Lights, Camera, Action: Shyne’s Bio-doc is on the Way

Production began earlier this week for a documentary on the life of Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow.  The well-known politician began his storied career in the late nineties as a fledgling artist on Bad Boy Records, under the tutelage of music executive Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs.  It was during that time that Shyne recorded the lead single “Bad Boyz” ahead of his self-titled debut album released in 2000.  It was also during that time that he ran afoul of the law, following a shooting incident inside Club New York in late December, 1999.  Shyne would later be convicted of assault and reckless endangerment, as well as criminal possession of an illegal weapon.  He was sentenced to ten years in prison in the State of New York, before being deported back to Belize in 2009.  Since then, the rapper transitioned to politics and ascended to the leadership of the United Democratic Party.  It’s a redemption story, the rights of which have been sought by a number of television companies, as well as Walt Disney.  On Tuesday, a production crew arrived in the country and has begun filming a number of activities involving Barrow, including a press conference that was held at his office in Belize City this morning.

Shyne Barrow

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“It is worthy of a motion picture, a TV series and a documentary.  And so, I was able to, as you guys know, do a deal with Walt Disney and their subsidiary, Andscape. And so, I’m happy, we’re happy that we’ve begun production in Belize on the bio-documentary, the Shyne bio-documentary.  And so, we’ve been shooting since yesterday and we continue throughout the week, until next week.”

Reporter

“So they will be here for the convention, this is all planned.  How do you respond…”

Shyne Barrow

“Well the convention was planned and so it would make sense that they would be here.”

Reporter

“How do you respond to the criticism that here it is, it’s laid bare now?”

Shyne Barrow

“Criticism that I have a…”

Reporter

“The UDP is just an accessory in the great story of Shyne Barrow, that will be the criticism, that the UDP are just props.”

Shyne Barrow

“My goodness, what a prop to have, what a costly prop.  What a costly prop, my goodness.  Only someone with perverted thoughts such as yourself would conjure those types of hallucinations.  But no, this is a great opportunity for Belize.  No matter what happens, even if we don’t win an Oscar or an Emmy, Belize will be marketed and promoted like never before and it is not going to cost the taxpayers a million dollars.”