Shyne (Bad Boy)
Long before Jamal Barrow (also known as Shyne) released this debut rap album, he had a rap sheet. The 22-year-old native of Belize, who grew up in Brooklyn, was charged with attempted murder last December after a shooting incident involving his mentor Sean "Puffy" Combs at a New York City nightclub. (Shyne, who pleaded not guilty, is awaiting trial.) He had been the object of a fierce label bidding war, due largely to his uncanny vocal resemblance to the late Notorious B.I.G. From the sound of Shyne, the young man is serious about gunplay. His hardcore rhymes, delivered in an emotionless baritone, dwell on guns, drugs and various illegal activities. Shyne's reports from the mean streets can be compelling, especially when his crisp, cutting words are accompanied by equally concise beats, as on the island-flavored single "Bad Boyz," featuring reggae star Barrington Levy. Yet much of this CD is dark, dreary and without compassion.
Bottom Line: Keeping it all too real
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