Shyne says he deeply regrets his 2012 criticism of Kendrick Lamar, admitting he was wrong.
This is a much more polished and graceful Shyne from the days of his “Bad Boyz” era. The Belizean politician is currently doing a press run for his upcoming documentary, The Honorable Shyne, which tells his story from being one of the most promising rappers to having his career derailed by a prison sentence.
Shyne appeared on the My Expert Opinion podcast this week, where he dishes on having to take back his words. In 2012, he called Kendrick Lamar’s landmark album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, trash. Shyne now says that comment was a mistake.
“I would say I made a mistake about Kendrick Lamar,” the rapper-turned-politician said while praising Drake. “I will admit to that. I think that was definitely a mistake [laughs]. I think Drake is nice, Drake is incredible and Lamar has obviously proven me completely wrong, but everybody got it at the time, but I was dealing with whatever I was dealing with and I didn’t understand it, I didn’t appreciate it.”
“He’s obviously proven to be one of the greatest musicians in our generation. That’s one I take back,” he added.
Shyne caused quite an uproar in hip-hop in 2012 when he made the statement about the widely acclaimed album. The Belizean rapper later addressed the criticisms he was getting by doubling down. “I said the young boy got potential and I said he was talented, but the album is trash. That’s tough love,” he said during an interview on the Cipha Sounds & Rosenberg show. K.Dot responded to the comments back then, also saying he isn’t much of a concern.
Shyne didn’t comment on the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef any further, but now he has good things to say about the Compton rapper. The two rappers are often mentioned in the so-called Big 3 in rap with J. Cole, an issue that has caused some falling out this year and resulted in diss tracks coming from both sides.
Shyne has also been speaking out about his former label boss, Diddy, whom he called out in numerous interviews in recent weeks. In his appearance on The Breakfast Club earlier this week, he revealed that he only received $50,000 from Diddy after serving nearly a decade in prison for the 1999 nightclub shooting incident in New York.
