In a recent interview with Hiphopwired.com, Shyne talked about how working with L.A. Reid was a “nightmare” and that Reid did not care about Hip-Hop.
“Def Jam, well I don’t know about Def Jam it’s a big question mark. You know L.A. Reid don’t believe in Hip-Hop, and he’s not committed to Hip-Hop. They got rid of him, so I don’t know who’s coming in, but dealing with him was a nightmare. Not that he’s a bad guy, but to have someone who doesn’t understand the biggest genre in music, how can you not respect our culture? So it all really depends who they put in his place to see whether or not I continue my relationship with Def Jam. “
Now, the former Bad boy has issued an open letter apology to L.A. Reid, for throwing him under the bus.
“I was wrong about my assessment of Chairman Reid. After I stopped being all Carl Thomas emotional and things like that, I thought about the facts. Fact is L.A Reid was there when I was locked, a few feet away from death row and the Black Panthers. L.A. was on the visit floor on Rikers Island looking at me through them blinding bars, showing me he believed in that gang boy revolutionary music I make. A bond forged at the nadir of suffering [that’s] unbreakable. That’s why I chose L.A. Reid over all the other distributors. We already went through it. I’ll never forget what L.A. did for me behind that b-wall. Caged like an animal, stripped of all my rights; he gave me freedom– freedom to follow my vision. Freedom to make my momma smile after so many tears and sleepless nights weeping for her baby boy like Rachel the matriarch weeps for the Israelites.”
Shyne continued to praise L.A. as he spoke on Reid’s involvement on watching over Shyne while he was incarcerated.
“Shyne Po sold almost a million copies from Clinton Maximum Facility with the help of Chairman Reid. Son is one of the best in music–period. More than that, he was the dude that got on the PJ and paid homage to the chief when I was in that cell in them state greens dodging informants and banging on anything that opposed.”
