7 News Belize

Shyne Needs to Get Back to New York, Will He Get a Visa?
posted (April 3, 2012)
Last night in part one of his interview with 7news, Shyne admitted that his plans to launch his career outside of the United States had failed - and that he needed to get back to New York to get back on track.

Now, even though he is Belize's Cultural Ambassador, the truth is that Shyne is a convicted felon and a deportee - and you'd have to pull ropes, not strings to get a Visa after you've been deported.

But he has applied for his visa, and he's hoping against hope that somehow, something is going to come through. Now that's his business, right?

Well, not really. He says that if he can make a brand new start in New York - then Belizeans will see what he can really do as Cultural Ambassador.

If you're not buying the logic - we'll let him explain why it can work - and why he's fit to be Belize's Cultural Ambassador:

Jules Vasquez
"A lot of people feel that you aren't fit to be Cultural Ambassador, and that you are out there profiling with stars but it doesn't have anything to with Belize's culture. How do you respond to that?"

Moshe Levi Ben-David "Shyne"
"Well, I think that it absolutely has something to do with Belize's culture because our culture is a culture of excellence. When I am with the Deputy Prime Minister of Israel, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Diddy, or Kanye West, what that says is that Belize has arrived, and that Belize is a global player. What that says to Belizean-Americans, or Belizean-Europeans, is that they can achieve anything. What that says to people who don't know anything about Belize is, wow, this is something we got to take seriously. This guy is from Belizean, and he sold over 20 million records, these are his friends, this is what he is doing, and this is what he is about? When the administration talks about their objectives being tourism and foreign investment, who better to draw attention to the Belizean brand than me? Who, right? Everything that I've done - and you have all of the documents there, Jules - everything that I have done, they mention Belize. I did CNN. CNN is not - most respectfully - by any standards in the world, something to take lightly. So don't under-estimate the power of music, and the power of a celebrity on a global scale, Jules, to sell Belizean culture. It is not as if I hob-knobbing and schmoozing with these celebrities and these businessmen, and I'm not speaking about Belize. So, when you speak about qualifications, I am not beating my drum, but it's proven. All of those documents that you have; Washington Post, New York Times, LA Times, CNN, Time Magazine, BBC, that's not lightweight media, Jules. You told me that men would kill to get on the cover of Arts and Culture, and what are they talking about: Belize. Let us focus our energy on convincing the United States of America to grant me a visa, to grant Moses Levi, so that I can take along with me NICH, the Belizean artist that Belize feels best represent them, whether it be Brother David, TR, Shyne, Melonie Gillett, Tany Carter, or any of the great artists that are down here. Take them a tour to perform for the White House, or to perform at a Gala throughout the United States, and present our culture, but I can't do that, Jules. I'm doing the best I can do with a stacked deck against me and one hand against my back. So, our energy should be focused on getting me a visa from the United States to travel freely, to promote this culture. So, it won't just be Shyne with celebrities. It will be Belize's finest doing renditions of Andi Palacio's hits, steel drum band, the Belize Orchestra. We can take the show on the road, but don't blame Shyne for not doing those things if the United States of America won't give me a visa. Now, they have not refused me, but we're in the midst of applying. All I am saying is let's be clear on why I may not have done more. It is not due to lack of diligence or my lack of effort. When I did XXL - this is the biggest urban magazine in the world. Their covers have the likes of Eminem, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, Kanye - all of the biggest artists in the world. They put me on that cover. When we did those photographs in Belize, the trailers of the photo-shoots had the Belizean Flag. Millions and millions of people who never heard about Belize now know about Belize. And we can take the Belizean approach and ask what is really doing for us. It is doing something; let the seeds be planted. Oak trees don't grow overnight. You have to plant those seeds. But again, Shyne needs the opportunity to help the country. If I can't get a visa to go to the United States, if I can't get a visa to go to London, if I can't get a visa to go to Canada, it will be extremely difficult for me to get my career back on track, and to reach the heights that I've reached, which enable me to do far more than I'm doing right now for the Belizean people."

Jules Vasquez
"Some of the criticisms have been that - you remember the press conference at the House of Culture? You made a financial commitment. You said that you are a man of your word."

Moshe Levi Ben-David "Shyne"
"I said, 'LA Reid and Def Jam', if you go back and look at it, I said that I spoke to Def Jam, and they committed to giving a certain amount of money. The chairman of Def Jam left the company. The new chairman of Def Jam, we didn't see eye to eye. I had a key man clause which means that if the fellow that brought you to the company leaves, you can leave. I left the company. There was a civil judgment against me - and this is all documented that we had to pay $3 million to the victims. So they took a million dollars from me to give to the victims. So again, my ability to earn is completely handicapped by my inability to go to the United States. Let us be clear. The next best thing to the United States is Britain. What am I to do, Jules? I am not a druglord. I don't play for the NBA; I don't have a jump shot. What am I to do? So, again I would say that this pledge is still out. There is no finality on that. I need an opportunity. I beg the Belizean people to rally behind me, and with me, for us to focus our energy on Shyne getting that opportunity to succeed. I have not been given an opportunity to succeed. I have not. And Jules, this is your quote. Tiger Woods, 30 tournaments and 3 years before he won a major, and some people argue that he is the greatest athlete ever. I never said that I am the greatest musician ever. I think that I can handle myself against some of the best. So, what can people expect of me more than Tiger Woods? Give Shyne a chance. Give me an opportunity. If I was in New York, running around, doing my thing, succeeding, number 1 album out, making all types of money, on the Forbes this for 20 million dollars, and this and that, you can then put me on the wall. Take me to the middle of the sea and throw me out with cement in my shoes. But that's not the case."

And tomorrow night, in the last part of the interview Shyne talks about reconciling with Sean Diddy Combs and what it means for his career.


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