Shyne Scheduled For Early Prison Release?

After nearly 7 years, former Bad Boy artist Shyne is expected to be released from prison this year on good behavior.

According to the New York Post's Page Six, the Brooklyn rapper (born Jamal Barrow), who has been incarcerated since 2001, will exit the jail confines a year earlier than his expected 2009 release date. He is currently serving a 10-year jail sentence at Woodbourne Correctional Facility stemming from a 1999 New York club shooting.

The rapper was part of a crew accompanying Sean "Diddy" Combs, his then girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, and bodyguard Anthony "Wolf" Jones when Diddy got into a beef with another club goer, Mathew "Scar" Allen. Three people were struck when shots rang out and while Diddy, Shyne and J-Lo were all arrested after leading police on a short chase, the charges only stuck to Shyne. Combs and Lopez were free and clear.

The Puffy protege was convicted after witness Cerise Myers testified that she saw him pull his gun and begin firing. The rapper spoke out to media outlets shortly after his conviction alleging that Diddy had convinced Myers to lie on the stand.

Shyne inked a $3 million dollar deal with Def Jam from behind bars in 2004 and released the album Godfather Buried Alive under the label but album sales were disappointing. No word on whether Shyne plans to return to rapping after his release.

Though slated to be released for good behavior, Shyne hasn't always been the model prisoner. In '05 he was thrown in the hole for two months after getting into an altercation with another inmate.

In related news, Shyne's father Dean Barrow was elected prime minister of Belize earlier this month, the first black person to hold that office, according to USA Today.