Shyne, rapper and son of PM might be deported to Belize

Not much has been heard of Jamal Barrow until 2000 when he release his first album “Shyne”, named after himself. The rapper, the son of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, left Belize at an early age for the United states where he was recruited by Bad Boy Records. His hit song was “Bad Boyz” featuring Jamaica’s Barrington Levy, but Shyne ran into problems with the law ten years ago and having served time, he is now facing deportation to Belize. News Five’s Jose Sanchez has a look at what’s next for the rapper.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting
He was born Jamal Barrow, son of Imeon Myvette and Prime Minister Dean Barrow. His mother migrated to the USA when he was a boy. That was during a time when people still asked “Where is Belize?” But this kid and occasional bad boy had a talent for spouting lyrics and he wanted to shine.

Shyne, became his artist name and he linked up and got a record deal with Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, who signed him to his Bad Boy Entertainment label. His voice was critically compared to Hip Hop icon, Biggie Smalls. But any Belizean can tell you that the voice is his father’s. Shyne’s career was about to skyrocket, but on December twenty-seventh, 1999, while partying at Club New York with Combs and then girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, two persons were shot. Behind the haze, Shyne was seen holding the smoking gun.

Shyne was convicted on two counts of assault, reckless endangerment and gun possession for the shootings. In June of 2001, the twenty-one year old rapper was sentenced to ten years. His relationship at the time had soured with Bad Boy C.E.O. Sean Combs.

While incarcerated, he released a sophomore album called Godfather buried Alive which featured Barrington Levy in the track “Bonnie and Shyne.” In 2006, he changed his name to Moses Levi, to reflect his conversion to Judaism.
On Tuesday, Shyne was released from State custody but detained once more because he is not a US citizen. According to his attorney, Oscar Michelen, he could be deported.

Oscar Michelen, Attorney for Shyne
“He’s a permanent resident alien of the US. He was transferred yesterday from state custody into federal custody while they determine what his immigration status will be, we are fighting and arguing that he should be allowed to stay here in the country and the government is looking at whether they may deport him.”

Jose Sanchez
“He was born in Belize; he was in the US most of his life. Why doesn’t he have US citizenship?”

Oscar Michelen
“I never asked him why his mother never formalized his citizenship and I think it was just a matter of not getting around to it. He was very young if you remember, he was nineteen or twenty when he was convicted. So it’s not like he’s an old man. He never really had much of an opportunity as an adult to do it himself. His family never got around to doing it.”

Jose Sanchez
“With the way things have changed since nine-eleven do you think that might have an impact on the outcome?”

Oscar Michelen
“Yes of course, everybody knows that obviously, nine-eleven has made it more difficult for permanent resident aliens who have been convicted of crimes to stay in the country.”

Shyne has kept close contact with his uncle and Housing Minister Michael Finnegan.

Michael Finnegan, Shyne’s Uncle
“He’s in good spirit, extremely good spirit. His mother is sort of concerned, as any mother would be, but the boy is in good spirits. But if anything ih wah come home and he will be where—well yoh know I raise ah. When ih mother went to di states and me and my wife were his guardian, so if ih have to come back dah Belize ih gwein right dah Goldson Avenue and I wah—he will be comfortable there. All the accommodations are being made to accommodate him if he has to come back in Belize. He wants me to make immediate accommodations for him if he has to come back. That is the worst case scenario.”

Oscar Michelen
“We have hired immigration lawyers who are in Buffalo New York now, working on his case and we think we have some very strong arguments for his staying in the country. So we’re hopeful that we will be able to avoid deportation and we’re actually waiting to see what results our immigration lawyers can obtain for our client. He wants to stay here in the country and that’s the goal that we’re trying to achieve for him.”

Jose Sanchez
“What arguments do you have in his favour?”

Oscar Michelen
“Well, first of all, he was a model prisoner. He served his complete sentence. There are victims in the shooting incident; he has a pending civil lawsuit here. Many times when you are a party to a civil lawsuit, you can’t be deported while the civil lawsuit is pending. So that’s one of the other arguments and we’re continuing to try to resolve the civil case and the best way that the plaintiff can be made whole is if he is allowed to earn his maximum income while here in the states.”

Michael Finnegan
“His father’s child and he has been very instrumental in trying to resolve di problem that does exist out there with him.”

Jose Sanchez
“Okay, so he does keep in contact with the family.”

Michael Finnegan
“It’s his child. That’s his child and I think he has been very faithful to his son in terms of trying to communicate with him and trying to resolve whatever matters of obstacles weh face ah no.”

In a few days his status in the U.S. will be determined. Whatever name he uses in his career, the rapper has already shined. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

But how hot are Shyne’s prospects in the music industry? Take into account that while in prison he had guest appearances on tracks sung by Ashanti, Foxy Brown, Kanye West, Usher and Keisha Cole.