Shyne on his 1999 Diddy shooting conviction: ‘I was supposed to be the one to go down’

Belizean politician and former Bad Boy Records signee Shyne he opens up again about his conviction and how it significantly limited his supposedly very promising rap career.

For BillboardThe 45-year-old will talk about his transition from rap to politics in an upcoming Hulu documentary titled Dear Shyne. A trailer for the documentary was released on Tuesday, showing a clip in which Shyne, born Moses Michael Levi Barrow, claims he was “framed” as a “fall guy” when he was convicted of the 1999 New York nightclub shooting .with participation Sean “Diddy” Combs.

As previously reported Face2Face AfricaShyne was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of assault, reckless endangerment and weapons possession for the Club New York shooting incident. As a result of the shooting, three people were injured.

Combs was dating Jennifer Lopez at the time and they were both clubbing at the time shooting. Combs, however, was acquitted on weapons and bribery charges in connection with the incident, XXL reported.

“I was absolutely prepared to play the fall guy,” Shyne claims in the trailer for the documentary. “I spent 10 years in prison, but I managed to move on. There is a time to pivot, there is a time to change.”

The trailer also shows a video of a press conference where Diddy speaks to shooting and denies being involved. “I had nothing to do with the shooting at that club,” said Combs, who attended the news conference with Jennifer Lopez.

Shyne also said that watching other artists rush to fame while being on the sidelines was one of the most difficult aspects for him conviction. “One of the hardest parts was watching everyone succeed. I’m watching 50 (Cent) Bonnie and Shyne said the rapper. “I spent 10 years in prison, but I managed to move on. There is a time for a turn, there is a transition in time. That’s how I got into politics.”

Shyne was deported to his home country in 2009 after serving an almost nine-year sentence despite appeals to be allowed to remain in the US. He reportedly had not naturalized as an American citizen and had a green card at the time.

The 45-year-old ultimately decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and switch to… policy. He currently serves as Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives and Leader of the United Democratic Party of Belize.

Shyne mentions his conviction after giving an interview in which he talked about Combs’ recent arrest and how a worried music executive “almost” sent him to prison.

“When I was an 18-year-old kid and I wanted to do nothing but make my mother proud of me and make Belize proud of me and do what we all want, to be recognized for our talent and take charge over the world, I wanted to defend him (Combs) and he turned around and called witnesses to testify against me,” Shyne said Channel 5 News.

“He basically sent me to prison,” said Shyne, who was born in Belize and moved to New York at a young age to join his mother. “This is the context in which this relationship should always be described. Yes, I forgave. I moved on. But let’s not pretend I was in Miami for Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

“Let’s not lose sight of the cold, hard facts. This is not someone I spent the holidays with and with whom he and I enjoyed this wonderful, intimate relationship of brotherhood,” Shyne added. “He is someone who destroyed my life, whom I forgave and moved on, and it was for the better interests of Belize because he then had the ability to award scholarships and perhaps invest.”

He continued: “I will not deny the attempt to bring investment to Belize and contribution to education in Belize.” Regarding Combs’ current legal troubles, the 45-year-old said: “Do I take joy in what he’s going through? Absolutely not. I am different from other people – no one has to fail for me to succeed.

Combs, 54, was arrested by federal agents on Sept. 16 on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation for the purpose of prostitution. Combs, who pleaded guilty, is being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His trial date is set for May 5, 2025. However, the Bad Boy Records founder is also facing multiple sexual assault lawsuits.

Dear Shyne The premiere of the documentary will take place on November 18.