Moses Michael Levi Barrow
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Moses Michael Levi Barrow (born Jamal Michael Barrow; November 8, 1978), best known by his stage name Shyne, is a
Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
an politician and former rapper. He served as
Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...
in the Belize House of Representatives, and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party. Barrow was born in
Belize City Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital city, capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2022 census, Belize City has a population of 63,999 people. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, which is a ...
, but moved to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
as a child and began to rap as an adolescent. He is perhaps best known for his 2000 singles, "
Bad Boyz "Bad Boyz" is the lead single released from Shyne's eponymous debut album, ''Shyne'' (2000). The song was produced by Ez Elpee and featured reggae artist Barrington Levy. The song includes a sample from "Nightclubbin" by Grace Jones. To date, "B ...
" and "
Bonnie & Shyne "Bonnie & Shyne" is the 3rd and final single released from Shyne's eponymous debut album. The song was produced by Chucky Thompson and features vocals from reggae artist Barrington Levy, his second collaboration with Levy (the first being " Bad ...
" (both featuring
Barrington Levy Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist from Clarendon, Jamaica. Career In 1977, Levy formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released "My Bla ...
). He also wrote and performed on a number of studio albums for other artists, such as
The Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap tradi ...
's posthumous ''
Born Again To be born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelical Christianity, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is d ...
'',
Mase Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Mase (often stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean Combs, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 ...
's '' Double Up'',
Puff Daddy Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, Combs worked as a ...
's ''
Forever Forever or 4ever may refer to: Film and television Films * ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice * ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama, based on the novel by Judy Blume * '' ...
'', Usher's '' Confessions'', and
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
's ''
Tha Carter IV ''Tha Carter IV'' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011, through Cash Money Records, Universal Republic Records and Young Money Entertainment. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, sho ...
'', among others. Shyne and his mother lived in the
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
neighborhood of
East Flatbush East Flatbush is a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. East Flatbush is bounded by Crown Heights and Empire Boulevard to the north; Brownsville and East 98th Street to the east; Flatlands, Canarsie and the Lon ...
, 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 Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American independent record label. The label was founded in 1993 by rapper and record producer Sean Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip-hop and contemporary R&B, R&B a ...
, on the evening of , he went to a New York City nightclub with his former mentor/label boss,
Sean "Diddy" Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, Combs worked as a ...
, and Combs' then-girlfriend, singer/actress
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
. An argument broke out in the club between Combs and another man; gunshots followed with three bystanders injured. In June 2001, he was convicted of assault and unlawful possession of a weapon, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. His eponymous debut album was released in September 2000, going gold the following month. He continued to record music while incarcerated, eventually releasing his sophomore studio album, '' Godfather Buried Alive'', under
Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...
in 2004. While serving his prison sentence, Shyne became interested in
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
, becoming observant – practicing
Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
, and officially changed his name to Moses Michael Levi Barrow in 2006. After he was released from prison in late 2009, he was deported to Belize. In 2010, he moved to
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, where he spent his time studying the
Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
up to 12 hours a day. 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. Shyne was elected to the Belizean House of Representatives in the 2020 general election, as a member of the center-right United Democratic Party. He became the
Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...
in the House of Representatives and the leader of the United Democratic Party, in both June 2021 (until September 2021) and February 2022. His life was explored through the November 2024
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
/
Andscape ''Andscape'', formerly ''The Undefeated'', is a sports and pop culture website owned and operated by ESPN. Launched May 17, 2016, the site describes itself as "the premier platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture." ...
documentary, ''The Honorable Shyne''.


Early life

Shyne was born Jamal Michael Barrow, in
Belize City Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital city, capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2022 census, Belize City has a population of 63,999 people. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, which is a ...
,
Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
, a respective city and country in
Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
, to mother Frances Imeon Myvette and father
Dean Barrow Dean Oliver Barrow, SC PC (born March 2, 1951) is a politician from Belize who served as the fourth prime minister of Belize from 2008 until 2020 and as leader of Belize's United Democratic Party. An attorney by profession, Barrow served a ...
, who were not married. Shyne's mother is the sister of Michael Myvett, now going by the surname Finnegan, one of Dean Barrow's long-time political colleagues in Belize. Barrow's middle name comes from his uncle. Shyne's Jewish maternal grandmother had emigrated from
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
to Belize. As a child, Barrow's time was divided between his mother in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York City, and his lawyer/politician father, who initially failed to acknowledge his son, and was (years later) elected in 2008 as the first black
Prime Minister of Belize This article lists the prime ministers and deputy prime ministers of Belize, from the establishment of the position of First Minister of British Honduras in 1961 to the present day. Office of the Prime Minister of Belize The office of prime ...
. Barrow's mother moved to the United States when he was three years old, leaving her son between the care of her brother, Michael, and his father's sister, Denise, in Belize City. His father was in a relationship with another woman, and Barrow recalls: "The nigga said his two other kids were made out of love. It was devastating." When he was seven years old, Barrow moved to Brooklyn to live with his mother in Crown Heights and then
East Flatbush East Flatbush is a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. East Flatbush is bounded by Crown Heights and Empire Boulevard to the north; Brownsville and East 98th Street to the east; Flatlands, Canarsie and the Lon ...
, in near poverty, while spending summers in Belize with his father. His mother supported them by cleaning homes and taking care of children, and he slept on the sofa in their small apartment on Church Avenue and East 18th Street. After he moved to Brooklyn, he began to develop a strong interest in the
hip-hop culture Hip-hop culture is an art movement that emerged in New York City, in the borough of The Bronx; Primarily within the black community. Hip Hop as an art form and culture has been heavily influenced by both male and female artists. It is charac ...
of the 1980s and 1990s. At age 15, while in a fight he was shot in his right shoulder by another kid in
Flatbush Flatbush is a neighborhood in the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood consists of several subsections in central Brooklyn and is generally bounded by Prospect Park (Brooklyn), Prospect Park to the nort ...
, leaving him with a six-inch scar. After graduating high school three years later, part of the time of which he spent attending high school in Belize at Wesley College in 1993, he enrolled in a
New York City College of Technology The New York City College of Technology (City Tech) is a public college in New York City. Founded in 1946, it is the City University of New York's college of technology. Its main urban campus is located in Downtown Brooklyn. History City Tech ...
computer program. He paid for his tuition by working as a bike messenger, buying an 18-speed bicycle and riding it from Brooklyn over the
Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River. It w ...
into Manhattan, where he made deliveries around the borough. He left NYC College of Technology to pursue a career in music.


Music career


1997–99: Career beginnings

In 1997, he began his rap career after being courted by music manager Don Pooh. In 1998, while Barrow was
freestyling Freestyle rap, also simply known as Freestyle, is a style of hip hop music where an artist normally improvises an unwritten verse from the head, with or without instrumental beats, in which lyrics are recited with no particular subject or structure ...
in a barbershop on Church Avenue in Brooklyn, he was discovered by
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
producer
DJ Clark Kent Rodolfo Antonio Franklin II (September 28, 1966 – October 24, 2024), known professionally as DJ Clark Kent, was an American hip hop DJ and record producer. His crew of DJs was called "The Supermen", and his DJ moniker was derived from the nam ...
, who was working on
the Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap tradi ...
's first posthumous album, ''
Born Again To be born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelical Christianity, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is d ...
''. After
freestyling Freestyle rap, also simply known as Freestyle, is a style of hip hop music where an artist normally improvises an unwritten verse from the head, with or without instrumental beats, in which lyrics are recited with no particular subject or structure ...
in front of several friends and music promoters, his manager submitted him to executives and labels including
Chris Lighty Darrel Steven "Chris" Lighty (May 8, 1968 – August 30, 2012) was an American music manager and record producer. He co-founded Violator, a record label, management and marketing company, which represented hip hop and R&B artists such as Busta ...
of Violator,
Sylvia Rhone Sylvia Rhone (born March 11, 1952) is an American record company executive. Since 2019, she is the Chairman and CEO, chair and CEO of Epic Records, a label owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Rhone served previously in senior positions at Vested ...
of East West/
Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...
,
Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, former Music executive, record executive, and media proprietor. He is the co-founder of Interscope Records and became chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Interscop ...
of
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
,
Lyor Cohen Lyor Cohen (born October 3, 1959) is an American music industry executive. He is YouTube's global head of music. He began his career in the 1980s at Rush Management and Def Jam, and later held senior positions at Island Def Jam and Warner M ...
of
Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...
and Bryan Turner of
Priority Records Priority Records is an American distribution company and record label known for artists including N.W.A, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Eazy-E, Master P, Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Silkk the Shocker, Jay-Z, Paris, Mack 10, 504 Boyz, Brotha Lynch Hung, ...
, but hip hop entrepreneur
Sean Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
(known valiantly as either Puff Daddy or P. Diddy) offered Shyne a five-album contract with
Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American independent record label. The label was founded in 1993 by rapper and record producer Sean Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip-hop and contemporary R&B, R&B a ...
. It was reported that Shyne received millions of dollars, three cars of his choice and two homes just for signing. Not long after, Shyne made guest appearances on recordings with other labelmates. He was notably featured on
Mase Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Mase (often stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean Combs, Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 ...
's second album, '' Double Up'' (1999), and on
remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
es of
Total Total may refer to: Mathematics * Total, the summation of a set of numbers * Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs * Total relation, which may also mean ** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
's "Sittin' at Home" and 112's " Anywhere". In the same year, he featured on Combs' second studio album, ''
Forever Forever or 4ever may refer to: Film and television Films * ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice * ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama, based on the novel by Judy Blume * '' ...
''.


2000: Debut studio album

On September 26, 2000, his
self-titled An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...
debut studio album was released. It debuted at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album would later receive a gold certification from the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). Shyne was also supported by three singles, "
Bad Boyz "Bad Boyz" is the lead single released from Shyne's eponymous debut album, ''Shyne'' (2000). The song was produced by Ez Elpee and featured reggae artist Barrington Levy. The song includes a sample from "Nightclubbin" by Grace Jones. To date, "B ...
", "
Bonnie & Shyne "Bonnie & Shyne" is the 3rd and final single released from Shyne's eponymous debut album. The song was produced by Chucky Thompson and features vocals from reggae artist Barrington Levy, his second collaboration with Levy (the first being " Bad ...
", and " That's Gangsta"; the former two feature Jamaican singer
Barrington Levy Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist from Clarendon, Jamaica. Career In 1977, Levy formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released "My Bla ...
. The album also featured another guest appearance by 112's Slim, and production from Bad Boy's in-house producers, The Hitmen. Shyne's self-titled debut album was recorded prior to the rapper's arrest in relation the December 1999 nightclub shooting. The album received mixed reviews from critics, due to comparisons between Shyne and the deceased Notorious B.I.G., which would also start a rift between the former and the latter's affiliate group,
Junior M.A.F.I.A. Junior M.A.F.I.A. was an American hip hop group from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City. The backronym M.A.F.I.A. stands for Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes. They were formed and mentored by New York rapper The Notorious B.I. ...
For one instance, in 1999, after finishing a studio session at the now-closed Daddy's House, an in-house recording studio for Bad Boy, Shyne was shot at by affiliates of group member
Lil' Cease James Lloyd, better known by his stage name Lil' Cease, (; born August 20, 1977) is an American rapper and former member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. Early life, family and education James Lloyd was born in Brooklyn, a borough of New Y ...
. The incident provoked Shyne to carry a firearm around him for protection. Cease's former cohort,
Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after ...
, also dissed Shyne on her second album's title track, "
The Notorious K.I.M. ''The Notorious K.I.M.'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim. It was released on June 27, 2000, by Atlantic Records and was her first album on her new label Queen Bee Entertainment. It debuted at number four on the US ''Billb ...
" (2000), ridiculing his comparisons to Biggie.


2002–04: ''Godfather Buried Alive''

In 2002, after beginning his incarceration, Shyne parted ways with Bad Boy and ended all contact with Combs soon after. The following year, many labels offered Shyne contracts while he was incarcerated at the
Clinton Correctional Facility Clinton Correctional Facility is a New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision maximum security state prison for men located in the Village of Dannemora, New York. The prison is sometimes colloquially referred to as Danne ...
. One of which being
Irv Gotti Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. (June 26, 1970 – February 5, 2025), professionally known as Irv Gotti or DJ Irv, was an American record producer and music executive. Gotti started off as a New York hip-hop DJ in the 1980s, then becoming an A&R t ...
's
Murder Inc. Records Murder Inc. Records, LLC, also abbreviated as The Inc. Records, is an American record label founded by brothers and record executives Chris and Irv Gotti in 1999. The label's flagship artist was Ja Rule. According to Chris Gotti, Murder Inc. h ...
and
James Prince James Prince (born James Andre Smith; October 31, 1965) is an American record executive, music promoter and talent manager. He founded the Houston-based Southern hip-hop record label Rap-A-Lot Records in 1986, which has discovered or signed art ...
's Rap-A-Lot Records, which offered him a seven-figure three-album deal; both of which he rejected. The rapper ultimately signed with Def Jam for a $3 million contract. The deal was completed on April 20, 2004. On August 10, 2004, Shyne released his second studio album, '' Godfather Buried Alive'', while imprisoned. The album, partially recorded prior to imprisonment and partially during his imprisonment over a jail phone, sold 434,000 copies. It debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on ''Billboard''s Top R&B/Hip-Hop album chart. Because of his imprisonment, he was not able to benefit the album's promotion with a standard concert tour nor appearances on radio stations. His former bodyguard and longtime friend, Anthony "Wolf" Jones, was listed as the album's executive producer; Jones was shot and killed on November 11, 2003, during an altercation with
Black Mafia Family The Black Mafia Family (BMF) is a drug trafficking and money laundering organization in the United States. It was founded in 1985, in Southwest Detroit by brothers Demetrius Edward "Big Meech" and Terry Lee "Southwest Tee" Flenory. By 2000 it h ...
leader Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory.


2010–12: Continued music, feuds and indefinite hiatus

On February 16, 2010, four months after being deported to Belize (upon his release from prison), Shyne signed another seven-figure deal with Def Jam. After a trip to
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, later in 2010, where he formally converted to
Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
and underwent a symbolic circumcision, Shyne collaborated with Jewish-American
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
and rock musician
Matisyahu Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), known by his stage name Matisyahu (; ), is an American singer, rapper, beatboxer, and musician. Known for blending spiritual themes with reggae, rock and hip hop beatboxing sounds, Matisyahu's 2005 sin ...
on his single, "Messiah", released in April. He also released "Roller Song" that same year. He later announced that he was recording two albums that were planned for release throughout 2010, after Def Jam approached him to sign a distribution agreement.Jake Paine (October 4, 2010)
"Shyne Set To Release Two December Albums, 'Gangland' and 'Messiah'"
, HipHopDX.com.
''Messiah'' was set to be the first of his 2010 release schedule, while ''Gangland'', was set to be his second. In October 2010, Shyne criticized Def Jam and announced hopes of signing to
Cash Money Records Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Birdman (rapper), Bryan "Baby" Williams. The label gained prominence in the late 1990s for having signed and released albums for New Orleans– ...
: "I'm definitely trying to get with Cash Money… I'm not signed to Def Jam anyway, I just need to find another distributor. I might just have Cash Money do everything. Who knows? That's the beauty about being in the business for yourself. You can decide where you want to go and what you want to do." Though he blamed former Def Jam CEO
L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer who served as president and CEO of Arista Records from 2000 to 2004, as well as chairman and CEO of the Island Def Jam Mus ...
for his frustration, he later issued an apology. In November 2010, Cash Money co-founder Bryan " Birdman" Williams said that Shyne's deportation had stalled his planned Cash Money deal, as it prevented him from appearing in the United States. In 2011, he performed in Jerusalem, forming a collaboration with Matisyahu. Shyne made a surprise guest appearance at a concert, performing with Matisyahu and
HaDag Nachash Hadag Nahash ( ', ) is an Israeli hip hop and funk band, founded in 1996 in Jerusalem, which makes leftist political statements in many of its protest songs. History Hadag Nahash has been a major contributor to the Israeli hip-hop scene, and ...
at Jerusalem's Kikar Safra on June 23. He rapped during Matisyahu's set for "King Without a Crown". He shouted "Free
Jonathan Pollard Jonathan Jay Pollard (born August 7, 1954) is an American former intelligence analyst who was jailed for spying for Israel. In 1984, Pollard sold numerous state secrets, including the National Security Agency's ten-volume manual on how the U.S. ...
, free
Gilad Shalit Gilad Shalit (, ''Gilˁad Šaliṭ'' ; born 28 August 1986) is a former MIA soldier of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who, on 25 June 2006, was captured by Palestinian militants in a cross-border raid via tunnels near the Israeli border. Ham ...
" to applause before exiting the stage. Matisyahu and Shyne discussed collaborating more frequently in the future, but never happened. On August 29, 2011,
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
's platinum-selling ninth studio album, ''
Tha Carter IV ''Tha Carter IV'' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011, through Cash Money Records, Universal Republic Records and Young Money Entertainment. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, sho ...
'', was released. On the album's outro, Shyne appeared along with
Bun B Bernard James Freeman (born March 19, 1973), known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the Southern rap duo UGK (Underground Kingz), a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work wi ...
,
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...
and
Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after National Football League, NFL and Canadian Football Lea ...
. In December 2011, Shyne said signing to Cash Money Records was "still a possibility". In March 2012, Shyne and
Diddy Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, Combs worked as a ...
finally reconciled. The two were photographed together at Fashion Week in Paris; Diddy tweeted, "Me and Shyne Po front row at Kenzo #ParisIsBurning RT to da world!!!!", and Shyne said: "It's a new day. '' L'chaim''!" On September 26, 2012, the day of the twelfth anniversary of his debut album's release, Shyne released ''Gangland'', as a mixtape. It had been downloaded more than 100,000 times, receiving a "Gold" ranking from the now-defunct
DatPiff DatPiff was an online audio distribution platform that was launched in 2005. It is headquartered in Pennsylvania. It specializes in hip-hop, rap, and urban music. The site was founded in the spring of 2005 by Marcus Frasier. It is owned by Me ...
. Shyne called out
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...
, due to his blasphemous ''Black Bar Mitzvah'' mixtape, as well as Jewish-Canadian rapper
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
. He also recorded
diss track A diss track, diss record or diss song (an abbreviation of ''disrespect'' or ''disparage'') is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feu ...
s towards
Diddy Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, Combs worked as a ...
, Swag Blanket's DLSupreme and
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...
(whom he has feuded with since 2003). Shyne and 50 had previously traded insults toward each other prior to this, including the latter calling him a "punk," while making light of his incarceration for his part in the "night club incident." He also performed a radio freestyle, disrespecting Shyne and others. Shyne responded with "For the Record", a track he recorded via a prison phone for ''Godfather Buried Alive'' (2004). 50 Cent later responded with "
Piggy Bank A piggy bank (sometimes penny bank or money box) is a coin container normally used by children, featuring a slot at the top to insert coins or folded bank notes. The piggy bank is known to collectors as a "still bank" as opposed to the " mecha ...
" (2005), which he disses Shyne,
Ja Rule Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop rap, pop and contempo ...
,
Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...
,
Jadakiss Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss (, ), is an American rapper who began his career in the 1990s and formed the hip hop trio the Lox alongside Styles P and Sheek Louch in 1994. The group signed w ...
and
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...
, among others. In November 2012, Shyne described the production of West Coast rapper
Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...
's sophomore studio album, ''
good kid, m.A.A.d city ''Good Kid, M.A.A.D City'' (stylized as ''good kid, m.A.A.d city'') is the second studio album by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on October 22, 2012, by Interscope Records, Top Dawg Entertainment and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Enter ...
'', on social media as "trash". He received criticism for his remarks by Lamar's fans, and other California rappers including Schoolboy Q and Nipsey Hussle. His comments also involved him in a feud with The Game (rapper), The Game. After defending Lamar's album, Shyne dissed Game on tracks such as "Bury Judas" and "Psalms 68 (Guns & Moses)". These tracks reflected his study of Judaism. The Game responded with "Cough Up a Lung". In 2024, Shyne later expressed regret for his comments about Lamar's ''good kid, m.A.A.d city'' album. In December 2012, ''Complex Networks, Complex'' noted Shyne on its list of rappers who had suffered the "30 Worst Fall-Off in Rap History", ranking him as number twenty-three.


Political career

In May 2010, Shyne was appointed the Belize Music and Goodwill Ambassador. Over the years, he brought Combs, Kanye West, and J. Prince to Belize, promoted the country, and worked with its youth. In October 2012, Shyne, critical of the Obama administration, endorsed Republican Party (United States), Republican nominee Mitt Romney for president of the United States, faulting former U.S. president Barack Obama for not doing anything to prevent the rapper's deportation to Belize. Asked if black voters should vote based on race alone, Shyne said: "I don't believe in all that, if you black you get a pass." In 2020, Shyne was nominated by the center-right Belize United Democratic Party to stand as a candidate for the House of Representatives (Belize), Belize House of Representatives in the Belize City-based Mesopotamia (Belize House constituency), Mesopotamia constituency in the 2020 Belizean general election. On November 11, 2020, Barrow won the House of Representatives seat for Mesopotamia."Standard Bearers – United Democratic Party"
, '' Belize United Democratic Party'', (accessed February 19, 2020)
Part of his platform is to strengthen Belizean governance with increased penalties for those who commit crimes, to raise the salaries of its police, to strengthen the judicial system so as to address violent crime, and for the government to provide student loans at low interest rates. Shyne was subsequently also appointed the Opposition Leader in the House of Representatives and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party, in both June 2021 (until September 2021) and February 2022. He returned to the US for a state visit in August 2021, meeting with US politicians. The Atlanta City Council dесlаrеd Аuguѕt 20, 2021, Ѕhуnе Ваrrоw Dау "fоr hіѕ dеdісаtіоn, соmmіtmеnt аnd ѕеrvісе tо the grеаt реорlе оf Веlіzе, Сеntrаl Аmеrіса." He hopes to be elected Belize's next prime minister in 2025.


Club New York shooting


Shooting and trial (1999–2001)

In the early hours of December 27, 1999, Shyne, Sean Combs, and the latter's then-girlfriend, singer/actress
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
, were involved in a shooting incident. The three of them were in attendance at a Manhattan nightclub named Club New York, on West 43rd Street in Times Square. Witnesses said that a felon named Matthew "Scar" Allen started an argument with Combs. Witnesses later testified that Allen also threatened to kill Shyne. Prosecutors charged that after Allen's accomplice threw money at Combs, the two men and Shyne all drew guns. Soon after, three gunshots were fired in the packed nightclub. The shooting resulted in three bystanders being injured. Shyne was accused by prosecutors as was Combs of drawing a gun in the confrontation. Shyne said he acted in self-defense. One injured witness, Natania Reuben, said she saw both Combs and Shyne shoot guns; Reuben was shot in the nose. Shyne was accused of firing three shots that wounded three people. He maintained that he had fired into the air, and did not believe that it was bullets from his gun that injured the bystanders. Combs was represented by Benjamin Brafman and Johnnie Cochran, while Shyne's defense attorney was Murray Richman. At his trial, an eyewitness and a ballistics expert testified that the three injuries may have been caused not by Shyne, but by a second gunman. The ballistics expert said that at least one injury may have been caused by a .40 S&W, .40 caliber weapon, while Shyne had a 9×19mm Parabellum, 9 millimeter gun. 40-caliber shells were found on the floor. Shyne was convicted at trial by a jury on two counts of assault and of reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of an illegal weapon, after a seven-week trial alongside Combs. He was acquitted of charges of attempted murder, on a third count of intentional assault in the first degree of a third victim, and one other count. He was sentenced on June 1, 2001, to ten years in prison, without eligibility for parole until 2009. He served nearly nine years in New York state prisons. Combs and his bodyguard, Anthony "Wolf" Jones, in contrast, were acquitted on all counts. Combs had been arrested and charged with illegally having two 9-millimeter guns and with bribery but was acquitted of the charges at the trial. Combs' bodyguard, who had been charged with illegal possession of a gun and bribery, was also acquitted at the trial. Conrad Tillard, then known as the "hip hop minister" Conrad Muhammad, said: "Shyne's mother and grandmother placed this young man in the care and custody of Sean "Puffy" Combs, who they believed was a responsible executive of a company. Puffy has the same responsibility as a teacher, as a coach. This boy, Shyne, was out with his idol on that fateful night. When I put my child in your hands, I don't expect him to end up dead or in jail." In the 2024 documentary, ''the Honorable Shyne'', he believed that Richman partnered with Brafman to "throw the trial". Combs' former bodyguard, Gene Deal, also alleged that a bird was sacrificed to death by him to ahead of the trial.


Incarceration and Judaism conversion (2001–09)

Shyne began serving his sentence at the maximum security prison
Clinton Correctional Facility Clinton Correctional Facility is a New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision maximum security state prison for men located in the Village of Dannemora, New York. The prison is sometimes colloquially referred to as Danne ...
in Dannemora (village), New York, Dannemora, New York. His legal team requested for an appeal for a suspended sentence, which ultimately failed. During his time, Shyne attempted to "spit" on Combs after the latter tried to offer him $50,000 in cash to "take the fall" for the 1999 incident. Barrow has said that from the age of 13, he began to identify as an Israelite, after learning that his great-grandmother was a descendant of the Beta Israel, ancient Ethiopian Jews. As a teenager, he began to study Judaism and the Old Testament on his own, and to pray daily.Dina Kraft (November 10, 2010)
"Rapper Finds Order in Orthodox Judaism in Israel"
''The New York Times''; accessed July 22, 2016
In March 2006, he changed his name legally, to Moses Michael Levi Barrow. He had already been studying
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
at the time of his arrest. In prison, with rabbis he became a practicing Jew, keeping kosher, and celebrating the Jewish Sabbath and Jewish holidays. He formally converted to
Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
in
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, Israel, in 2010. Furthermore, as he had started to observe the Jewish Sabbath, he was completely unavailable for any publicity contacts on Friday nights and Saturdays. Also in 2006, Shyne went to court to challenge New York's application of the Son of Sam law, "Son of Sam" law, which had resulted in his assets being frozen and limited his ability to make record deals and generate income. He and his lawyers argued that by the court allowing Shyne to make deals with record producers, it would enable him to pay a higher potential settlement to victims of the shooting, who were separately pursuing civil lawsuits against him. Despite his convictions, his incarceration drew many sympathizers, as well as the admiration of many in the hip hop community. His adherence to the code of silence, which he referred to several times on his eponymous debut album, earned him a hardcore reputation in the prison community and on the streets. Even while incarcerated, he was visited by representatives of record labels who wanted to make deals. Describing his nine years of incarceration, Shyne said:
The entire process was devastating.... ten hours of incarceration is ten hours too much. So, for a human being to be animalized for ten years, there is no quick fix to that.... It's like being shot by an assailant, and you are running away for your life. You didn't even realize you got shot in your leg because you are running on adrenaline. It's not until you get to a place of safety that you realize you have a hole in your leg, and you collapse.... When I came out I didn't even realize how wounded and devastated I was because I numbed myself to the pain and destruction that I suffered.


Release and deportation (2009)

Shyne was transferred to Rikers Island where he was held for a parole hearing, and then to the Woodbourne Correctional Facility, where he spent the last months of his incarceration. A Manhattan judge signed an order that would schedule Shyne for release on October 6, 2009. He had served more than 9 years of a 10-year sentence, on which no terms for post-release supervision had originally been placed. At the request of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, New York State Department of Correctional Services, a mandatory probation period of at least two and half years was added to Shyne's sentence. Shyne and his attorney, Oscar Michelen, had hoped to avoid probation. On October 6, 2009, Shyne was released from New York state custody, but was immediately taken into federal custody. He was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a "detention facility in western New York state". One source indicated that the facility in question was the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York, Batavia. According to his attorney, federal officials were reviewing the rapper's immigration status and making a determination on whether or not he would be deported to his native, Belize. Shyne had a permanent resident "green card", and his mother was a U.S. citizen, but he (himself) had never become a Naturalization, naturalized citizen. There was speculation that Shyne might be released on bail in the U.S., while his case was being resolved. Shyne's uncle, Michael Finnegan (Belizean politician), Michael Finnegan, said that the family had prepared for the rapper's potential return to Belize. He revealed that Shyne and his representatives had been expecting to be intercepted by ICE officials upon his release, and had directed members of his legal team to prepare the necessary documents in an effort to address the situation.
Dean Barrow Dean Oliver Barrow, SC PC (born March 2, 1951) is a politician from Belize who served as the fourth prime minister of Belize from 2008 until 2020 and as leader of Belize's United Democratic Party. An attorney by profession, Barrow served a ...
, Belize's Prime Minister and Shyne's father, sent a petition to former New York state governor David Paterson, asking him to pardon his son. In 2008, Paterson had pardoned rapper Slick Rick who, in a similar situation, also faced deportation. Barrow said he had been assured that the governor received his letter and that his request was under consideration, but that he did not expect to have any influence in swaying the decision. His family enlisted the assistance of Charles Ogletree, an attorney and Harvard Law School professor, and part of Barack Obama's circle, in Shyne's attempt to forestall deportation and regain entry into the U.S.Jayson Rodriguez (October 29, 2009)
"Shyne Released, Deported To Belize"
MTV; accessed July 22, 2016
In October 2009, Finnegan said that all legal matters regarding Shyne's case had been turned over to Ogletree. After all unsuccessful attempts to combat deportation from the country after his prison release, Shyne was deported to Belize on October 28, 2009. Given that he was a convicted felon, the United States would not allow him back into the country. Some of the hip hop community rallied to celebrate his release, and the events were followed by mainstream media.


Post-deportation

In 2009, upon his return to Belize, he reconnected with his estranged father. In February 2010, the rapper was List of people banned from entering the United Kingdom, refused entry into the United Kingdom due to his conviction as a felon. He had begun his journey in Cancun, Mexico, but was deported upon arrival in the UK after immigration officials refused to allow him to enter the country.


Jerusalem

In 2010, Shyne moved to
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
. In November 2010, he was living in Jerusalem, having become observant and legally changing his name to Moses Michael Levi. He spent his time learning the
Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
, and spent up to 12 hours a day, studying it. He said that there was "nothing at odds between the hip-hop world and being a Torah-observant Jew", saying: "There's nothing in the ''Chumash (Judaism), Chumash'' that says I can't drive a Lamborghini." In Jerusalem, he underwent a formal conversion to
Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
. He also prayed wearing Jewish ritual ''tefillin'' in the mornings, studied Talmud with rigorous strictly Orthodox rabbis at the Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem, Or Sameach, Belz (Hasidic dynasty), Belz, and Mir Yeshiva (Jerusalem), Mir yeshivas, and grew ''payot'' (sidecurls; worn by some men in the Orthodox Jewish community based on their interpretation of the requirements of Jewish law). He had studied seriously with rabbis while in prison, and adopted the Jewish laws to create boundaries and order in his life. He officially changed his name to Moses Levi to reflect his commitment to Judaism. He said: "My entire life screams that I have a Jewish ''Soul#Judaism, neshama'' ["soul", in Hebrew]." In December 2011, almost 12 years after the initial shooting, back in New York City, Matthew "Scar" Allen was shot and killed outside of Brooklyn's Footprints nightclub. In April 2012, Shyne traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he was a featured speaker at a conference on inter-religious understanding. The conference – called ''Global Winds of Change: Religions' Role in Today's World;The Challenges in Democracies and Secular Societies'' – brought together members of the world's many faiths to discuss the role of religion in modern society. Oleksandr Feldman, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the President of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee, hosted the three-day event. In March 2024, Natania Reuben, one of the three victims who had been shot during the December 27, 1999 nightclub shooting, recanted her statements on who shot her in the face, saying it was actually Sean Combs who shot her and not Shyne. She also alleged that Combs coerced her financially to testify through the trial that got Shyne convicted and Combs acquitted. She claims that Combs used force against her to testify that Shyne was the one who used the gun that shot her and the others by way of bribery and retaliation.


Return to Belize

In 2013, Shyne returned to Belize for the second time. He returned to the U.S. for a visit in August 2021. In March 2022, Shyne received a Doctorate of Humane Letters (''honoris causa'') from the University of Liberia for his life's work "as a Humanitarian, Musician, and Legislator."


Personal life

In 2017, he married a businesswoman named Catherine, and a year later they had a daughter, Naomi. Since 2023, following Sean Combs sexual misconduct allegations, allegations of sexual misconduct against former label boss Sean Combs, Shyne has renewed his criticism of him, calling him "a person who has destroyed [his] life". In the documentary, ''the Honorable Shyne'', which chronicled his life and incarceration, he confirmed to have been "the fall guy" and "Diddy's scapegoat", while calling his actions "demonic" and "malicious", acknowledging that the industry and community "finally" believed him; Combs (through his legal team) vehemently denied all of Shyne's allegations. The documentary premiered on Hulu on November 18, 2024, and became the most viewed documentary on the streaming service within a day.


Discography

;Studio albums * ''Shyne (album), Shyne'' (2000) * '' Godfather Buried Alive'' (2004)


References


External links

* * [ Shyne] at Allmusic *
Twitter page
{{Authority control 1978 births Living people Bad Boy Records artists Baalei teshuva Belizean businesspeople Belizean expatriates in Israel Belizean musicians Belizean Orthodox Jews Belizean people imprisoned abroad Belizean people of Honduran descent Belizean people of Ethiopian descent Garifuna people Children of prime ministers Def Jam Recordings artists East Coast hip-hop musicians Converts to Orthodox Judaism Jewish rappers Jewish musicians Members of the Belize House of Representatives for Mesopotamia People convicted of assault People deported from the United States Politicians from Belize City People from Crown Heights, Brooklyn Politicians from Jerusalem Musicians from Jerusalem Foreign nationals imprisoned in the United States Rappers from Brooklyn Shooting survivors United Democratic Party (Belize) politicians Gangsta rappers People from Flatbush, Brooklyn 21st-century American rappers Black Jewish people New York City College of Technology alumni