Shyne

This article is about the person. For his album, see Shyne (album). For his song "Shyne", see Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories.

The Honourable
Moses "Shyne" Barrow
Shyne in 2021
Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 1, 2022
Prime MinisterJohnny Briceño
Preceded byPatrick Faber
In office
June 25, 2021 – September 16, 2021
Prime MinisterJohnny Briceño
Preceded byPatrick Faber
Succeeded byPatrick Faber
Member of the
Belize House of Representatives
for Mesopotamia
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 11, 2020
Preceded byMichael Finnegan
Personal details
Born
Jamal Michael Barrow

(1978-11-08) November 8, 1978 (age 46)
Belize City, Belize[1]
Political partyBelize United Democratic Party
Occupation
  • Politican (2020–present)
  • rapper (1996–2020)
  • songwriter (1996–2020)
Musical career
OriginBrooklyn, New York City, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Years active1996–2020 (rapper)
Labels
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Moses Michael Levi Barrow (born Jamal Michael Barrow; November 8, 1978), best known by his stage name Shyne, is a Belizean politician and former rapper.[2] He is the Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives, and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party.[3] Barrow was born in Belize City, but moved to New York City as a child and began to rap as an adolescent. He is perhaps best known for his 2000 singles, "Bad Boyz" and "Bonnie & Shyne" (both featuring Barrington Levy). He also wrote and performed on a number of multiple studio albums, such as The Notorious B.I.G.'s posthumous Born Again, Mase's Double Up, Puff Daddy's Forever, Usher's Confessions, and Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV, among other albums.

Shyne and his mother lived in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East Flatbush, where after being discovered freestyling in a barbershop, he became a rapper. On the verge of releasing his debut album under Combs' Bad Boy Records, on the evening of December 27, 1999, he went to a New York City nightclub with his former mentor/label boss, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Combs' then-girlfriend, singer/actress Jennifer Lopez. An argument broke out in the club between Combs and another man; gunshots followed with three bystanders injured.[4][5] In June 2001, he was convicted of assault and unlawful possession of a weapon, and sentenced to 10 years in prison.[6] His eponymous debut album was released in September 2000, going gold the following month.[7] He continued to record music while incarcerated, eventually releasing his sophomore studio album, Godfather Buried Alive, under Def Jam Recordings in 2004.[8]

While serving his prison sentence, Shyne became interested in Judaism, becoming observant – practicing Orthodox Judaism, and officially changed his name to Moses Michael Levi Barrow in 2006.[9][10] After he was released from prison in late 2009, he was deported to Belize.[11] In 2010, he moved to Jerusalem, where he spent his time studying the Torah up to 12 hours a day.[12] He returned to Belize in 2013, and was appointed the Belize Music and Goodwill Ambassador, charged with the sustainable development of the music industry in Belize, and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop it.[13]

Shyne was elected to the Belizean House of Representatives in the 2020 general election, as a member of the center-right Belize United Democratic Party. He became the Belize Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party, in both June 2021 (until September 2021) and February 2022.[14]

His life was explored through the November 2024 Hulu/Andscape documentary, The Honorable Shyne.[15]

  1. ^ "Feature". XXL Mag. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2008.
  2. ^ "Where Is Shyne Now? How the Bad Boy Rapper Went from Prison to Politics — and Why the Ex-Diddy Protégé Claims His Former Mentor 'Destroyed' His Life". People.com. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  3. ^ Dolak, Kevin (November 9, 2024). "How Rapper Shyne Evolved From Diddy Protégé to the Belize Opposition Leader". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  4. ^ "Shyne Says He Was the 'Fall Guy' In 1999 Nightclub Shooting In New York". BET. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "Shyne Addresses His Alleged Role In 1999 Club Shooting Involving Diddy In New Documentary". iHeart. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  6. ^ Staff, Billboard (June 1, 2001). "Shyne Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  7. ^ Phillips, Demi (October 30, 2023). "Shyne's Self-Titled Bad Boy Records Debut Album Turns 23". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "Godfather Buried Alive". EW.com. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Hall, Jermaine (November 21, 2024). "Shyne Addresses Claims that He's a Political Nepo Baby". LEVEL Man. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Adams, Biba (January 10, 2022). "Rapper Shyne on relationship with Diddy: 'I did go through bitterness'". TheGrio. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  11. ^ Kreps, Daniel (October 29, 2009). "Shyne Deported to Belize Following Prison Release". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  12. ^ Kraft, Dina (November 11, 2010). "Rapper Finds Order in Orthodox Judaism in Israel". The New York Times. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  13. ^ "Shyne Allowed in The United States as Belize Goodwill Ambassador Only - XXL". XXL Mag. December 20, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  14. ^ Cowo, Janelle (March 30, 2022). "Notorious rapper turned politician: Shyne Barrow elected as leader of the United Democratic Party". The San Pedro Sun. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  15. ^ "Hulu's 'The Honorable Shyne' documents the Jewish rapper's beef with Diddy, new life as politician". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.