shyne was heavily influenced by the Notorious B.I.G. Many believe that he would be Bad Boys Records' next star, after Wallace's death. However, his career faced significant challenges due to legal troubles, that garnered more attention than his records.

The Discovery

In 1998, Shyne was discovered by producer Clark Kent while rapping in a Flatbush barbershop (Ro, 129). Many remarked on how much Shyne's voice and style bore an uncanny resemblance to that of Christopher Wallace also known as Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie, Biggie Smalls) At the time, Clark Kent was working on Biggie’s posthumous album for Bad Boy Records entitled Born Again.

Noticing Shyne's talent, Kent took him to Sean Combs and Bad Boys Records, where Combs signed him to a five-album recording deal on the spot. Additionally, reports indicate that Shyne was given one million dollars in advance, three luxury cars, and two homes (Roberts, J)(Ro, 130).

Scrapes with the Law

Before his rise to fame, Shyne had some serious scrapes with the law. Shyne was allegedly a member of The Deceptions when he was thirteen years old. The Deceptions is a notorious Brooklyn street gang. His association with the gang led to him being incarcerated for a year. Two years after that stint, a confrontation led Shyne to be shot. The incident left him with a six-inch scar across his right shoulder and chest(Ro, 129).

Shortly after signing with Bad Boy Records and about a week after he was gifted a Mercedes from Combs, he was involved in an accident that led to his friend's death and left his cousin wheelchair-bound. Shyne walked away from the accident with minor scrapes and bruises (Ro, 135). Reportedly, everyone in the car was inebriated.

Some reported that due to Shyne's arrogance and bad attitude, few wanted to work with him, including those in the Bad Boy camp. Others reported that once he signed up with Bad Boys Records, his head swelled. One employee reported

“a lot of hype said he sounded like Biggie and he believed it (Ro, 134).”

About a year after signing with Bad Boy, things had gotten so bad that Bad Boys employees avoided taking calls from him to the office.

Some say that the attitude came from looking at and admiring Combs' business sense, style, and how he handled people. According to some employees, Combs blatantly disrespected people (Ro, 134) and saw Shyne as the next Biggie. He began to mentor and dress Shyne like himself. He even gifted Shyne a Rolex watch. Shyne became cocky and entitled, so much so, that after he was robbed of his Rolex, he expected Combs to get him another one (Ro, 134).

27 December 1999

Legal Troubles and Impact on Career

Shyne's burgeoning career was derailed by his involvement in a highly publicized legal case. On 27 December 1999, Combs, Jennifer Lopez, Combs bodyguard Anthony “Wolf” Jones, and Shyne were at Club New York in Manhattan. Combs got into an argument with another of the club’s patrons, then shots were fired. The quad was arrested. Lopez and Jones were quickly released, but Combs and Shyne were arrested for firearms violations.

Combs quickly obtained Johnnie Cochran of O.J. Simpson's dream team fame and Benjamin Brafman, who would later represent Micheal Jackson in 2004 and Harvey Weinstein in 2018 during their sexual abuse trials. Benjamin Brafman continues to represent Combs to date.

Shyne became upset as he believed he also should have been represented by Cockran and Brafman. During the trial, Combs' and Shyne's relationship deteriorated quickly. Shyne reported that Combs did not help him pay for his lawyer or bail and began distancing himself from the protege' he had once celebrated.

On 16 March 2001, Combs and Jones were acquitted. This is ironic because the date of acquittals was four years and seven days after Biggie's death, and four years and two days after his burial.

Seeing that Combs and Jones were acquitted, Shyne believed he would be acquitted too, and saw his case as self-defense. In June 2001, Shyne was indicted for assault, attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and weapons possession. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. He served almost nine of the ten years. Upon his release, he was deported to his native Belize.

In an interview dated 9 October 2009, the date of Shyne's actual release, Vibe magazine published the following statements from Combs regarding Shyne.

“It’s a blessing that Shyne’s coming home,” Diddy said. “I spoke to him like a couple of weeks ago and he sounded like he was in good spirits. I know he can’t wait to get home. I know he is definitely going to heat the whole scene up. He was definitely one of talented young artists that I had the pleasure to work with. I’m quite sure he’s been using his time wisely and has some heat.”

In response, Shyne said that while he was in prison that conversation with Combs never took place. In the same Vibe interview he stated,

“I want it known that this supposed conversation is a figment of Sean Combs’ imagination...” “He never spoke with me, he never visited me nor would I ever accept a phone call or visit from him. The only way I would do either of those things would be if he stepped up and did the right thing for the victims of the incident.”

Post-Prison Life

In multiple interviews, he said he was the fall guy and resented Combs regarding the 27 December 1999 incident, but over time, he let go of his resentment (Gale, 2022). After serving nearly nine years, Shyne was released from prison in October 2009 and deported to his native Belize. He has since converted to Orthodox Judaism and changed his name to Moses Michael Levi Barrow.

His Father's Footsteps

Shyne was raised by his mother, Frances Franklin in Brooklyn and never had a relationship with his father, Dean Barrow. He said that he tried to get to know his father, but his father expressed resentment towards him, and once told him, “I don’t owe you anything, I never wanted to have you (Ro, 129).”

In 1990, his father Dean Barrow, served as Belize's deputy prime minister, and on 7 February 2008, he became the first Black Prime Minister of Belize. After his release from prison and his deportation from the United States, Shyne followed in his father's footsteps and pursued a career in politics. On 11 November 2020, he became a member of the Belizean House of Representatives. Although he is an active politician, he has remained involved in music.

Shyne's Signature Hits

Debut Album: Shyne

Picture source: Paras Griffin | Credit: Getty Images for BET

His Legacy

Shyne's contributions to hip-hop, particularly through his debut album and standout tracks like Bad Boyz, Bonnie and Shyne, and That's Gangsta, have left a lasting impact on the genre. His music continues to be celebrated by fans of early 2000s hip-hop for its authenticity and raw portrayal of street life.

Works Cited

Dale, Gregory, Shyne reveals the real reason he no longer blames Diddy for his imprisonment, Revolt, 8 January 2022

Ro, Ronin. Bad Boy: The Influence of Sean “Puffy” Combs on the Music Industry. Pocket Books, 2001.

Roberts , Johnnie L. “Puffy’s Crowded Orbit.” Newsweek, 8 Nov. 1999.

Shyne. "Bad Boyz." Shyne. Bad Boyz Records, 2000.

Shyne. "Bonnie & Shyne." Shyne. Bad Boyz Records, 2000.

Shyne. "That's Gangsta" Shyne. Bad Boyz Records, 2000.

Shyne Says Diddy Convo Never Happened. Vibe Magazine, 9 October 2009

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