Jamal “Shyne” Barrow has doubled back on critical statements he made regarding Kendrick Lamar‘s music, admitting he made a “mistake” previously deeming one of Lamar’s albums “trash.”
During an appearance on the My Expert Opinion podcast, Barrow expressed his newfound respect for Lamar in the wake of the West Coast artist’s rap battle with fellow hitmaker Drake earlier this year.
Shyne Barrow attends “The Honorable Shyne” world premiere on November 13, 2024 in New York City.
Jason Mendez/Getty Images
“I would say I made a mistake about Kendrick Lamar, I will admit to that. I think that was definitely a mistake [laughs],” Shyne said of the perennial GRAMMY Award winner. “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.”
Recording artist Kendrick Lamar performs on the Samsung Stage during day two at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2016 at Zilker Park on October 1, 2016 in Austin, Texas.
Rick Kern/Getty Images for Samsung
Shyne’s revelation comes more than a decade after the Belizean disparaged Lamar’s debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, in a post on social media.
At the time, Shyne noted that Lamar was ““talented with a lot of potential,” but was blunt about not being a fan of the album, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 upon its release and is widely considered a classic body of work. “His album is traaaaash!” the “Bad Boyz” rapper wrote on Twitter in 2012.
He would expound on the reasoning behind his dislike for good kid, m.A.A.d city in an interview with Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg later that same year.
Shyne Barrow attends “The Honorable Shyne” world premiere on November 13, 2024 in New York City.
Jason Mendez/Getty Images
“I’m not talking reckless. I said the young boy got potential and I said he was talented, but the album is trash,” Shyne told the radio hosts at the time. However, he maintained that his appraisal of Lamar’s debut wasn’t a personal attack, but simply a difference in musical taste.
“That’s tough love. I didn’t attack him as an individual, I didn’t say anything disrespectful.” Shyne added before going on to continue to discredit the album.
“It’s trash! Beats is trash, number one. And once your beats are trash, you’re finished because you can’t handle a good flow. I don’t really want to hear what you gotta say. I’ll go buy Dr. Cornel West’s album if I want to hear someone talk.”
Shyne and Diddy onstage at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in a special one night only event at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on November 07, 2023 in London, England.
Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Sean Diddy Combs
Shyne’s interview with My Expert Opinion comes amid the arrival of his new Hulu documentary, The Honorable Shyne, which details events from his personal life and career, particularly the 1999 Club New York shooting involving Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The film contains Shyne’s personal accounts of the events that lead up to the shooting, as well the 10-year conviction he received and the resulting fall-out between himself and Combs, who was exonerated on all charges.
See Shyne’s My Expert Opinion podcast episode below.
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