Edd’s MANtra: Lost his Shyne

Y’all remember Shyne, the Biggie-sounding, late 90s rapper who went to jail for attempted murder after a club shooting. While he definitely should have been locked up for acting a fool, I felt bad that he had to be the fall guy for Diddy, who also should have been thrown in the slammer for the incident. Diddy, of course, danced away scot-free, yelling “take that, take that” into the night.

Because, as we all know, going to prison somehow makes you a better rapper. Or so they say.

 

Shyne went from sounding like Biggie to sounding like 50 Cent with laryngitis.

His excuse? From an interview on nahright.com:

That guy we used to know pre-2001? The guy who shot up the club? The guy who stood in front of the judge and took a 10 year bid? The guy who used to spit like this? That guy is dead. That was the guy Jamal Barrow used to be, and he no longer wants to be that man. That man made choices that he’ll have to deal with for the rest of his life, and put his mother through one of the worst experiences any mother could ever have to go through. And he doesn’t want to be that man anymore.

I’m so glad that Shyne Po has grown into a better person, but what does that have to do with him now sounding like Eartha Kitt? Changing your rap style has nothing to do with changing your content.

And speaking of this kinder, gentler Shyne, lines like “hear the whistle when I clap/from the missile that I pack” and bragging about “blasting cartridges” ain’t exactly stuff you talk about in your Bible study small groups.

I thought jail was supposed to be good for a rapper’s career? Shyne has somehow defied rap physics and became worse after his jail time. I wonder if Lil Wayne will sound this bad when he gets out?