Rapper turned politician Moses “Shyne” Barrow has broken his silence about former mentor Sean “Diddy” Combs’ arrest. After federal agents arrested Combs in New York on Sept. 16, Barrow, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives, shared his thoughts on the man who “in a sense testified” against him years ago.
“One of the things that I would never wish on my worst enemy is to be incarcerated … so I take no joy in anyone’s challenges with the criminal justice system or otherwise,” he said in a press conference. “When I was an 18-year-old kid, just wanting to do nothing other than make my mother proud and make Belize proud and be recognized for my talent and take over the world. I was defending him, and he turned around and called witnesses to testify against me. He pretty much sent me to prison.”
Though he was once Combs’ protégé, Barrow emphasized that he did not participate in any of the mogul’s “freak-offs” or share a “brotherhood” with him.
“Let’s not lose sight of what the cold hard facts are. This is not someone who I vacationed with and someone who I enjoyed this great, intimate relationship of brotherhood. This is someone who destroyed my life, and who I forgave, and who I moved on, and for the better interest of Belize because he was in the position, at that time, to give scholarships and maybe to invest,” he explained. “I would not deny attempting to bring the investment to Belize and bring the contributions to education.”
Following a New York City nightclub shooting in 1999 that left three people injured, Barrow was convicted of first-degree assault. Combs, who was dating Jennifer Lopez at the time, was also accused of being involved. However, during his trial, the Bad Boys Records founder claimed he fired his gun in self-defense, which led to his acquittal. Barrow, on the other hand, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2001. He was later released and deported back to Belize in 2009.
“Shyne’s sentence is unfair and extreme, as I know he had no intention of hurting anyone,” Diddy said at the time, per People magazine. “My prayers are with him and his family. I’m shocked by today’s outcome. I will continue to support Shyne throughout his appeal.”
Combs was recently arrested by federal authorities on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. According to the indictment, the music mogul “engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals,” including physical violence, in order “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
Combs allegedly used drugs to intimidate and coerce women into participating in “freak-offs” that were filmed without their consent. Despite pleading not guilty and proposing a $50 million bail package, the rapper was denied bail and taken into custody until trial.
“This is someone who destroyed my life,” Barrow said at the end of his press release. “But do I take any joy or satisfaction with what he is going through? Absolutely not.”