Time Magazine’s online staff recently caught up with Def Jam signee and former Bad Boy rapper Shyne to discuss his conversion to Judaism and how it factors into his Hip Hop career. The Belize-born rapper explained how his decade-long prison sentence brought him closer to his grandfather’s Jewish faith. He added that although he maintains an unorthodox approach to his faith, he makes sure to practice the overarching ideas of his religion above all else.
“An African in America who’s pretty famous in African-American culture, you would think would be drawn to Islam, or maybe Christianity,” he said. “But I couldn’t convert to something I’m not. Islam just didn’t make sense to me. I come from the ultimate truth….European Jews are not the only Jews…It’s not about how much Torah I know and what rabbi I’m following, it’s about what I’m doing with the information.”
Shyne also discussed how his 2006 conversion changed his outlook on life and Hip Hop. He said that it led him to re-evaluate some of the more violent and misogynistic tropes of his earlier music. At the same time, he explained that his more open-ended understanding of the Jewish faith has prompted him to embark on philanthropic activities, such as funding a youth center in Belize.
“I’m absolutely not into [the] sects or gangs [of Judaism]. I love all human beings,” he explained. “[I’m approaching music in a] totally philosophical and sophisticated [way]…no misogyny. None of that deranged stuff I used to be into…I don’t even want to be a rapper. I don’t listen to that music. I’m a musician. I’d rather be like Bob Marley or Leonard Cohen, one of those guys…the Hip Hop culture is not a philanthropic culture. eI’m not pointing the finger at them, all I’m saying is: I am a giver.”
Check out the full interview with Shyne over at Time’s website.
this guy gets weirder and weirder
converting to judaism is not an explanation for why his flow is garbage
He converted to Judaism? What.. is he trying to be the new Drake?
..i dont get it? is he the only jew in the world?
SHYNE needs to read AL QUR’AAN AL KAREEM.
TOP 20 OF ALL TIME BITCHES
20)LIL FLIP
19)BIG MELLO
18)ESG
17)BIG POKEY
16)BUSHWIC BILL
15)TRAE
14)BIG HAWK
13)WILLIE D
12)SPM
11)LIL KEKE
10)LIL O
9)BIG MOE
8)PIMP C
7)Z-RO
6)CHAMILLIONAIRE
5)SCARFACE
4)FAT PAT
3)DEVIN THE DUDE
2)K-RINO
1)BUN B
Dude yur top 20 outside Rap-A-Lot is consist of H-Town or Texas Favorites Lil-Flip garbage and trash open up a book and read it instead of listening to pre-k rap like flip Face shouldve been #1 on yur list
Scarface ain’t no bitch
Scar-face ain’t no bitch
FUNNY YOU PICK A #20
i dont care who he prays to his music is still garbage
Best comment so far.
Converting to Judaism proves how much u suck example Drake.
Hi hater.
listen u dumb sh*t, without jews there is no rap game. if you take drake, mac miller, scott storch, j.r, dr. luke, david guetta and others off the waves there aint nobody to fill in, I know that i’ve mentioned pop acts as well but if rap wasn’t pop these days nobody would want to be a rapper.. so hiphopdx wouldn’t even exist meaning I wouldn’t have read your dumb comment. i guess you ain’t even black cause niggas can relate to the oppression jews were under (and still are). you probably are some white kkk descendent from Louisiana who wants to be black and live in the ghetto although his parents have a nice ass 3 story house in the suburbs.
“I think he’s converted mainly for the jokes” -Jerry Seinfeld
First Of All To All Those Who Are Cracking Jokes On The Matter, Really Have Know Clue…Pick Up A Books By Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan notable for his writings and teachings about Black Jews and ancient Africans, and how Europeans, notably white Jews, appropriated their culture and legacy. Ben-Jochannan was the only child of a Black Puerto Rican Jewish mother named Julia Matta and an Ethiopian father named Kriston ben-Jochannan. If you Read The Entire Articles Posted Shyne States
that his parents descended from Jews who fled the Spanish Inquisition, finally settling in Central America. U Think U Know But U Have Know Idea!!!
There he goes generalizing hip-hop like there’s only one style of hip-hop. If you don’t want to listen to negative hip-hop then don’t! There’s plenty of positive music in the genre if you’re willing to look for it. Fuck you shyne, I’ve lost any respect I had for you.
Where on the radio or in the Grammys, MTV or BET award shows can you find positive Hip-Hop????????
The part of the Genre that is public is “PURE SIN”!!!!! THAT IS A FACT!!!
JUST COMPARE MAINSTREAM HIP-HOP, WHICH IS WHAT IS PORTRAYED AS BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE TO THE WORLD AND REACHES (ALL) AMERICAN YOUTHS THE MOST, TO GOSPEL MUSIC.
YOU CAN’T EVEN LISTEN TO 2 SECONDS OF HIP-HOP IN FRONT OF YOUR PARENTS.
what a tool…
im not religious so im always willing to laugh at the shackles y’all WILLINGLY put on everyday but this site is spose to be about music, hiphopdx want some shit started coz the topic of religion always stirs people up.
like jerry posted below “i dont care who he prays to his music is still garbage”
Real talk, I’ve visitied Isreal 3 times and the last time i went (July 2011) one of the tours we went on in Jerusalem, had us sitting and listening to our Tour Guide. Keep in mind im the only Hip Hop head in the whole group. Next thing Shyne comes walking by, REAL talk, with his head down cause he see a bunch of Americans. Wearing something like the picture in this article. I was shocked, started following him, yelled at “Shyne”. This nigga act like he didnt know. He kept walking, that shit will never happen again.
nobody else recoginized that fool either. ofcourse every fool in my group was either too old or too young.
who cares. dude career is over. his music is garbage
“Hip Hop culture is not a philanthropic culture”
SO true – most of yall are faithless anyways & think it’s cool…
Holding to Moses law and worshiping that mystery God.
Everyone finds a religion in jail wow…just wish they would find the right one
shynes music is terrible he better thank dx for helping him “seem” relevant to hip hop now a days
Where on the radio or in the Grammys, MTV or BET award shows can you find positive Hip-Hop????????
The part of the Genre that is public is “PURE SIN”!!!!! THAT IS A FACT!!!
JUST COMPARE MAINSTREAM HIP-HOP, WHICH IS WHAT IS PORTRAYED AS BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE TO THE WORLD AND REACHES (ALL) AMERICAN YOUTHS THE MOST, TO GOSPEL MUSIC.
YOU CAN’T EVEN LISTEN TO 2 SECONDS OF HIP-HOP IN FRONT OF YOUR PARENTS…
http://hulkshare.com/dz3micmg9t0p – Download I Am JOn Black the mixtape and enjoy the return to real Hip-Hop. 9 out of 10 Hasidic Jews recommend it.
Islam didnt makes sense to you cause you are an idiot.
“Im absolutely not into [the] sects or gangs [of Judaism].”
Now read as it was intended:
“Im absolutely not into sects or gangs ”
HHDX = dumbass morons