Image via Complex Original
It's been interesting watching Shyne's career following his release from prison on August 4, 2009. There have been notable record contracts—his multi-million dollar deal with Def Jam comes to mind—and scattered new releases. He's also appeared as a guest on tracks by artists like Matisyahu and most recently Lil Wayne, who featured Shyne on Tha Carter IV's "Outro."
But Shyne hasn't remained in headlines because of his musical output. Rather, he's been consistently adding folks to his enemies list like some kind of hip-hop Richard Nixon. This has occurred more frequently in the past year or so, thanks in part to Shyne finding Twitter and launching his own account filled with tirades, plenty of typos, and more than enough criticism of his peers.
As such, we put together a rundown of everyone that's walked into Shyne's often-misguided laser sights.
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50 Cent
Date: April 19, 2010
What Happened: Amongst other new tracks, Shyne released a remix of Alicia Keys' then-latest single, "Un-Thinkable." In addition to spitting lines about his life and being a "mob boss," he fired a quick shot at 50 Cent and made a new enemy with the following line: "I need a couple million, fuck 50 Cents." Fif reportedly chuckled upon hearing the "diss."
L.A. Reid
Date: October 12, 2010
What Happened: As the story goes, Shyne signed a multi-million dollar deal with Island Def Jam after L.A. Reid traveled to meet with the then-newly released rapper in February 2010. Everything went south later that year when Shyne spoke with SOHH and went off about Reid and Def Jam while adding that he wanted to sign with Cash Money.
Here's a particularly damning snippet:
"I've been fixing to get up out of there for a while now because [Island Def Jam CEO] L.A. Reid don't care about hip-hop. The people up there, they don't know what they're doing. When you don't have a strong leader, where you gonna go? ... They don't care about hip-hop music."
It didn't take long—about two weeks or so—for Shyne to pen an open letter apologizing to Reid. Read that over at XXL.
Diddy
When: August 22, 2012
What Happened: Just when you thought everything was gravy between former enemies Shyne and Diddy, it all went to hell. The reason: a track by the name of "You're Welcome." Shyne Po released the cut and revived his beef with his former Bad Boy associate. He also spoke to Miss Info about it over the phone from Paris and dropped gems like this:
“Homeboy did me dirty, he knows that, he apologized. He’s said he’s gonna spend the rest of his life helping me get my life back…so how you don’t help your man come back to America?!”
Himself and His "Meyer Lansky" Song
Date: September 4, 2012
What Happened: Upon releasing his new single, "Meyer Lansky," to the public, Shyne realized that there was something, um, different about his music. What was it? His voice, of course, which he said makes him sound like a zombie. As is his custom, he vented about himself on Twitter.
10 years in prison destroyed my ability to deliver my music!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) September 4, 2012
I didn’t even realize how much I sounded like a zombie!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) September 4, 2012
But champions don’t stay down for the count. Champions fight!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) September 4, 2012
Rick Ross and the "Black Bar Mitzvah" Mixtape
Date: October 7 and October 8, 2012
What Happened: Shyne hopped on his Twitter to unleash a series of tweets filled with vitriol and angst directed squarely at Rick Ross. We could sum up exactly what was said, but you really should just read the tweets in question below. You can't make this shit up.
Rick Ross was a cop. He remind me of Ice t from new jack city. What he know about that life?Too many bodies & sentences for all that lying
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 7, 2012
If u was a crooked cop moving all that dope how u become a rapper & expose yourself is a king pin? Where the RICO at? #liar
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 7, 2012
Black bartmitzva? These coppers fantasize about the things that i do daily like these coppers rap about the life I live really!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 7, 2012
How did speaking on the truth become hating ?
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 7, 2012
Any body that rap about that life should donate a % of his earnings to ending inner city genocideMazol tov!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 7, 2012
First they criticize me for being a Jew, now they're favorite fake rapper is having a black bar mitzva? GTFOH
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 7, 2012
He's alright but he's not real!He's a cop I squeeze that steel! Still!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 8, 2012
I'm the father. Listen to my bastard child!Mazol tov! youtube.com/watch?v=ohMMwE…
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 8, 2012
Drake
Date: October 9 and October 12, 2012
What Happened: In an interview on Cipha Sounds & Rosenberg, Shyne went off on a rather epic rant and put damn near everyone on blast. This included previous targets like Diddy and Rick Ross, though there was a new name in his crosshairs. That would be Drake, who only caught a slight verbal slight as Shyne said he was "more Jewish" than Drizzy. OK.
The real hater-ade came a few days later in an MTV interview, during which Shyne went off about the Toronto rapper-singer. He says Drizzy is just "an actor" and wouldn't be around if hip-hop was different.
Kendrick Lamar's "good kid, m.A.A.d. city"
Date: October 23 and October 24, 2012
What happened: It became evident that Shyne had heard Kendrick Lamar's great new album, good kid, m.A.A.d. city. And, in typical Shyne fashion, he felt the need to bash it. While he found the lyrics and wordplay to be on point, he felt the beats were garbage. So garbage, in fact, that he gave the record a new name—good kid, terrible album—and called it trash.
All kendric lamar d#%^ riders & nut huggers! His album was trash!Good kid! Terrible album!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 24, 2012
ScHoolboy Q
Date: October 24, 2012
What Happened: ScHoolboy Q came to the assistance of his Black Hippy/TDE cohort Kendrick Lamar by joking that Shyne isn't 'EATIN'!" and that he hasn't had a hot song since 2001. The response? It's below.
@schoolboyq stfu u little fag! When mobsters talking rappers be quiet!
— Shyne Po (@OriginalShyne) October 24, 2012