Jailed rapper Shyne, who signed a $3 million record deal in prison, won’t see any money until a lawsuit against him is resolved.
Justice Michael Garson of Brooklyn has frozen the funds, citing the “Son of Sam” law barring convicts from profiting from their crimes. The money — including a $500,000 advance — will be held in escrow pending the outcome of the civil lawsuit brought by two bystanders wounded in a 1999 shooting at a Manhattan nightclub.
The ruling, issued March 16, found that the funds should “be preserved for payment of any judgment received by the plaintiffs.”
Shyne, a former protege of Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, has been behind bars since 2001 for the shooting that involved his former mentor and Combs’ then-girlfriend.
Combs was also charged in the case but was acquitted. Three bystanders were wounded.
Shyne, whose real name is Jamal Barrow, is being held at a correctional facility in a remote area near the New York-Canada border. He signed the contract with Island Def Jam Records in April 2004, and he even recorded raps for the album over the phone.
Credit: AP