Shyne Messiah

After showcasing some freestyle skills and a voice akin to the late Notorious B.I.G., it appeared that everyone wanted a piece of Shyne in the late '90s. But what followed was nothing but disappointment. Bad Boy's one-time golden boy faced a decade-long prison sentence after he was charged with attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment. And upon his release in 2009, the Belize native was sent back to his homeland. Yet, several months later he would sign a deal with Def Jam Records and announce he was recording two LPs for release in 2010. Messiah is one-half of his 2010 release schedule and actually finds the rapper distributing the album through Cash Money and not Def Jam, which will distribute his other record, Gangland. Messiah's first leak, a track by the same name, has been harshly criticized by both fans and music critics.

Abstract by Andrew Martin