Former Bad Boy Records rapper Shyne has broken his silence, and says he was the “fall guy” for a 1999 New York City nightclub shooting involving Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Shyne, whose legal name is Moses Michael Levi Barrow, was convicted of assault, reckless endangerment and gun possession for the shooting. He served eight years in prison and was deported back to his homeland of Belize.
Diddy was found not guilty of all charges.
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Shyne is now an opposition leader in the Belize House of Representatives.
In an interview this week with the Belizean media that went viral on Thursday, April 18, the former rapper addressed renewed claims made by a woman — who was shot in the face inside the nightclub — that Diddy pulled the trigger.
“It opens wounds when you hear, you know, the victim saying that it was Diddy that shot her… and that was triggered by a lawsuit from a producer that produced on The Love Album who is making accusations,” said Shyne in the interview posted online by 7 News Belize.
Shyne was referring to music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, who filed an explosive sexual abuse lawsuit against Diddy in February, and raised new allegations about Diddy’s involvement in the 1999 shooting.
“I’ve been saying this all along. Everyone knew all along that I was the fall guy,” Shyne added. “I am relieved that people are saying what the truth is, that I did not shoot those people. I maintained that I never shot nobody, that there were other guns there, I have always said that and that has not changed.”
Shyne stopped short of explicitly saying Diddy did it.
“Witnesses are vindicating me, but I have moved on, I am not trying to relive that,” Shyne said.
He then revealed Diddy has invested in the nation of Belize.
“I am appreciative of whatever contributions that Diddy has made to help the people of Belize. I wish him well and I pray for him, and I pray for the alleged victims,” Shyne said.
In his lawsuit filed Feb. 26, music producer Lil Rod said he spent a year working with Diddy on his latest album and alleged that he learned many dark secrets about the music mogul.
The complaint said Diddy told Lil Rod “he was responsible for the shooting in the nightclub in New York City with rapper Shyne.”
The producer also alleged that he was groomed by Diddy, sexually assaulted by the mogul, and forced to procure sex workers for the Bad Boy Records founder.
Shawn Holley, an attorney representing Diddy, released a statement in February calling the claims in Lil Rod’s lawsuit “outlandish.”
Meanwhile, 1999 shooting victim Natania Reuben recently spoke with News Nation and insisted Diddy shot her.
“It is my assertion wholeheartedly that Mr. Combs was inappropriately charged originally,” Reuben said. “His charges should have mirrored that of Mr. Jamal ‘Shyne’ Barrow. He should have been charged with attempted murder, reckless endangerment criminal possession of a weapon and firing that weapon in an open environment.”
“Who better to tell you what happened than the person who got shot smack dab in between my eyes?” Reuben added.
Diddy has maintained his innocence.
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