Shyne Interview

Prison phone calls are priceless. They're usually reserved for family and spouses. But if you're not the ordinary cellmate, you don't make ordinary phone calls. After spilling the beans for VIBE's Juice issue, hip-hop's hottest commodity -- Shyne -- limited his interviews for the sake of... lets say time. So while most of his calls are reserved for ma dukes and his fam, he put aside some extra quarters for SOHH. You know his story, you know his flow, now act like you know.

Why Def Jam?

It's really Gangland. Island Def Jam manufactures and markets Gangland. The reason I decided to do a joint venture with them because that's what they do. Whether it be Murder Inc. or the Roc that's what they do. I wasn't signing as an artist under no circumstances. As far as a joint venture and letting independents rock that's what they do all day.

Being locked up, with no release date any time soon, what keeps you motivated?

You gotta understand I haven't spoken to the media in four years. I've been learning my business. The fact that people are still interested is motivation in itself. It's just the fact that people give a f#@$. It wasn't something I was trying to do. I'm trying to get back to my moms. I'm trying to get go take care of my family. If that meant go driving a bus that's what I was going to do but the f#@$in' man and the fascination is so overwhelming that I had to put out a record. That drives me knowing that I'm not forcing this and trying to get up on the scene and thinking, "I hope people give a f#@$." To get a tribute cover from Elliot [Wilson] and XXL and the Juice cover, which is the biggest cover of the year for [VIBE] I mean like f#@$, I couldn't ask for more.

While you have cats like Nas and Cam'ron showing you support, you've also come across some beef with people like 50 Cent.

Beef is such a strong word, young bruh. You know in here [jail] it's really beef. In here motherf#@$ers got their sh!t sharpened up and they gonna put something in you. There ain't no talking. It's unfair to consider these guys on my level. It's unfair to do because they rapping... they in the studio like they ain't living the sh!t right now. As I talk to you right now I'm looking around because somebody might run up on me or I might have to run up on something. That's beef! Those little kids out there that ain't no beef. That's just somebody got out of pocket and I had to check him. That's all that was.

Are you running your label from behind bars or do you have a staff?

I got my staff. I got Bobby Springsteen, he's my A&R guy. He used to work at Motown. I got Marcus Logan, he used to work for Star Trak and Arista. I got my radio dude J. Grand, he used to work for Flex. I got a fresh staff. I got my brother in there. I got full fresh staff.

How many prospective albums have you written in prison?

I got about 10 albums in my head. So right now I'm just chilling. I ain't really f#@$ing with rap right now. I wanna get in the studio before I start making something else. I don't wanna do something else, but I say God put me on timeout right now because I got 10 albums and he don't wanna burn me out. So once I record those I might have something else. So after that I might just work on the other acts.

Even if you debut at number one you won't reap the benefits until much later. So do you have any expectations with this album?

There's no expectations, bruh. I just love my life, man. My life happens to be recording music. The people determine this entire sh!t. No matter how much you feel good about your sh!t. No matter how much mobbed up you are... if the people don't care you really don't matter.

After going on a four-year hiatus and people still giving a f#@$ you know some artists don't last four months. I already did it. This speaks volumes and to be able to be doing what I'm doing after four years. When Pac did it he did it as soon as he got here. It was still fresh on everybody's minds. I've been off the scene for four joints [years] but its' like I never left. That in itself is an indication.

Like I'm saying about the Juice cover, that's some sh!t that ni99as go their whole career and never get. For me to get it under these circumstances and the love of my comrades in here or wherever I go motherf#@$ers respect me. I can hold my head and motherf#@$ers respect me. They may not like me but they respect me. To have OGs like Fat Joe and Suge [Knight] showing me love like they've showed me and even the little homies like Juelz Santana and the Cams -- you have ni99as go their whole careers to get that type of respect and admiration. For me just to have one album... sh!t I don't care what the sh!t do.

Shyne's second album, Godfather Buried Alive, featuring production by Kanye West and appearances by Foxy Brown drops on Aug. 10th.

shyne is done!

^ what u mean he done he aint done he juss gettin started

that nigga's smart he got an album in prison and he doin his thang i respect dat so shyne u da man

i respect him too, even though he won't say much about how he was able to get around the law and make his album, he seemed like a really genuine person. they had a 1 hour special on him on mtv, he was being interviewed in prison.

Yo man !! i feel kinda stupid but i take back wat i said!!...itz like this i neva really got into shyne and i never really heard his stuff!..so basiclly i thought ma boy waz wack..pluz i did hear him on this remix with kurupt (behing the walls) ...and umm i didnt like it!...but just yesterday i heard one of his songs....i dunno what itz called but hes all dissin 50 cent!...and dayum i neva heard anybody go at 50 like dat...so yeah i take back wat i said!..shyne is on ma list

correction! well the song is called "For The Record" thats the 50 cent diss!...and itz not the best quality song for he is rapping over a phone!...but i mean ma boy has this bad ass beat!...and the song is pretty cool..but u really have to listen to it!.once or maybe twice to actually get what hes saying!