Shyne almost home!

Incarcerated rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow reported to court today (August 4) for a parole hearing and was granted a two-and-a-half years post-release supervision ruling upon leaving prison this fall.
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The rapper's attorney, Oscar Michelin, confirmed the court's decision this afternoon.

A Manhattan judge signed an order that will see former Bad Boy recording artist Shyne receive two-and-a-half years of post-release supervision stemming from his 2001 conviction and sentencing in the infamous Club New York case. An attorney for Shyne -- born Jamal Barrow but now going by Moses Levi after converting to Judaism while in prison -- said that the order marked one of the last remaining hurdles in the way of his client's release from prison in October. "He's about 90 percent of the way home now," Michelin said. (MTV)

His lawyer broke the news of today's parole hearing in an interview this week.

"What happened was when they sentenced him [in March of 2001] they didn't sentence him to any parole post release supervision, which was mandatory," he said in an interview. "So the Correction Department has asked the court to re-sentence him under the law they can do that...The judge will decide whether to give him the maximum parole, which is five years, or the minimum parole, which is two-and-a-half years. Shyne will automatically have to do at least a year-and-a-half, which is how much of [the] 10 year [sentence remains] [Shyne] still owes the balance to the 10. But, [the district attorney] also [has] been looking to add to that [time] as well" (Hip Hop DX)

Shyne's time behind bars stemmed from a shoot-out at a New York City nightclub nearly ten years ago.

The fracas broke out on December 27, 1999, at a Manhattan nightclub where Shyne, Sean "Diddy" Combs with then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez and their entourage had been partying. Around 3 a.m., Combs and Shyne allegedly began arguing with another group of patrons. Someone threw money at Combs, a gesture of disrespect, and guns started going off. Three bystanders were shot. Shyne, who police found with a pistol in his waistband, was arrested after bystanders identified him as one of the shooters. Shyne received a 10-year prison. Barrow has always claimed he acted in self-defense and only fired his gun after the other group, Matthew "Scar" Allen and his crew began shooting. (About)

His rise to fame came from an association with Diddy's Bad Boy label.

Shyne was well-known among the public before Bad Boy Records even released his debut -- which was, for many years, his only -- album. That album charted well, thanks in part to all the media attention he'd garnered over the years, and he showcased a remarkable talent for rapping despite his young-twenty-something age. The album wasn't an especially memorable work, however, and Shyne remained far better-known for his story than for his music. (All Music)

Shyne is reportedly set to be released Tuesday, October 6th.