Former Bad Boy rapper Shyne was elected to the Belize House of Representatives last November and has made quite an impression during his short time in politics. Shyne, whose real name is Jamal Michael Barrow, was appointed as Belize’s Leader of the Opposition last month and chopped it up with Diddy this week abouts his new role and some of the obstacles set before him and his country. Shyne also revealed to Diddy that his prison stint and rapper persona presented a few obstacles as he transitioned into politics.
“You know, we still, in Belize, we have that neocolonial mindset that, you know, certain classes, certain races [are] supposed to stay in their place. So if you’re not a lawyer, you’re not a doctor…if you’re not part of the elite club…you’re not supposed to be in the House of Representatives, certainly someone who is a rapper,” Barrow told Diddy.
“They don’t even know what a rapper is. So now, when I come, you know, I don’t fit the mold. …With my meteoric rise, now I’m the Leader of the Opposition, first time Parliamentarian, they’re saying now, you know, ‘Well we gotta stop this guy because he’s gonna be the next prime minister.’ And so rather than beat me at the polls, they’ve rewritten the laws,” he said.
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