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Shyne Visits Ukraine to Discuss Changing Roles of Religion in Music

Posted May 4th 2012 10:40AM by Theo Spielberg
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LIOR MIZRAHI/AFP/Getty Images

Rapper-turned-religious man Shyne is not just reformed, he's orthodox. As an Orthodox Jew, the former Bad Boy signee attended the "Global Winds of Change: Religion in Today's World" conference in the Ukraine last week, where he addressed the changing roles of religion in music and the media.

Shyne joined a delegation of leaders from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist communities from around the world when they communed in Kiev, Ukraine. The conference was organized by President of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee and member of Parliament Oleksandr Feldman.

"I use my music as a way to communicate a message of hope and determination," Shyne said to the audience. "My goal is not to preach to someone to behave in a certain way or observe a certain lifestyle. There are many paths to honor God and I try to speak in simple terms to be a good person."

"Shyne shows us how one can thrive in the professional arena without compromising one's personal value system," said MP Feldman. "His story is an inspiration to young people throughout the world."

The 33-year-old Belize native became a member of the Jewish faith while serving a 10-year prison sentence for his part in a 1999 shootout involving the man now known as Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jennifer Lopez, who was in attendance at Club New York in New York City when the incident occurred.

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