Concertgoers in New York City are in for a sizzling start to the summer, as Shyne is set to return to the stage. The rapper, who rose to fame with Bad Boy Records, will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of his self-titled debut album with a concert performance at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. The show will kick off a tour dedicated to the album’s anniversary.
The concert marks the first time that Shyne has performed since his time in politics as a member of the House of Representatives in his native country of Belize. Shyne, aka Moses Michael Levi Barrow (formerly Jamal before his conversion to Judaism), served as the leader of the opposition from the center-right United Democratic Party until his electoral loss last March.
Prior to that, the rapper was on a rise after the release of his gold-certified album, with a striking baritone style and gritty lyrics that lent well to Hip-Hop and reggae. The two lead singles from that album, “Bad Boyz” and “Bonnie & Shyne”, which featured reggae legend Barrington Levy. His career would be derailed in December 1999 due to his role in a nightclub shooting involving Bad Boy Records founder Sean Combs aka Diddy.
For the Grammy Award winner, the concert at Kings Theatre will be monumental. “It is surreal to return to the stage in the neighborhood where I grew up for a night of performances celebrating classic raw hip hop,” Shyne said in a press release announcing the concert. He spent most of his formative years in East Flatbush, which is home to the theater, which first opened to the public in 2018. Shyne was discovered rapping in a barbershop, and was mentored by Don Phooh and the late DJ Clark Kent.
The concert will take place on Saturday, May 2. Tickets for the show will first be available in a pre-sale on Thursday (February 12), with the general admission sales taking place on Friday (February 13).
