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Former Bad Boy Records artist Shyne expresses no satisfaction in seeing his former mentor Sean “Diddy” Combs incarcerated.
“That’s not what I want from the universe. I don’t say to myself, ‘Yeah,’ you know, ‘it’s your turn now!’ Like, that’s not the type of person that I am,” the ex-rapper, 46, shares exclusively with Page Six while promoting his upcoming Hulu documentary, “The Honorable Shyne.”
#ShyneBarrow shares his thoughts on #Diddy’s recent arrest while at a screening for his Hulu documentary, ‘The Honorable Shyne.’ 📸: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/LCEjspbltD
— VIBE Magazine (@VibeMagazine) November 15, 2024
Shyne believes Combs must address his “debt to the universe” and hopes for the embattled music mogul’s reformation as he faces sex-trafficking allegations.
The fateful night in 1999 changed everything when Shyne, then known as Jamal Barrow, accompanied Combs and Jennifer Lopez to a Manhattan club. The evening spiraled into chaos when gunfire erupted during an altercation between Combs and another patron, resulting in three injured bystanders.
In the subsequent 2001 trial, despite witness testimony suggesting Combs’s involvement, only Shyne received a conviction for assault and reckless endangerment. He maintained his silence about Combs throughout his eight-year imprisonment.
“I grew up [being told] to not get my friends in trouble,” he says. “And that’s what it really boiled down to, integrity about character.”
Shyne reveals he thought he was safeguarding Combs, but alleges the “I’ll Be Missing You” artist orchestrated testimony portraying him as unstable and reckless. Still, he felt bound by his principles against implicating others.
A spokesperson for Combs firmly denies these “unequivocally false” claims, “including any suggestion that he orchestrated Mr. Barrow to ‘take the fall’ or ‘sacrificed’ him by directing witnesses to testify against him.”
The representative adds that Combs “appreciates the path Mr. Barrow has pursued” as a politician in Belize and “wishes him continued success,” noting, “It is unfortunate that Mr. Barrow has chosen to revisit these allegations. Mr. Combs trusts that responsible journalism will weigh both the established legal outcomes and Mr. Combs’ positive, longstanding support for those he has worked with.”
Shyne’s documentary arrives amid Combs’s legal troubles, including charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The mogul’s difficulties intensified after Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura’s lawsuit alleging rape and abuse, which settled quickly despite his denials.
A recently surfaced 2016 video showing Combs assaulting Cassie prompted his public apology. Currently detained in Brooklyn, he faces multiple sexual abuse allegations while maintaining his innocence.
Following deportation to Belize in 2009, Shyne embraced Judaism and eventually entered politics, now leading the opposition in Belize’s parliament.
His current focus lies in transforming Belize: “I want to develop the GDP of Belize, $200 billion from the couple of billion that we are right now,” he says. “I want to be able to to have the opportunity … to fix our broken public health care system, you know, to be able to eradicate poverty. That’s what’s on my mind every single day. That’s all I think about.”
Shyne says he thought Diddy was the devil and claims Diddy’s offensive contributions over the last 20 years and refusal to pay reparations caused their relationship to break down.
— SoulFood66 (@BlackAndNative1) November 14, 2024
For Shyne, his journey from rapper addressing societal problems to political leader tackling poverty and violence represents natural progression.
“Coming up with solutions to stop violence in Belize, to eradicate poverty in Belize, to grow the economy in Belize and to to help the young child, whether it be a young female or a young male,” he tells us, “to me, that’s that’s such a coming-of-age story. I couldn’t ask for a better pivot.”
