 When he first landed on the rap scene, Shyne instantly captured people's attention with the reggae-infused banger, "Bad Boyz" featuring Barrington Levy. While he did have a flow that was undeniable, many felt Shyne's voice resembled that of the late great Christopher "Biggie" Wallace. It was definitely a solid obstacle, but he was eventually able to hurdle it ... and solidify his fanbase.
In 2000, Shyne released his self-titled debut on Bad Boy Records to critical acclaim and quickly became a star on the rise. Just as he began establishing himself as an top hip-hop act, things took a turn for the worse, when he found himself in the middle of a highly publicized altercation that took place in a New York night club. He was later found guilty of possessing a firearm, reckless endangerment and assault in the incident, and as a result, he was sentenced to 10 years at Rikers Island. While some were quick to write him off, they had no idea what was in store.
Being incarcerated did not deter Shyne from honing his craft. Instead, he continued to master his craft and he even went as far as to record the infamous joint, "For the Record" off his Godfather Buried Alive, live from a pay phone at Rikers. Upon being released in 2009, Shyne was deported back to his hometown Belize, where he took up camp until he was cleared for take-off. Today, life is grand for Shyne because after serving nine years -- some of which was spent in 23 hour lockdown -- he spends most of his time traveling the world sharing his love of music with others. With the albums Messiah and Gangland, coming in 2011, we sat down with the man himself.
BallerStatus.com: Ok, so what are you doing in Israel right now?
Shyne: I mean, every good Jew needs to be in Israel this time of year. We're just down here celebrating the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The month of September was a big month down here up until like last week. It was a big 30 days for Jewish people and Israelites all over the world. You read about this growing up no matter what religion you are. Abraham was the father of all religions and is what some people say, so you always read about Israel and Jerusalem. I was here for everything you read about in the Bible you know? So I'm definitely grateful. Thank God because just last year I was in a 23-hour lockdown and getting ready to be deported. They wouldn't give me no food, they wouldn't give me nothing. They were treating me like I had done some of the most heinous crimes you could imagine. I spent Rosh Hashanah in a prison cell with no food to eat and I spent the next year in Jerusalem. When it came time for the New Year, I could have went a lot of different places and thank God I had the resources. I said "Man listen, stop playing, go ahead."
BallerStatus.com: How difficult, if at all, was it to adjust to Belize, especially since you had not lived there since a child?
Shyne: I didn't really adjust because I have been doing a lot of traveling, ya dig? For me, it was an honor. I looked at it as an opportunity to inspire my nation and just try to bring that presence, that American, Brooklyn, New York ... persevering treatment big and doing the unimaginable. I want to try to bring that energy to them, so when the young kids see me riding down the street or running my miles or just going into the supermarket, hopefully that will inspire them. I know when I was a young boy growing up, I loved Bob Marley and if I was able to see him I couldn't tell you what that would do for my determination, my confidence.
For me it was really an opportunity to thank God. I was blessed with the resources to not have to adjust my life, but live at the standard I'm used to and travel around the world. So even though I did a lot of work down there, you know, made some music there, there came a time when I had to go. London, Paris, Latin America, Brazil, Argentina and right now, I'm in Israel, so I've been around the world over the last year. It's not like I've just been sitting in Belize.
BallerStatus.com: I read in XXL, you are looking into establishing a music program for the children of Belize. How is that whole process coming along?
Shyne: Yeah, yeah it's coming along. That's why I'm traveling right now, doing shows and getting that paper together because you can't do nothing without that paper, ya dig? So, yes I'm definitely heading back to Belize at the end of the year and that's when we're going to get everything jumping. I'm going back with equipment and everything. I'm building studios as part of the program and letting them use my studio. There's a few people that take the poor kids and put them in the music room and give them something to do, rather than go bang. So, I'm going to help them guys get state of the art studios and go off to the rural areas and just help people who are already in the process get things up to par. Again, you can't do that without resources, so I have been spending the last couple of months getting funds ready, so I can go back and get that under way.
BallerStatus.com: Rumor has it, "Messiah" is the first single off of your upcoming album. Tell me a little bit about the song.
Shyne: Well nah, that's not the first single that's just the first record released by Shyne. One of the things I had to deal with upon getting out was "Yo, when are we going to hear that Shyne music? I wanna hear that Shyne music!" So, that was just me sharing something with the people that love Shyne and the people who wanted to hear. That was one of the first records I made and that I loved. I loved that record when I made it because I have made many leaps, bounds and galaxies since I first made that record, so of course I love that record. It was a record that if you listen to the things I'm saying ... because you know, it's always about content with me. One of the guys that inspired me was Rakim andNas and Jay-Z, individuals who are big on content. When you listen to what I'm saying in "Messiah," the things I'm saying is very powerful stuff, even my ability to roll with the rhythms, melodies and the flows and the dexterities. I'm switching flows like every four bars. I don't like to sound the way I sounded on my last album and "Messiah" and all of my records represent that for me. "Messiah" is definitely one of my favorite records. I wrote that record in my cell. I use to sing that record in the shower with my gun under my shower slippers, never knowing what's going to happen.
BallerStatus.com: Do you have a title for the upcoming album and release date for the album?
Shyne: I got two new albums coming out: Gangland and Messiah. Those should be out in the spring ... we're talking like March.
BallerStatus.com: Foxy Brown appeared on the track "More or Less" on Godfather Buried Alive. A little while back, it was rumored that upon your release there was a possibility of her signing to Gangland Records. Is there any truth to that?
Shyne: Yeah... I mean Foxy's great and that's my sister, ya dig? She has been through a lot and I have known her since she was a baby, a little girl, but she had to become a woman the hard way. We all have our issues and like brothers and sisters, we have our disagreements. I'm always wishing her the best and I'm always there for her. I spoke to her and we've been talking, but I'm just trying to get things right to provide that opportunity for her because she deserves a real powerhouse, a machine behind her to support her. I'm in the process of getting my thing going and definitely, if she wants to be a part of that, the door is open. We're having some talks and whatever I can do to help her or support her, I'm with her. Well, as long as she ain't messing with ex-prison guards or nothing like that, she got my support.
BallerStatus.com: Why do you think 50 Cent is targeting you? Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that in the past he offered you the opportunity to sign to G-Unit and you declined? Do you think 50 felt somewhat disrespected to a certain degree because you declined to sign with his label?
Shyne: Yeah, I don't know if he's targeting me, but yeah. I think he was taken the approach that "Oh, I'm not responding, so that means his music ain't good enough." I guess my music is good enough now and I'm hot enough, now on the cover of the XXL, the talk of the town, so I guess now he wants in on the action. You know, he was keeping quiet and I put two records out there addressing what he is ... the confidential informant that he is, the buster that he is and the mark that he is and I been doing that. When I was doing it, everybody was saying Shyne was starting trouble. I'm not a psychologist and I can't tell you what he doing, but I can tell you what I'm doing and all I'm doing is speaking on the truth.
Them dudes is playing around and I'm not playing around. I didn't do 10 years for playing around. Prank calls and all that type of stuff there, they're playing and I'm not playing, but I'm speaking the truth when I make a record. Everything I say is the gospel. I don't make up things about people and I don't slander people, everything I say is the gospel. All I have been doing is speaking on what I know is true, you know, the facts and what the paperwork says.
BallerStatus.com: Over the past few years, you have been through hell and back. Are you bitter or angry at all about the way things turned out?
Shyne: Nah man, because people have been through so much. Right now, there's a woman dying of cancer in the hospital bed and somewhere there is a little baby with leukemia and what did they ever do? What am I angry about? What am I bitter about? I went through what I went through and it taught me a lot of things. For me, it's about taking what I learned and trying to apply that. I mean, what am I bitter about? I'm sitting in the holy land right now learning and becoming an Israelite. You gotta tell the Lord's trials. There are so many Jews out there that don't know they're Jews, so what I got to be angry about?
I was able to put out a #1 album while in the pen and I was able to stay relevant. What am I angry about? I'm on the phone with you right now doing an interview about my life and my prospects, so it ain't nothing to be angry about and it ain't nobody's fault. As a man, you just have to go through it and play the hand that you're dealt. Sometimes they stack the deck, but God, he will give you a few cards that they can't see.
BallerStatus.com: When all is said and done how do you want to be remembered?
Shyne: I just want to be remembered as one of the good guys that stood up for the little guy and always fought against the bad guys that always want to take advantage of their position and their power, but never use it for any good. That's what good dudes do. We help the little guy and we take what we have and we split it down the middle with everybody and just do what's right man. You try to be there for people and you try to stop people from making the mistakes that you made, you know, real things. That's what the real gangstas used to do. So, I want to be remembered as a good dude who did what was right, no matter what the cost was.
BallerStatus.com: Any last words or better yet can I get a sample of what is to come from the new albums?
Shyne: They in Afghanistan taking all tha opium / So they can bring to the States and spread it through the open slums / But they don't tell you dat when it's time to vote for them / Democrats, Republicans, f*** you to the both of them / Pray for Obama maybe, there's some hope for him...
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