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Jewish Rapper Shyne Slams Judaism Latecomers Rick Ross and Drake (AUDIO)

October 10, 2012 12:54 pm 4 comments

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Zach Pontz

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Shyne aka Jamal Michael Barrow in 2010, before his Orthodox Jewish days. Photo: Royal shine.

The rapper Shyne, who enjoyed a successful hip-hop career in the early aughts before it was derailed by legal issues, and has since embraced Orthodox Judaism and taken on the name Moses Michael Levi, spoke to The Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg Show on New York’s Hot 97 Tuesday, calling the rapper Rick Ross a “cornball” and saying he was more Jewish than Drake.

Ross, who recently released a mixtape titled “The Black Bar Mitzvah” drew the ire of the orthodox rapper, who had this to say: “I just find it curious that when Shyne Po do his Judaism thing and I’m on my Israelite thing, dudes was taking shots and poking fun at that and now, fat boy is coming out with Black Bar Mitzvah. I have a lot of issues with him, but my most important issue is that to me, old boy is like Donnie Brasco. Dudes always say, he makes good music. It’s not about that. It’s about the integrity. Like blood, I have no problems with correctional officers. […] But if any of them CO’s would try to act like they was thugs or gangstas, I had no love for them because that’s not what they do. They civilians. So imagine Donnie Brasco, Sammy the Bull, coming out with an album talking about how gangster they are after they did what they did. My thing is, if you a cop, try to stay a cop.”

The Canadian rapper Drake, whose mother is Jewish, and who appeared on Ross’ mixtape, was also a topic of conversation. At one point during the interview one of the show’s hosts said to Shyne, “Drake’s more Jewish than you are,” to which he responded, “My mother’s Jewish and my father’s Jewish. I’m a Levi. Watch your mouth,” then later saying, “I always knew I was Jewish. In my family being Jewish was just a matter of fact.”

4 Comments

Richard M

October 12, 2012
9:45 pm

Who cares who is “more Jewish than….” This kind of talk is a travesty to the holiness of Judaism. My position: There is ONE G-D,…Everything else is up for grabs.

Rap talk has about as much place in Judaic thought and commentary as has a pronouncement on the weather in southeast Texas.

Please let us limit our comments here to the relevancy of Judaic thought. That’s what this is supposed to be.

Reply
- Awaken Now
  
  November 7, 2012
  9:42 am
  
  Shalom Shalom
  Yes, the idea of embracing ONE god, ONE love, Elohim, etc is of course at the core of everything… Bless
  First off the idea of a discussion is for people to freely express their points of view so telling people what they should talk about is “limiting” just as you suggest… The discussion of Judaism is multi-faceted but to Shyne, just embrace your own sense of Judaism… Taking shots at others is unecessary… And for the record Drake having a Jewish mother does, to many, qualify him as 100% Jewish and to some people he has a natural right to Judaism via inheritance in a way that a convert does not.. Sorry to steal your Shyne… Shalom!
  
  Reply
  - IKNOK
    
    February 25, 2013
    4:00 pm
    
    Shyne’s parents are Ethiopian Hebrews. Shyne is MORE Jewish than Drake in the ROOT of the matter. In fact Shyne isn’t Jew-ISH. he is a Jew of the tribe of Yahuda by ancestry, NOT a convert. and that’s the Truth. Selam tenat tenay iyesterlin.
    
    Reply
Robin Rosenblatt

October 10, 2012
8:04 pm

Help protect the Galilee: a nonviolent means for solving this problem:
Israel Ranches are being attacked, their land being stolen and their passive European cattle are being mutilated and killed by local Palestinians, jackals and wolves. Israel needs desert cattle that fits its environment and can defend it’s self and it’s calves. That breed of cattle is Texas Longhorn. The self-sustainable project will help Israel. Help us raise $240,000, to start. A 501c 3 nonprofit # 74-3177354.

This is some of the ranches under attack
http://youtu.be/hMF12Ru–yw

http://youtu.be/TGfc2oRYyxA

Thank you

Robin Rosenblatt
Israel Longhorn Project
815 Hill St Apt 5
Belmont, Ca 94002
650.631.9270
http://longhornproject.org
Email is not working

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