The man who says he wants to industrialize his native Belize through his music was officially announced the country's Music and Goodwill Ambassador this morning at a press briefing held at the House of Culture this morning. Moses "Shyne" Levy accompanied by label owner Irv Gotti spoke to the gathering of mostly local musicians and the press corps about his plans to globalize Belizean music and its artists.
And because such an effort will require significant resources and connections, who better to do it than the man himself, Moses Levy, better known as "Shyne". Jim McFadzean was at the briefing and has this report.
Diane Haylock
"I want to point out very clearly that this is an honorary position."
No pay with the job says NICH's Director, Diane Haylock, but who needs it.
Moses "Shine" Levy
"I believe with my resources in the music industry and in the music entertainment period and being a globe trotter, there are unlimited things that we can do for the arts and culture in Belize and just Belize in general."
With the key declaration: "Money is no Object" out the way, the musically coined "What have you done for me lately" was right on cue.
Patrick Jones, reporter
"Is this just Shyne using Belize to further his own career?"
Moses Levy
"The day I got off the plane, the first place I went to was a juvenile home, the following week I brought Professor Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law Professor, Mentor of President Obama, to speak at Wesley College, the following week I brought Dr. Baas Drysinger, Professor at John J. Law School to speak to the women at St. Catherines and Nazarene, so this has nothing to do with an ambassadorship as I spoke earlier, this is what I'm going to do regardless of a title."
Bredda David Obie
"If someone offers me situation like that, in many cases I would say well let's talk with these people and let me get a vibe from them, see if I really want to do this or not, so I wasn't really happy about that evolvement, but I understand the world of politics,"
Moses Levy
"Well, this has nothing to do with politics."
Bredda David Obie
"Hold on hold on, let me finish what I'm saying please. I just said that I understand the world of politics, so I understand one of the reasons how we got to this point, there's nothing wrong with that please."
Moses Levy
"As far as I am concerned you know, I sold a couple million records, throughout the world, so for me what I can do for my country is for my country, this has nothing to do with a music industry per se, you know, being a goodwill ambassador as well as a music ambassador, I'm here to help my country so this is not even a conversation, this is incumbent upon me to do everything in my power to help my country, that's why I am here. I could be in the Turks and Caicos right now or Japan and anyone of these fascinating luxurious place living it up that's not my commitment, that's not my life, my life is to make my country better."
And the man of the music hour says, more than money, he's got what it takes to be Belize's best Music Goodwill Ambassador.
Moses Levy
"Besides selling millions of records I am a man with impeccable integrity which means when I say something that's what it is."
Reporting for Seven News, I'm Jim McFadzean.
And to prove that he is in fact going to put his money where his mouth is, Belize's Music Goodwill Ambassador announced that a percentage of monies earned from his World Tours will go directly to a fund established to develop local talent. While he didn't say what percentage, Levy said $150,000 has already been deposited to the account, a hundred thousand of which he has personally donated.
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