10 Things You Didn’t Know about Shyne
If you were a rap fan in the early 2000s, then you may remember Shyne. Signed to Bad Boy Records, Shyne reached commercial success with his hit single “Bonnie and Shyne”. Despite what started off as a promising career, Shyne never reached his full potential as an artist. After being involved in a shooting at a nightclub, Shyne was tried and convicted for attempted murder. He was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison. In 2004, Shyne’s second album, Godfather Buried Alive was released while he was behind bars. The project eventually reached number one. However, as we all know, the entertainment industry has a short memory, and within a few years, Shyne had essentially faded into obscurity. Now, however, he’s back and better than ever but music is no longer his focus. Shyne is not heavily involved in politics and he is doing his best to make positive changes in the world. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Shyne.
1. He Was Born In Belize
New York City is probably the first place that comes to mind when people think of Shyne. While it’s true that he was raised there, he was actually born in Belize. Because of this, he was actually deported back to Belize after serving his prison sentence. He currently lives in Belize.
2. He’s Jewish
It’s unclear what Shyne’s religious beliefs were early in life, but in the mid-2000s he decided to start studying Judaism. He felt a special connection to the religion and decided to officially convert to orthodox Judaism in 2010. At one point in time, he even lived in Jerusalem.
3. He’s A Proud Father
Shyne isn’t really the type of person who likes to spend a lot of time discussing his personal life with the public. However, one thing he’s open about is the fact that he is a very proud dad. He has a three-year-old daughter named Naomi. Although Shyne was married at one point in time, it’s unclear if he and his wife are still together.
4. He Isn’t The First Politician In His Family
People who knew of Shyne through his music were probably surprised by the fact that he decided to go into politics. However, those who know his family history probably weren’t shocked at all. He actually comes from a fairly political family. His father, Dean Barrow, was elected the Prime Minister of Belize in 2008. His uncle, Michael, is also a politician in Belize.
5. He And Diddy Are On Good Terms
When Shyne got into his legal troubles, many people felt like he was taking the fall for something he didn’t do. People suspected that Sean “Diddy” Combs had more to do with the incident than was reported and they believed he didn’t do enough to help Shyne. Not long after Shyne’s arrest, the two parted ways. However, if there was any bad blood between them, it’s gone now. In fact, Diddy was instrumental in Shyne being able to return to the United States as a diplomat.
6. He’s A Positive Person
With the things that Shyne has been through over the years, nobody would fault him if he had a negative outlook on the world. Surprisingly, though, he doesn’t. He is the kind of person who does his best to see the good in every situation. His positive attitude has probably been a major factor in his ability to overcome obstacles.
7. He No Longer Uses Profanity
If you’ve heard Shyne’s music then you know it was nothing for him to say some crazy things on a song back in the day. Those days are long gone now, though. One Shyne made the decision to convert to Judaism, he also made the decision to no longer use inappropriate language.
8. He Isn’t A Kendrick Lamar Fan
Kendrick Lamar is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of his generation, but Shyne would beg to differ. In 2012, Shyne posted a tweet calling Kendrick’s debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, “traaaaash”. When offering further explanation, Shyne said, “That album is aight! Lyrics kool, beats trash! I mean trash!”
9. He Planned To Release More Music
Shyne only released two albums, but that wasn’t his plan. After being released from prison, he planned on releasing at least two more projects, however, that never happened. Now that he is fully immersed in politics, it seems very unlikely that we’ll hear any more music from him.
10. He Almost Signed To Cash Money
After his departure from Bad Boy, Shyne earned another record deal with Def Jam. However, things with the label didn’t go as planned and he eventually left. He hoped to sign with Cash Money Records, but that never worked out due to issues with hi, being deported.
