The Real Report - Shyne on P.Diddy fallout, serving time in prison, & life after the Bad Boy era

Summary

Podcast Summary: Joe and Jada – The Real Report

Episode: Shyne on P. Diddy Fallout, Serving Time in Prison, & Life After the Bad Boy Era
Release Date: May 4, 2026
Hosts: Fat Joe & Jadakiss
Guest: Shyne (Sean Po, a.k.a. Moses Michael Levi Barrow)

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Overview

This episode of Joe and Jada dives deep into the extraordinary journey of Shyne, the Brooklyn-raised former Bad Boy artist turned Belizean politician. Shyne opens up about his early days hustling in Brooklyn, being signed by P. Diddy at 18, the infamous Club New York shooting, serving a decade in prison, and his transformative return—now as a global statesman and hip-hop elder. The conversation is raw, unfiltered, and interlaced with wisdom, especially for the next generation.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Origins & Brooklyn Attitude

• Shyne reflects on growing up in Brooklyn, “escaping the Brooklyn Vietnam” ([03:02–04:06]), and how this shaped his gritty, fearless energy.

• The panel jokes about the notorious Brooklyn vs. Harlem vibe at Bad Boy, with Shyne's tough persona contrasting with Mase's Harlem swag ([03:10, 10:25]).

  Quote:

  “I stomped down the door, come up... That’s Brooklyn.”
  – Shyne ([03:07])

2. Getting Signed to Bad Boy

• Shyne describes it as a “dream come true” but emphasizes the business mindset he carried into negotiations ([04:42–10:09]).

• Credits industry legends like Chris Lighty, Don Pooh, Manny, and Mark Pitts for his route into the business ([05:53–08:00]).

• Tells of meeting Puff (Diddy), J.Lo, and even running into Eddie Murphy the first time in Beverly Hills ([10:09]).

  Quote:

  “I was always a shrewd businessman… coming from the streets… it was never emotional.”
  – Shyne ([11:04])

3. Creating His Sound & the ‘Bad Boy’ Hit

• Shyne debunks the “Biggie” comparisons—his tone was his own; comparisons, he says, drive artists to distinguish themselves ([07:06–08:00, 15:02–17:24]).

• Candidly shares that Puff picked his breakout beat (Baron Levy), and gives Puff full credit for executive calls ([17:37, 23:05]).

  Quote:

  “I picked every beat of the Shyne album except that beat. And it was Puff… That was actually the first song that I did that was a hit record.”
  – Shyne ([17:37])

  Notable Moment:

  • Admits he wrote a verse for Puff for “Bad Boyz,” but Puff didn’t record it after the case broke ([25:51–26:18]).

4. The Club New York Shooting & Fallout with Diddy

• Shyne recounts the club incident, his arrest, and feeling immediately abandoned by Diddy, who bailed himself out quickly but left Shyne in jail ([26:45–29:01]).

• Manny (not Diddy) bailed Shyne out—a loyalty he never forgot ([27:24–28:39]).

• Shyne sees his actions as loyalty (“I was defending him”), and openly discusses feelings of betrayal when Diddy separated himself legally and financially.

  Quote:

  “They bail out like hours, and I’m sitting in the Tombs... I was cooked.”
  – Shyne ([26:52–29:05])

5. Prison Years: Integrity, Survival, Lessons

• Shyne “blew trial” rather than cooperate; he did the full 10 years, mostly in administrative segregation due to his profile ([33:39–36:52]).

• Stresses the importance of integrity over street glory or snitching ([38:51–39:44]).

• Emphasizes prayer and faith as the foundation of his survival and transformation ([36:52–41:53]).

  Quote:

  “I was loyal to a scumbag, I’m going to be loyal to you [God]… Just let me endure this.”
  – Shyne ([36:52])

6. Life After Prison: Deportation, Faith & Reconciliation

• After his 10-year bid, Shyne was deported to Belize, choosing freedom over fighting his immigration case ([46:36–47:31]).

• Talks about a period of intense religious observance—Orthodox Judaism in Jerusalem ([45:32–46:36], [47:33–50:03]).

• Narrates his eventual contact and public reconciliation with Diddy, including hopes (not realized) for reparations, but “let that go” for his own peace ([50:03–53:14]).

  Quote:

  “I saved his life. He acknowledges that. Yet… I lost 10 years. What could have been. Even if I wasn’t a billionaire, I could have made a hundred [million].”
  – Shyne ([52:14])

7. The Path of Leadership & Redefining Success

• Shyne laments betrayal within his political party, but bounces back, using his 25th album anniversary to re-enter music and inspire others ([61:34–64:59]).

• Shares deep advice for youth: life has no “limit,” only new planets and galaxies to reach, but acknowledges the journey will be painful and difficult ([61:34–65:11]).

• Insists being Black or Brown in America isn’t synonymous with criminality; pushes for global, entrepreneurial, and political ambitions instead ([66:00–68:04]).

  Quote:

  “We deserve to grow old. We deserve to take care of our grandkids... This idea that in order to be African, to be brown and black in America, you have to be a gangster… I reject that. I renounce that. That is a lie.”
  – Shyne ([65:48])

8. Hip-Hop, Redemption & a New Chapter

• Shyne’s return is not about violent bravado, but adult-oriented, world-minded, contemporary hip-hop—a call for elevation ([66:00–68:04]).
• He credits the U.S. system for opportunity, while striving to create similar pathways for Belize ([66:00–68:04]).

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Success & Survival:
  “You gotta be present every day of your bid. I have been present every day of my life.” – Shyne ([41:16])
• On Forgiveness:
  “Forgiveness and moving on was something I did for myself. Wasn’t doing that for him.” – Shyne on reconciling with Diddy ([47:33])
• On Aspirations:
  “No, the sky is just step one. There is no limit... There's no end to what a young person could do out there.” – Shyne ([62:09])
• On the Future of Black & Brown Youth:
  “This idea that… you have to be a gangster... I reject that. That is a lie… You need to be alive. You need to be successful, and you can be.” – Shyne ([66:00])

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Suggested Timestamps for Key Segments

• Brooklyn Roots & Early Grind: [03:02–04:50]
• Getting Signed by Diddy: [04:42–11:04]
• Making the Hit w/ Bad Boy: [17:24–24:17]
• Club New York Fallout: [26:45–29:05]
• Prison Reflections: [33:39–41:53]
• Reconciliation & Life After Prison: [45:32–53:14]
• Advice for Youth and Aspirations: [61:34–68:04]

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Conclusion

This episode is a powerful testament to resilience, integrity, and transformation. Shyne’s candidness about his triumphs, mistakes, and the cost of his loyalty add unique gravity to his journey from the streets of Brooklyn to the halls of government in Belize. The tone is gritty, honest, and motivating—rich with wisdom for young people, artists, and anyone charting a path through adversity. Listeners are left with the message that success is limitless, but never linear or easy, and that true redemption means elevating not just yourself, but your people.

Transcript

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[Interviewer]

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[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

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[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

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[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I can make this a lot harder for all y' all and peace of life to us.

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[Interviewer]

I think it's just that Brooklyn bull you was just on at that time.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I was definitely on that.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

You know, I can see that.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

That's Brooklyn.

[Interviewer]

Of course.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

That's how you have to attitude.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I stomped down the door, come up.

[Interviewer]

And, you know, they was like, oh, here come this, you know, Mace Fly Harlem. Come all you want to. Come all you want to. And then here come this Brooklyn. You know what I'm saying?

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

He didn't get stabbed.

[Interviewer]

Shut the up with that.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Okay. Who get movies with.

[Interviewer]

Here's the talk of New York, and

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

it's the boy, L. J, Lenny, Uncle Murder. Whoa.

[Interviewer]

And right now, it's the real report. And we here with the infamous Sean Po. Make some noise.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Bad boy in the building, man.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

The elder statesman. I, I, I don't think I'm infamous anymore. The, the legendary. I'm more of a legacy.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Yeah.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

The young Sean was infamous, definitely. The elder statesman, you know, presidential rap, prime minister, but, you know, Brooklyn.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, Brooklyn.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

What's going on?

[Interviewer]

Good to be here. Brooklyn in the building.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Brooklyn in the building.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Big Brooklyn.

[Interviewer]

That's right.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

See you on Saturday.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

That's right.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. We in the building in Queens. Queens and Brooklyn is really the same. But I mean, where are we separated? I know Big Queen's gonna be in there, too.

[Interviewer]

We appreciate you doing the show, man.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, yeah. You know, I go back and forth, but definitely I made it a priority to be here.

[Interviewer]

Definitely, yes. I mean, you definitely a legend. You're in the hall of fame.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Amen.

[Interviewer]

In my book. And murder and Amen.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Amen.

[Interviewer]

And it's like when we look at your career, it's like you was 18 years old linking with P. Diddy, Bad Boy, one of the biggest labels of all time.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

How was that?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

That was a dream come true. You know, I can never forget the opportunity that I had and that many of these labels, whether it's Aftermath, Interscope, you know, the Jimmy Iovines, the Dres the Puffys, you know, the Russell Simmons, your queen's brother. That really opened it up for all of us as far as the entrepreneurship and the partnership, corporate America, to take the hip hop culture global. But that was a dream come true. I was definitely infamous back then. Coming off the streets, I just got shot. I was escaping the Brooklyn Vietnam. Brooklyn Vietnam. We call it Brooklyn Vietnam for a reason. So coming to getting discovered by Don Poole, Respect to him. That's my big brother. He's literally been getting money since 88. We're opening the Brooklyn Chop House in Belize, but getting discovered by him and my guy Manny. You know, Manny's Nicki Minaj and Future Keisha Cole, everybody. Yes. And then them taking me to the industry. It was really Chris Lighty.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Okay, Rest in peace.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Rest in peace. To baby Chris, who lit the torch for the shine explosion that took place because initially respected my guy Mark Pitts as well. Because Manny, Don Pooh, Mark Pitts, all that Brooklyn crew. So I was moving around. I rapped for Puff, I rapped for U.N. yes, yes, yes. Pooh was managing. He was involved in Pitts's management company with Big, that Brooklyn thing. And they both from Barbados, I believe, so they had that Bayesian connection. But basically. So I was moving around. I rap for hov, I rap for Puff, I rap for UN Everybody was like, yeah, yeah, you nice. But nothing really happened. Nobody was sending the. The agreement to my lawyer, Matt Middleton, at the time.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Was you hearing back then, when you was rapping for these dudes not to cut you off, that you had a Biggie vibe?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Nobody even thought about that.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Okay.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

They was just hearing the bars.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

All right, got you.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

And so, again, I just got shot. I'm coming off the streets. My energy was so convincing. I could sell water to a well. When you hear those bars, because I'm talking about my real life, and I'm so passionate and so much conviction. Everybody just thought I was nice, right? Everybody thought I was nice. And I think proof of that is the fact that I'm still a legend to this day and that we just sold out King's Theater after, you know, not being here for 25 years. And. And I could go to LA and walk in the studio with Dr. Dre. Dre don't even, you know, talk to people.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Definitely.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

But that's because of the legend and what the music ended up sounding like.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Definitely.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Ultimately. Because when you're. When you first get in the studio, you gotta find your voice. When, you know, 51st came out, some people might have said, he sound like he had a mace thing or a whole thing because of the tone of his voice. But that wasn't 50's 50. And he went on to make some of the greatest albums ever. Fab. When Fab first came out again, the tone of his voice, people are quick to associate you, you know, with whoever's the popular voice, right? But the baritone is still the baritone. It hasn't changed all these years longer. But no, it was a dream come true. It was a dream come true. But it was Chris Lighty that made that dream come true. He hit my guy, Eric Nix, who was again a part of that Brooklyn conglomerate, and said, you know, tell Sean. I keep hearing about this kid Sean. Tell him, come to Varick Street. That was where Def Jam was. So I went to Varick street and he said, all right, yeah, I've been hearing a lot about you. I want to, you know, we'll play this DAT tape for this. This new producer, Swizz Beats, he played Swiss Beats. Yes. And I went in and he was just like, you're not leaving here until you sign the deal. And he took me to Liar's office. I spit for him, wrapped his head off, and that was it. Literally, as soon as I left the office, we didn't have any WhatsApp. Then we had the heavy phone. We had the StarTAC. So the StarTAC was. I don't even think the STARTAC was out yet. But anyway, the phone was ringing and it was like, yo, Puff wants you to come to California asap. And that was like, right before Christmas. He said, as soon as the Christmas vacation is done, he want to fly you out to Cali so we could close. Close the deal. So it was really Chris. And then when I went to la, went to Beverly Hills Hotel, as soon as I'm walking in, Eddie Murphy's walking out of the elevator. I never forget. I never forget. I could smell the Beverly Hills Hotel right now. And I'd never been anywhere outside of.

[Interviewer]

And that's the first person you see is Eddie Murphy. I know.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

He was like, yeah. And I'd never been anywhere outside of Brooklyn until this point, except for, you know, going to Belize on vacation. So I went to the Record Plant. Puff and JLO were at the Record Plant. Puff was recording the Godzilla single. It was a Godzilla movie that came out. And he was executive producer of the soundtrack. So he's rapping in the booth. He comes out, he's like, yeah, listen, man, you know, I know everybody after you. I told you then you was nice. I'M telling you now, let's sign a deal. I really don't want to chase. So I was like, yeah, let's do it. It's a bad boy. That was the number one record company at the time. But I was always a shrewd businessman. I just always. It was never emotional. And then coming from the streets, like, literally, friends, brains on your shoulder, no father, watching my mother struggle. He's not necessarily heartless, but it's like, there's never any emotions. And it's always. I was always thinking business. So I kept asking the lawyers because they kept hitting the lawyers. So then when I went out to California, that. That flood. So then they kept calling. I'm like, well, okay, well, this is what Puff is saying. Tell him you want five times that. And I said, well, tell him you want 10 times that. And Russell Leor and Chris were so cold. They came to Puff's house in Mulholland Drive. He was having an event. Just. It was. I think it was Soul Train week. Chris Tucker, all the basketball players there playing basketball. Everybody there. He pull up. I'm like, puff, I'm just gonna have a word with these gentlemen. Let them know signing with you, but thank them for their interest. I left and I never came back. I came back to get my stuff and I moved in the Peninsula Hotel. I had them rent me like a six hundreds. And I was just going to iceberg store at an iceberg store on Melrose at that time. Every day, getting fresh. And I was like, I'm going with the money, right? The deal that they made, even I ended up with a deal that no new artist has ever gotten. I don't know if it's changed now. And I left. Me and Eric Nicks left after like a week or two. And I moved into the St. Regis Hotel, waiting for the deal to close. Go see John McNeil, that was Chris's financial manager. Collect my money every week. And then one day I just woke up and I was like. I called Mark Pitts. I was like, I'm assigned the bad boy. And we did the deal in a few days because had I gone to Def Jam, you got to remember, Fox had Hov Nas, she had a team. X had D Y Swiss, they had a team, right? Hov had Dame Biggs, Biha, Clark Kent, Irv Gotti. I wasn't ready. I needed to be developed. And I'm not sure. I'm not sure if Violator would have done that for me. I'm just not sure. And then I didn't just need to be developed. I wanted to be a superstar. I wanted to be exactly what I am now. And I felt that Puff gave me that. He gave me a ten year sentence too. And a lot of heartache and pain and tragedy. But I got that information. I got to be around one of the greatest ever. No matter how I feel about him as a human being, as an entertainer, as an executive, he is one of the greatest ever.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah, you definitely can't take nothing from that. Yeah, I just wanted to know how you felt because it's like when you came with the hit record. Baron Levy, I believe Bad Boy like that Big, everything was. Cause remember, I think Big. Did Big just die around that time.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

He died not too long ago in 97. God bless his soul. 3-9-97. Bad Boys came out in 2000. So about three years later, June 2000, I'll never forget it when. When Funk Flex broke that record, right?

[Interviewer]

And we were still kind of mourning from Big. And you and Big have a good

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

same comparison, same baritone, deep voice, both from the Caribbean. He's from Jamaica, I'm from Belize, definitely. And you come from Brooklyn, Big. Brooklyn.

[Interviewer]

Brooklyn too. And the style was similar because y' all had the Jamaican, you know, culture shit going on in it. But when you came with that, it was like, yo, we had to. It was like, come on, this is a fucking hit, bro.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. And you gotta understand, I always use the Kobe example, but I think I used some good rap examples. Like Fab is one of the nicest ever, period. He's in the hall of Fame, right? Forget about commercial, forget about pop, straight hip hop, Fabulous will go down as one of the nicest ever, right? When you go down to 50, 50's one of the greatest icons of hip hop, of music or entertainment, period. What he's been able to accomplish on the business and to run film, Hard Rock Cafe, I mean, you know, it was just so much. And he's still going, he's still popping up in Vegas, you know, spitting. That's real hip hop, right? So what I'm saying is many of the greatest started with comparisons. But I think the comparisons inspire us to work hard to separate ourselves and to establish our identity. And I believe you look at Kobe. When Kobe first came into the league, Kobe was coming off the bench. Shaq was a superstar. And everybody said Kobe wanted to be Mike. But now when I think of Kobe, I think of Kobe and Mike is my goat. But it's debatable whether Kobe is the goat, right? Yeah, yeah, I hear you. I hear you, you know. But listen, respect, respect. LeBron, my guy. I got a brother, he's from Ohio, from Columbus, Ohio. His name is Jeffrey Schottenstein. Big respect to the American Eagle people. They own American Eagle, and they real close with Bron. And Bron got love for Sean, too. So, most respectfully, I'm mj, but, you know, respect the Braun.

[Interviewer]

Definitely respect all of them. Three goats. So what was the thought process?

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Playoffs, man.

[Interviewer]

Cause that was like a different kind of record to come up with the Baron Levy, you know what I mean? The beat. Who made the beat? Like, what made you?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Again, I'm always honorable, always the utmost integrity, and I give the flowers where the flowers belong. I picked every beat of the Shine album except that beat. And it was Puff. They gave me that beat. That was actually the first song that I did that was a hit record. The other songs, I was finding myself. I was. You know, there had some controversy the other day when I was on It Is what It Is. And I was really telling the story not to degrade anyone, not to talk about my hit list. I wasn't stunting a popping style. I was telling a story of a young man who had nothing and got a million dollars and went nuts. And by me going crazy as far as just out here buying Cristal, going to the Gucci store, crashing the 600, and just living a movie, I wasn't paying attention to my craft. And so when I was going in the studio, the results were consistent with someone that wasn't focused, with someone that wasn't working hard, someone that was not exactly except what I came here for. So by the time. So the whole 99 I spent being Alpo before he snitched, Rich Porter, Az, Frank Matthews, you know, living the life. Living the life, Right.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Chasing Brand.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. Just being a straight ghetto movie superstar. Right, Melissa, Right?

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

So, yeah, like, it was so bad, as I mentioned, and I was even with the boss's man, which those are things you don't do. I rap about it on the Life. You don't do that. How do you come to the label and you just taking everybody down? That was suicide. And that's the only reason I told that story. So the music reflected the lack of effort, the lack of focus. But then when I got to 99, after I had that interaction where, you know, somebody told me some things I didn't want to hear, and it really shocked me, and it really devastated me. And I was like, you know what? I'm gonna show you. I went to Puff, like, January, it's like, listen, man, you know, please, I need the Holy Grail. Need you to give me the blueprint. I need the instruction manual. Let's do what we came for. And so I shadowed him the entire 99 until the club New York incident happened. Day in, day out, just as a protege, just learning everything. And that's how we got the. The Bad Boy record done, because we were in the Hamptons working on his album forever. And, you know, I did reverse wrote his. I think I wrote his record on reverse.

[Interviewer]

1920. At this point,

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I'm near, like, 20.

[Interviewer]

Probably 20 Hamptons. Will puff.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. Oh, I mean, no, it was. It was a movie. But that's why I stuck Def Jam up so crazy, because it was a movie. Like, you. You on a private plane going back from Soul Train to the Grammys and then back to California. You in the car with JLo, you at dinner with Sally. Sally Jesse, whatever her name is. Like, it's, you know, you playing basketball with Chris Tucker.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Yeah.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Dream come true. Yeah. So, yeah, you know, Puff, again, I never saw any of the things that he's accused of. And, you know, it's none of my business. I really don't care. Other than some of the things that, throughout the situation were brought up that he did to me as far as calling people to testify against me and really working with the DA to make sure that I went to jail and he didn't go to jail. Whereas if all of us are here and heaven forbid anything should ever go wrong, we would just be defending ourselves and we should go to trial and say, listen, Yayo was defending himself. Murder was defending himself. Sean was defending himself. And that's what I maintain to this day. If Puff fired the gun, if Puff was the person that shot that woman, he was defending himself. And he did not do that intentionally. To this day, as much as I don't appreciate what he did to me, that is my position to this day.

[Interviewer]

So.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, but the point I was making is he gave me that record. He was the greatest at the time. Nobody did it like Russell did it. He took what Russell did and put it on steroids. Of course, as far as getting into pop culture and just merging pop culture with rap culture and still being hip hop.

[Interviewer]

I mean, at that time, Bad Boy ran the game. You had total over there. You had black rock, everybody.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

And he was rest in peace to Rabio Bi. The locks, Mace. And he was producing. Everybody was producing. Missy Mary, Mary can't take nothing away from Puff. Yes, right. And he was keeping it hip hop. So he was pop, but he was also ghetto. And he got that from a person that doesn't get enough credit. Andre Harrell, remember, Andre Harrell was on that uptown, Rest in peace facts, Rest in peace, Hip hop, corporate. Like, he didn't make it as a rapper, but he had the Rolex, you know, with the suit, and that was his thing. So, you know. Yeah, but he gave me that song in the Hamptons. We were working on the Forever album. Everybody was out there. Mafia was out there. Everybody was out there respecting my guy Cease. And he gave me the. He gave me the song. He gave me the beat. He was like, listen. So that beat might have been for Forever, but being the genius that he was, he was like, let me get this to Sean. If Sean could.

[Interviewer]

He could see me, see if he fuck with it. He just got that laying in the chambers.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

If he could body this. That's what he told me. He said, listen, if you could body this gone outta here. And then respectfully, he said, who's the guy that go, oh. I'm like, yeah, it's Barrington Levy.

[Interviewer]

Dangerous. Dangerous.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

And that is a Caribbean icon like Barrington been singing before I was born. He was my mother's favorite, and he was my favorite. So, yeah, that was all Puff. And I went and I did what I had to do, and everybody went crazy. And respectfully, New York was loving it.

[Interviewer]

Cause the whole Jamaican culture.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

But before New York got it, Bad Boy was going crazy. Oh, of course, because I was shaky at Bad Boy when I came in. It was like I was just offending everybody. I was offending the boss. I was offending the. The superstar player, Mace. Even though me and Mace, we got really close after the fact. But I was just on one. And so when people are upset with you, you can't do anything right. So everything soundtracks, you think.

[Interviewer]

It's just that Brooklyn bullshit. You was just on at that.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I was definitely on that.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

You know, I can see that.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

That's Brooklyn.

[Interviewer]

Of course.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

That's how you got your attitude.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I see stomp down the door, come

[Interviewer]

up and you know, like, oh, here come this, you know, Mace fly, Harlem come all you want to Come on you want to. And then here come this Brooklyn. You know what I'm saying?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

But. But, yeah, everybody was excited, man. But the. The second verse, if you listen to the second verse closely, I wrote the second verse for Puff. Minx Dragon on the floor Banging on your second to Christ Scientists examining for flaws Porter Cristal on the way to trial Rico law got my head hurt Sweating till They pull the curtain.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

You wanted Puff to go in to say that?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I wrote that for him.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Facts.

[Interviewer]

That was before the case, too, right?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Before the case, August 1999. So he never got a chance to do his verse. And when we caught the case, he was like, under the bus, you go, I want nothing to do with you.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Cause that was. Yo, listen. Yo, listen. Once you got a shooting and you got Puff Daddy and JLO there, and what was that club? I forgot the Club New York. Club New York was popping. That was like.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

On the front of the Daily News.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Did you find out during that case, though, like, as far as. Oh, damn, Puff switching sides.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Oh, it was from the start. It was from the start because, as I said, when I say under the bus, you go, literally. We all got knocked. They bail. Bail out, like hours. And I'm sitting in the Tombs, and I'm calling Daddy's house. I'm calling Puff's house, and nobody's taking my call. No one is answering me. I sat in the Tombs for a

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

week without speaking to nobody, right?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

But I was talking to Matt Middleton, and Manny bailed me out. My guy Manny. That's why he's my brother to this day. Funny story.

[Interviewer]

Shout out to Manny from Brooklyn, what was your bail? Like, a million? Half a million at the time.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I don't even remember.

[Interviewer]

Cause it was a crazy shooting.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Whatever it was, Puff could afford to pay for it.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah, definitely.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

But funny story. And when I say Manny's my guy to this day, when I was in the P. Now, Dr. Dre wanted me to do a record for a young kid by the name of the game. This is before anybody even heard of the game. They wanted me again. They said that game. And I spoke to Game the other day, so it's all love. So Dre sent me the record. Not sent it to me, but reached out and said, listen, we had record, but you can only do our record. You can't do a record with anybody else for this kid. The game. And Manny and Ron Fair said, we got a record for this young lady by the name of Keisha Cole. And I had to choose, and I chose Manny because he bailed me out. And that's a difficult choice because Dr. Dre has always been Dr. Dre, and Dr. Dre will always be Dr. Dre. But I had to chose.

[Interviewer]

Shout to Dre. But you had to choose.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I had to choose my guy to bail me out, and he's my brother to this day.

[Interviewer]

Shout out to Manny. That's crazy, because I know Manny's looking like you thinking P. Diddy. You calling P. Diddy? You trying to get bailed out? This. This word?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

20, 30.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Respectfully, Manny was always getting money.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Of course.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. So he put one of the houses up, and, you know, he made sure I was good.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Did you finally.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Oh, so, yeah, when I got out, I knew. I already knew I was under the bus.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

All right.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

The fact that Manny had to bail me out, I was cooked. And. And you know what the lawyer was communicating to me? Because I was standing in one of Puff's apartments and, you know, said, listen, moved all your stuff out. I had to send my uncle to

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

get my Puff move. Just people.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

He had his.

[Interviewer]

You gotta think. You gotta think about this. You gotta. To the club we in the most. Listen.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, but I was defending him.

[Interviewer]

No, no, no, no. I know you was defending.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I saw somebody. I saw somebody mention that. Oh, the kids from Brooklyn were trying to get at me. Oh, Nino, Scar. The kids that were arguing with him were my guys. I saw them maybe an hour before in the club. And everybody's like, yeah, Sean, we so proud of you. We can't wait until you really, you know, get there. We know you got us, and we got you.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

They all know Manny and all that.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

That's a fact.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. So that's. That's ridiculous. But I don't know what happened. As we're walking out, they get to arguing. Money get the flying. And people start saying, they gonna kill me. They gonna kill Puff. Because Scar said to me, pope, you gonna go with him over us. Like, basically, they expected that I was supposed to, like, kind of just disappear. When the argument started, I was supposed to be like, you know what?

[Interviewer]

No. Puff was like, get out my way. I got JLo with me. And then them. Like, what? Yeah, I mean, it's a certain way,

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

you know, because guys in the street are getting money, too.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Sometimes that's. They get millions a week.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Millions.

[Interviewer]

Till this day. I carry myself like that. I could be in a spot, and it could be niggas, I don't know. They temple. I don't know where they from, but these can niggas be. To get money from the town and I'm coming move out the way. Like ain't trying to hear that. And escalate to a shootout. I know once he heard somebody got hit in the face, an innocent bystander. Oh, yeah. Leave Sean up in there. Call the lawyer, separate the case. You know how that shit.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

So you ain't even speak to him after when you Got back.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I did not, I did not speak to him. He remember, we're on trial together. So even when we go to court for pre trial for everything, before we even get to jury selection, you still gotta go to court to set the trial date and to do all these things. No conversation. And if it wasn't for Wolf, I would've never got to release my album.

[Interviewer]

Rest in peace, Wolf.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Rest in peace. To Anthony Wolf Jones, my big brother, he was the one. So it was like, this is, I get bailed out January. It wasn't until February, like the end of February that he said to Puff, you are gonna put his album out. I don't care what we're gonna have. You're gonna have a problem with me. I'm sorry, Sean. Album coming out. And he made sure that I got that opportunity. And so they finally called me to Bad Boy Records. That was in the BMG building on Broadway and 45th, I believe. And so I went there and the first record they played for me that I picked was the Life, that was from Nashee Merrick, Hitman. And then if you listen to that album and that song, I'm kind of rapping about Puff, I was like, it was alright till I got caught. Charged with a 8:48 behind Marion Steel Gates. They started snitching, acting bizarre, driving my cars, hitting my bras, breaking the laws. Same people. I got money, took care, was on. Some funny thing, if I was different, I snitch. What would you do if you got millions with people and they had no love for you, Couldn't pay for your lawyer. Figured why sit in the cell a rot? I'll be out in 10, throw the boys in the pot. But I couldn't do it. And you wouldn't understand if you ain't been through it. There's rules to this. I couldn't break them. Death before dishonor. Until I meet Satan, I know he waiting, you know what I mean? That's what y' all gonna get. May 2nd.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, May 2nd got one of the realest stories in the culture. So this is what I gotta know. Because there's a difference between jail and prison. You know, jail is fucking Rikers Island. Prison is Attica.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know what I'm saying? What jails you went to and what was your mental state coming off of having the biggest records in the world? You down with Puff, he didn't pay your bill. Now you blew trial or did you cop out to that 10? You blew trial.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I blew trial. I took it to trial. I didn't cooperate the district attorney at the time. And I just want to put in perspective everything that I say I'm saying from a historical perspective as far as just sharing the information. I don't glorify definitely anything that I may have done as a youth. And even that night I was defending myself and the victim said that Puff shot her, not me. So I always maintained that I was not responsible for injuring any of those people and that I was defending myself. So I just, you know, I went to my primary school today, P.S. 92 in Brooklyn. It's the first school I went to as a immigrant fresh off the coconut boat. And I, I gave a speech and you know, I just want to make sure it's always clear that we're just sharing with the youth so that the youth could have the benefit of our stories, that they don't make the mistakes or find themselves in the situations that we found ourselves in because we're here to make sure that they don't have to go through what they went through. But yeah, it was, it was the most devastating period of my life. I don't think anything was worse other than maybe being poor growing up in Brooklyn. But I think even being incarcerated was worse because you don't have your freedom. And at least poverty here is terrible. But I have the freedom to dream. I have the freedom to pursue that and get out of poverty. I did the whole 10. There was not a day off. I didn't get a furlough.

[Interviewer]

What's the first prison you went to?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

The first correctional facility was Clinton, Denemora, Mumiabu, Jamal, Tupac Shakur, Old Dirty Bastard. That's where they send all of the Son of Sam. That's where they sent all of the high profile people. And so I was an admin seg my entire bid. So they have like an admin segment block for all of the. The mafia bosses. The guys that told on the mafia bosses.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, because you have a profile at this point.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. So JLo. But then when I got to the end of my incarceration, I asked to go to general population to go to a medium and they let me go to medium. But like a medium where you can only get in the medium if you're honor and you know, you conducting yourself in a way that you want to go home. But even then it's always a risk, it's always a toss up. But I don't want to stunt that. Oh, I did my bid in general pop. No, I was in admin se. I was isolated and as I said with the mob bosses, with some of the informants, you know, people that were high profile, that had heinous crimes. Yeah, it was terrible. It was. I mean, to go.

[Interviewer]

What you go through and you got to do 10 and you, like, on top of the world. You with the biggest label. Yeah, to do 10 like I did, it was.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

It was devastating. But, you know, the first night when I was in the Tombs, I get on, I kneel down and I pray. Because I've been praying since I got shot when I was 15 or 16. So prayer for me is a real thing now. I don't pray because I'm holy. I don't pray because I am a pontiff or some, you know, religious figure. I pray to survive Brooklyn because Brooklyn was a war ground where I grew up from Flatbush Church Avenue, which is why performing at King's Theater is so surreal. King's Theater was not even operable back then. King's Theater was abandoned. But anyway, I started praying from young just to survive Brooklyn. So my first night in the Tombs, I knelt down and I prayed and I said to God, you know, yeah, I think tears rolling down my eyes, it was a lot. I said, yeah, all right, we here. But check this out. I was loyal to a scumbag. I'm going to be loyal to you. Because before I went away, thanks to Wolf and thanks to God, I prayed, just let me get my album out, let me do my numbers and let me become shine. Because once I do that, then I would have accomplished my dreams and I could take care of Mama Love. She'll be all right. And no matter what, my name will live forever. Because I would been able to put out a classic album and etch my name in the pantheons of hip hop. And I knew I would live forever because I kept my integrity and I didn't make up a lie or I didn't try to get my friends in trouble, to get myself out of trouble. And as a New York kid, I knew that I would be a legend no matter what.

[Interviewer]

Because of course.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Right.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Of course I know Rat.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Right? Right.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Even though some sucky shit was done

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

to you growing up in New York, that meant everything. That meant everything. Like you couldn't live with yourself if you were a rodent. And a rodent is not. I'm not. Again, I'm not trying to glorify these things. It's just to this day, you're a rodent. If you get elected to the House of Representatives and you're not honorable and you break your oath of office, and turn on your people. You're a rat.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Yes.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

So. So that's what I mean. Street.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

And you're doing street. And you people, you're.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

You got to have integrity. But I prayed to God and I said, you know what? I'm going to be loyal. You gave me everything that I asked you for. I'm an immigrant kid from Belize who was able to have my wildest dreams come true.

[Interviewer]

Yep.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

And, wow, I thank you for that. I said that while facing. I was facing 25 years because I blew trial facts. And I said, you know, I'm not gonna turn on you. All I ask is just let me endure this. If I never sell another record, if I have to do the whole 10, just allow me to endure this. Let me not die in here. Because that's what people don't understand. You go to jail, you might die in jail. Even in admin segment, the conditions ain't great. But even in admin seg, someone may send a hit. Someone that's doing life, you know, might wake up one day and not take his meds and want to off you, or you might have to take someone out. And then definitely when I got to the medium, it was. It was serious because you had guys in there doing life that, you know, may have given their life back or guys in there that did 30 or had a 25 to life and did the 25, and now they looking to go home. Any number can play at any time. And so I prayed to God to just please allow me to endure and not lose my mind. And that's how I left it. I said, if I never sell another record, if I'm never famous again, it's okay. I'll be loyal to you. And I kept praying. That's why I always tell people, you gotta be present every day. I was present every day of my bid. I have been present every day of my life up to this day, no matter what is. And not just with prayer, but because you pray and then you got to listen, Right? Because God talks to us. So you can't pray and then do what you want to do, because then God gonna pull back and be like, all right, champ, figure it out. Right? You got it. Go ahead.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Did Puff look out for when you came home? I saw y' all hanging out a little. Not. I'm not gonna say hanging out, but

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[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

I sent y' all in the public eye.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah. You know, you know what happened the first time I reconciled with Puff, I was in Jerusalem. So if you remember, your man 50 used to get me real good with those pictures when I. When I had that. When I had the side curls and I had the religious.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah, I remember you.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

But, you know, we was going at it, right? So.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I remember you when 50 was going it. Came home.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, it was all. So it was all. It was all, you know, Sean had some.

[Interviewer]

Disrespectful.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, I was, I was wild. Disrespectful. But, yeah, I was wild. Yeah. No, so we. And with 50s, the king was disrespectful. So we was. And. But so I think we. We went at it while I was away, and then when I came out, I think. I think that's why I lost my vocal cords, because I'm gonna answer your question right now. But when I came out, I was on Tupac, but then I just did 10 years, you know, spiritual, you know, enduring, praying, you know, it's like. And then I came out on my Tupac thing from Belize. I didn't even get a chance to come to the States because I got deported because I didn't want to do it.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. How did you feel like when you.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

That was devastating. That was devastating.

[Interviewer]

You know, it's your last day because I seen this. Being locked up.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Not. No. Ten years.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Little bit.

[Interviewer]

The baby be. Yeah, two years, the most. Right. I've seen, like, you know, people be on their last day, and they. I'm like, where they going? Oh, ins waiting for. How did that feel? Do 10 years, and now you got to leave the country, get deported.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, that. Well, listen, my lawyers wanted me to fight for my freedom and to get a bill pending my immigration case, which I believe I could have gotten, but I would have had to stay a few more weeks. I couldn't do it. So when you asked me how I felt, I didn't want to do another day in captivity. So I told him, listen, send me to Belize. I prefer to be free. And I'll make my way back. I make my way back. I didn't think it would take 13 years to make my way back, but

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

I thought Puff gave you a bag when you came home.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I'm like, no, no. So when you saw me. So to answer your question, when you saw me, I was in Jerusalem, so I was doing my spiritual journey. I was Orthodox Jew throughout my entire incarceration, rapping tefillin, keeping Shabbat. I didn't even use the phone, do anything on the Sabbath. I ate kosher. I was wearing sits. I was doing everything because being a Jew has no race. So when people say, oh, how as a black person you then become Muslim is because Muslims believe in the five books of Moses, too. So religion is not a race. Anybody could be a Jew. You just have to practice and, you know, depending on what type of Jew you want to be, it's like Catholicism or Christianity. There. There's Orthodox Christians. There's. Anyway, when you saw me with Puff, I was in Jerusalem. I was going through my spiritual journey, and I just felt that forgiveness and moving on was something I did for myself. Wasn't doing that for him. And I was taking a hiatus from the industry. And when I initially came out in 2009, I was going hard on everybody. On him, on 50, on Drake, on Ross. I was just arguing with everybody. I was mad. It was terrible. But then I was on that Brooklyn. Well, listen, so. So it was 2012, I believe, or 2000. Yeah, 2012. When I reached out to him, I just cold. I just made a cold call. He actually had the same number, and he answered. I was like, listen, you know, let's sit down. And then when I went to see him in Paris, that's when you see me with the. With the Jew curls and the long robe and the high socks. Like, I was on it. Yeah. So we went. We. I went to the La Maurice and we met at the La Maurice. And the interesting thing with Puff, he's so the lama. Reese is like, yeah, you know, I'm sorry, man. You know, it's the lawyers. The lawyers made me do it. But don't worry, we gonna make everything right. And I'm like, yeah, you know, my brother. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So your question was, yo, you got a couple of million?

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Hold on, hold on.

[Interviewer]

That's my question. Make everything right.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

That's. That's definitely.

[Interviewer]

What's that? Two, three. No, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

So. Hold on. So, you know, Cassie talks about in her. In her lawsuit about violence and things happening. And then, you know, he would spend a million, half a million to, you know, cover everything up. And while I was there, everybody was getting a Rolex that weekend. He was taking everybody for Rolex and he took Cassie to get. You know, he blew like a half a million dollars on Cassie. So I saw that. So I'm like, okay, you about to make my Rolex. My Rolex is coming in the.

[Interviewer]

In the buddy.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, yeah. No, listen. When they went. When they went to get the Rolexes, I think I was late. I was late.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

I could have got one.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

You saying, no, no, no. I was told that my Rolex was going to be sent to me. Yeah, my Rolex was going to be sent to me in Belize. And, man, when I got to Belize, no ry.

[Interviewer]

Just for Cassie.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

No rly.

[Interviewer]

Just for.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Hold on, cuz. I thought. I thought I was going to get the broly. Get the million. I thought I was going to get my payment if. If Cassie getting a half for my. For my 10. I was saying a light one cash and then maybe one every year for the rest of my life.

[Interviewer]

Girls before the bros. You know how.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

No, not. Not for the bro. That. Not for the bro. That not for the bro.

[Interviewer]

I mean, that's what he's saying. Hold on.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Not for the bro. Not for the bro.

[Interviewer]

That's how these. Bro.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Not for the bro. But not for the bro that put you in a position to have your freedom so that you could spend a half a million on the girls. And so what I'm saying is, even if it's a mill. And listen, all right, you know what? I'll put you on a payroll for Bad boy forever. For the rest of your life, you get 100 grand.

[Interviewer]

But when you look at that, you gotta know from the beginning that that nigga wasn't what he was gonna do. You got JLo. You and him on the front page of the Daily News every fucking day.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Sean is a young from Brooklyn. Shoot a yo, let that nigga eat the case. You know, that was.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, yeah. But we got past that. We got past that. I saved his life. He acknowledges that. Yet, you know, I'm sorry. I messed up. I shouldn't have did it the way that I did it. He's free for all of the years to put himself in a position for Ciroc, for Sean John, for all the things that he did. I lost 10 years. 10 years. And what could have been. Even if I wasn't a billionaire, I could have made a hundred.

[Interviewer]

He could have gave you a million for every year, and that would have been light work. But that's just how industry dudes.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

No, that's how he is. Right? And so what I'm saying is, fine. When I saw that it wasn't going that way, you know, I went on my Brooklyn thing again. Even in my religious phase, I was like. I was. You know, I went. I went nuts. And I was like, man, whatever. But then I got to a point. I did get to a point. I'll tell you this. I went nuts on him. And then I got to a point, like, around 2014, 2015, I gone back to Belize. And that's when I got into politics. I got out of the religious. I'm. I'm still like. I still light a candle on Shabbat. I still rap my Tefillin every day. I still fast on Yom Kippur. I still, you know, I'm Moses. Of course, I'm gonna always be Moses, and I always apply the sciences of Moses. But I'm just. I'm about bringing people together. We talked about that in the. In the green room. I'm the elder statesman, and I'm Moses. I'm here to bring everybody together. Moses married an Ethiopian. Moses father was the. One of the biggest Apollo theists, and he brought everybody together. So, you know, my thing when I got to Belize and I was focused on serving the people of Belize, I'd gotten out of religion, and I was focused on Belize, Belize, Belize. Because Belize has so much potential, but not the leaders that could take them to that potential. And I knew that was my calling. And so while I was going through that, I had the time in Jerusalem, which was great. I would never change that for anything, because Jerusalem is the center of the universe for Jews, Muslims, Christians, Catholics. Everybody goes to Jerusalem. And when I got to a point of serving the people of Belize, before I got elected in 2020. So I served six years in the community before I got elected. But I just got to a point where I was like, you know what? I need to let that go. No money, nothing. Just let that go. Just let that go. Just focus on the people of Belize and just let that go, right? It can't help, it can only hurt. Let all of that go. Don't argue with anybody. Don't have anything with anybody. Focus on the people of Belize. And I was better off for it, but I let it go. Let it go. I didn't let it go like, yeah, maybe I'll get the million now. And so when you saw me with him at the BET Awards, he begged me to do that. He begged me to do that. And I was thinking about Belize when I did that, if you remember the performance, the biggest flag of Belize that you ever are going to see dropped on the stage and he's like, belize, Belize. And before the rico, he was Puff Daddy, one of the most famous people on planet Earth. And so using, using that stage to promote Belize was a no brainer. But it wasn't like, oh, it was you and your man. I wasn't at Thanksgiving, I wasn't at the Christmas party. You know, he didn't come to Belize. We wasn't rolling like that. But when I got elected to the House of Representatives and I got my diplomatic visa, that's another thing. He didn't get me a visa, I got a diplomatic visa. But in all respect to him, when I was planning my diplomatic tour as the opposition leader of the House of Representatives in Belize, I reached out to him and said, listen, any politicians, anybody that you know, let me know so I could put them on my itinerary because I want to meet with all these people for the sake of Belize. So in all fairness to him and his guy Corey, Corey Jacobs, they put me with the, a great conglomerate of musicians like Dallas Austin and Sean Garrett, along with my sister to this day, Erica, I don't want to say her name wrong, Erica Thomas, I believe she was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. And so they have this thing, whereas members of Kathleen Bruton and Dallas Austin and I think even like Shaka Zulu and I think even maybe Jermaine and Michael B. Cox were part of it at one point, if not still, along with all these members of the Georgia House and Senate, right? So that was great for me to meet with them on behalf of Belize and put that together. So he did put me with them. But you can't get a diplomatic visa Unless you're a member of the House of Representatives and the State Department of Homeland Security, don't play. I have friends in governments throughout the Caribbean that are ministers that don't get a diplomatic visa. So I had a relationship with the State Department and Homeland Security for years because I was the government's ambassador. But my pops, who, you know, him, and I have always had a shaky relationship to this day. I don't really want to get into that now, though, I'm going to ease him. But when he was prime minister, he refused to appoint me to the UN So that I could get the diplomatic passport and visa. And as I said, in fairness to him, the Americans let who they want to let come to their country. So if they felt, you know what? Nah, we're not going to give you the visa. They weren't. So nobody could get you a diplomatic visa. And now I am here on an extraordinary ability visa 01, because I won Grammys, so millions of records. And the time of my deportation is 16 years ago. So my ban, I think, was like 10 years. So I qualify on all grounds. And then I've had a stellar record as a diplomat. Meeting with Republicans, with Democrats. To this day, I have friendships with Republicans. The ambassador that just got appointed by President Trump, he's from South Carolina, and I met him through a Democratic state member of the House. Because when I was honored in the South Carolina Capitol, I made sure to ask my Democratic friends to let me meet the Republicans. Because governments change, right? Minorities and majorities change. And I want it to be that no matter who is the president, no matter who is the House Majority leader, I have a relationship for the sake of the Belizean people. And that worked because even though President Biden. I got my diplomatic visa under President BIDEN, I got my 01 under President Trump, right? And if President Trump asked me to come to Mar a Lago tomorrow, I'll go on behalf of the Belizean people. Just as if President Biden would have invited me to the White House of

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Kamala would have mad at you.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

No, no, no. I support Hakeem Jeffries is my guy. He war with Trump all the time. But Hakeem Jeffries just gave me a proclamation for my 25th anniversary of the Shine album. The borough President Reynoso is my brother. He just gave me the key to Brooklyn on Saturday and declared April 25th. Declared Brooklyn.

[Interviewer]

You know, not to cut you off, man, but it's like you went through being a megastar on one of the biggest labels ever, doing 10 years in prison. Right. Didn't get deported, didn't turn into politicians and shout to police. I heard it's a beautiful country, my paradise.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

You gotta come.

[Interviewer]

My family just went there. I heard they got beautiful beaches, beautiful land. I heard it's like. It's beautiful. Paradise. And now you're, like, in the government, you know, doing state stuff. Like, what would you tell the kids? Because, you know, it's still crazy stuff.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Well, I lost. I lost my seat in the House of Representatives, which is why I returned to the stage. I lost my seat March 12, 2025, last year. Stole the seat from me. My own people, the people in my own political party stole the seat from me. But again, never to sit there and cry and be sad. I came up with a plan. I said, it's my 25th anniversary. I got a few years until the next elections. You know what? I'm going celebrate my 25th anniversary a shine, and I'm going to return to the stage. And remember, I put out the Hulu documentary again, respect to 50 and Alex, who did their Reckoning documentary. I got the honorable documentary on Hulu that I put out 2024. And when I put out that documentary, I had told Disney that I was going to put out an album, the Honorable Album. But I couldn't do it because I was so focused on policy and being the leader of the opposition. The leader of the opposition in Belize is the prime minister in waiting. So you're an election away from being the prime minister of a country. And I took that very serious on behalf of hip hop, on behalf of myself, but on behalf of hip hop, that I couldn't disappoint hip hop, that we get an opportunity to do something that is beyond the culture, and we make the culture look bad because we're not prepared, because we're not proficient. So I said, you know what? I'm going to focus and be the best political leader that I could be, and there'll come a time for the music again, if that's what God wants. And so when the opportunity came, I said, ah, you know what? I got time. Definitely, I got time today. And that's how it happened. Because, you know, getting to Dre, I got. I got to fly there. I gotta wait a few days until he's available. I gotta come back. You know, the relationship that I developed with Dre is like, as a brother, like, as. He's an idol, he's an icon. But it went from the first meeting was leader to leader, and then I developed a relationship with him, and I did that with every producer that's on the album. I went to see Jermaine, I went to see Swizz, I went to see Timbaland, I went to see rz. Right. I didn't get to Boy Wonder because he's in Canada, but I went to see Hit Boy. Right, but. So for the kids that are listening, you are whatever. You work hard to be the teacher. The principal said today to the kids at PS92, the sky's the limit. I told them, no, the sky is just step one. There is no limit. After, after you reach the sky, then you go to another planet, then you go to another planet, then you just go throughout the universe. Then you just. There's no end to the universe scientifically. There's no end to the universe. There's no end to what a young person could do out there. But as you see my story, it will be difficult. It will be painful. I'm not going to lie to you. I. I'm, I'm not gonna cap and have you think that, oh, just get up, brush your teeth, say your prayer, listen to your mom and your teacher, and life is going to be perfect. No, it's going to hit you hard. It's going to be challenges. But you, you can face those challenges, you can overcome those challenges and, and give yourself time.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

You got these young ones out here, the young boys shooting. 15. 15 year olds dying.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

I feel like sometimes it'd be easier just for rappers and people like, in our position to go stay out of trouble, just. But we got to really. I don't know, like.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Yeah, but I live that. But I live that. We live that.

[Interviewer]

And I'm.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

I'm living that now by even being here. I'm. They could tell you I'm here by myself. Back in the days. We have came here. No, you came here. We would have thought, oh, I would. I don't even think I would have came here. We would have. We. No, I'm telling you, we wouldn't have even made up. We wouldn't have even made up. Everybody would have had the smokers and it'd be like, yeah, I'm in the town again when I run into them dudes. Well, you know, it's all sight. That's what we were doing. We was shooting at each other. We were trying to kill each other

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

back in the days, definitely.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

But this is where we're supposed to be. We deserve to grow old. We deserve to take care of our grandkids. You deserve that vacation with your family in Belize. And when you get there.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

You.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

It's like we roll out the red carpet. We don't deserve to die early. You kids there, that is not hip hop. And that's why I'm coming back. Because I'm not coming back to rap about shooting anybody or killing anybody. I'm coming back to rap about this journey and my projection and developing Belize and opening the Brooklyn Chop House and just doing all types of fascinating things and, you know, making love to my woman and just having a great adult contemporary hip hop life. World leader, chic, right? We deserve to be presidents. We deserve to be CEOs and billionaires. This idea that in order to be African, to be brown and black in America, you have to be a gangster. You have to be a gang banger. I reject that. I renounce that. That is a lie. That is not true. You need to be alive. You need to be successful, and you can be. America is the greatest country on earth. I love Belize, but America is a developed nation. Belize, we're developing. One day, Belize will be the greatest. Belize has the greatest people. Because that is my home. But you guys understand. You gotta understand what I'm saying, right? I just mean as far as developed nations, of course, of course. You guys have so much opportunities. I pray. And that's why I wanted to be prime minister of Belize, and I still do, so I could give the Belizeans the opportunity that you have in America. So for you young kids here in America. No, no, no, no. Drug trafficker, gang banger, pimp, all of that. That was our era. That is like a dinosaur. You need to be alive, take advantage of these opportunities. And AI is about to replace. Is about to replace the human race. And you guys, if you keep thugging and bugging, gonna be the first that they make extinct. So please.

[Interviewer]

And there's cameras everywhere. So you can't do anything anyway. It's the real report. Like, Share. Subscribe. We got Sean in the building. Make sure y' all check his documentary. Check out the new album he got. He's talking about his life story. Doing 10 years in prison, hit albums, coming out and doing stuff with the government representative. It's on. Sean Poe. Oh, yeah.

[Co-Interviewer/Panelist]

Brooklyn.

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[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

At first I was afraid.

[Interviewer]

I was petrified.

[Sean Po (Sean Price)]

Football's over. It's like a part of me just died inside.

[Interviewer]

200 days till football's back. But tonight I won't just cry. Cause I've got a ways to play. And that's the place with hard rock. Bet I will survive.

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