Shyne Hot 97 Radio Interview
SHYNE / ANGIE MARTINEZ
A: I kinda wanted to take it back. Obviously, everyone remembers the trial. Every newspaper cover and news report was on it. Everybody knows there was a shooting at club New York, and you were the only one sentenced. Even the prosecutor said that there was more than one person in the club with a gun that night, and you got such a heavy sentence. I just was wondering how you feel.
S: Yeah I mean there was a few people that the prosecutor said had ratchets on them. More or less, I was defending myself man, you know? Tried by 12 or carried by 6. I’d rather be tried by 12. Somebody was gonna pop my top off that night. So if I didn’t let that thing go, I might not be here talking to you. So I was defending myself. There’s no proof that I shot anybody. As far as those charges are concerned, I am innocent. Nobody don’t get no 10 years for gun possession. You get probation for that so I’ve already paid my debt to society 5 times over. I was just defending myself that’s what that was about.
A: Would you do anything differently on that night if you could?
S: Nah, like I said, I was just defending myself. There was never any intention of anybody to get hurt. I just didn’t want to die.
A: Do you feel like if you didn’t have a gun that night you could have very well?
S: Yeah, somebody there was gonna get their top popped off, and its real likely it would have been me. If I ain’t had that ratchet on me, like I said, we probably wouldn’t be talking.
A: Have you had any interaction with the people that were hurt that night in the club?
S: Nah.
A: Do you have any feelings or anything?
S: I can’t really get into that because that there is still pending, but like I said I am innocent. I was defending myself. I had that ratchet because I was shot at like a month before. It ain’t like I was just walking around with that thing trying to be Cowboy Joe. I had to defend my self.
A: What was the exact charge?
S: Assault and attempted murder.
A: And 10 years. So you’ve done 4 years. What is that looking like now? The appeal is still pending, right?
S: Yeah, I got Alan Dushwitz and Professor Charles Overtree. He did Machiavelli’s bail application. He got him out on that bail. So we’re gonna see how ever this things gonna go down, and I am gonna ride it out. I should be out at the top of the year.
A: Really?
S: Yeah.
A: A bidding war. We heard that everybody was bidding for you from Irv to Sug to Jay-Z. Are they all true?
S: More or less. It’s a blessing. The Most High whatever is responsible for this universe decides them type of things and that what he put in their heart, and I am definitely grateful.
A: Why Def Jam?
S: More or less its really gangland. I definitely got some good partners in Kevin and L.A. They let me do what I do. They did that with Murder and they did that with the Rock, and that’s what their gonna do with gangland. So they got a history. The indies rock and do what they do, and that’s what I look forward to.
Question portion:
Q: Yo this is AG from Brooklyn. I just wanna know how Shyne feel about Puff flat leavin’ him like that. Hold your head Shyne.
Q: Hey Shyne what’s good buggy? This is DJ from Jersey. Just got one question, since you been down is Puffy taking care of you? Is he look you out making sure you alright in there?
Q: Hey Shyne, this is Vanessa from Queens. I just want to say congratulations. I am happy that you’re back, and I wish you all the best. Later!
Q: My question for Shyne is, does he think that Diddy should have been a real warrior and try to split the time between both of yall between each other. Got to know to do the right thing is split the time is to split the time between both of yall you is gonna come out guilty?
A: Obviously heavy questions about your situation with Puff.
S: As far as that’s concerned, I have moved on. I am so blessed. So many great things are happening that it is hard for me to dwell on that, but I feel like everybody in my situation would feel. I really get into it heavy in that Vibe Juice issue, and that’s really the last time I want to talk about it besides the live interview I am gonna do with you.
A: But you do get into it specifically in the article?
S: Yeah, I get into it real specifically. I put my emotions on my sleeve, which I don’t really do. I let it be know how I feel.
A: How are you feeling? What’s your vibe like? What’s your zone like? Are you having hopes of selling 1million records or 10 million records, what?
S: Nah, that ain’t how I put my thing down. What I do don’t have nothing to do with record sales and all that. I make music. That’s what I do. That’s what I was created to do, and I am just fulfilling my desire. So I don’t want to get caught up in that.
Q: Yeah this is Mark. I understand where you coming from. I just spent the last nine years of my life locked up in Washington State Penitentiary behind some punk-ass snitches. So I definitely understand how you feeling. I just wanna let you know that you got people out here who is praying for you. I understand that sometimes its real hard, especially when you layin up in your bed at night, and you don’t wanna do nothin but get up out your cage, and you cant do nothin about it ‘cause you stuck. You seen all these cats on TV, these suckers frying, and these people on the streets talking all this BS. They don’t know nothing what they talking about because you seen the real thing. You seen the real deal. So I just wanna let you know that you got people out here who understand. You gonna have a gang of people out here routing you on so keep your head up, stay strong, and nothin but love.
Q: How does it make you feel to hear someone like that who is really passionate about your situation?
S: I am definitely grateful. I’m blessed, and I appreciate that. That’s why when you ask me how I’m feeling, really how could I feel. You got ol’ G’s in there doing 50 to life. They are never going home. Never! I have people supporting me, and it’s really no comparison. When I look at my cross and I look at the crosses my comrades are carrying, it just makes me feel grateful.
A: How do you feel watching from the inside what is happening to the music business, the rap game, or the artists that are out right now?
S: I am not interested.
A: Did you ever run into Yayo since you’ve been locked up?
S: Never seen him.
A: Is there anybody that you ran into?
S: Chi Ali.
A: What’s the situation between you and 50?
S: You all are gonna have to read about that in that Vibe Juice cover.
A: Was he trying to sign you?
S: More or less.
A: Was he upset that didn’t happen?
S: As I said, we chopped that up in that Vibe cover.
Q: Who pursued you the most while you were there in terms of record labels? We said 50 and Murder Inc.
S: Yeah. Irv Gotti. Salute you.
A: Anybody else?
S: I mean the whole thing is it’s a blessing. I wear that. That’s a gift from the Most High, and I salute from Irv, to Sug, to DNY, Ruff Ryders. I salute all of the comrades that show me love: Kanye, Dipset, everybody, K.
A: I heard about a J, Shyne, Foxy group album.
S: You be hearing a lot of things. Me and J talked about that, but I mean the guy owns the New Jersey Nets so I don’t even think he wanna rap no more.
A: Is anybody on your album? Is there anybody you plan to sign to your label?
S: It’s gonna be authentic artists. Gangmen. Yall are gonna have to buy that to see whats gonna be on that.
A: I really want to thank you for your time today.
S: I want to thank you and the Tri-Sate and the whole country that ride out with the (no idea) and support Gangland staff and Def Jam staff.