Doing the Time

NCPPR executive director David W. Almasi never thought there’d be a day when he would be complaining about the music kids are listening to:

It was the theme song for the 70s TV cop show “Baretta” that advised: “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” Modern rappers are showing this is no longer the case.

Island Def Jam Records is reportedly preparing to sign Jamal “Shyne” Barrow to a $3 million recording contract. It plans to use previously-recorded tracks for his first release, but the follow-up will be tricky since Shyne is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence and might not be released until 2009. He is in jail for his role in a 2001 shooting at a New York nightclub that also included rap mogul Sean Combs and his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez (they weren’t charged).

When someone does a poor job, they’re often accused of “phoning it in.” In Shyne’s case, he might have to literally do so from the prison payphone. It will be that or, as many other prison rappers reportedly do, he will record
in the public visiting area.

The actor who played Baretta, Robert Blake, now stands accused of either killing his wife or having her killed.

Seems he didn’t live up to his song, either.



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