Wednesday (December 21) marks the first day of Chanukah and to kick things off the hip-hop way, XXL asked Jewish MC Shyne to tell us what the holiday means to him. —As Told To Mariel Concepcion...

"Chanukah  represents eight days of miracles. My life feels like 33 years of miracles. Just like the small Israelite army defeated the massive Greek troops during these eight days, my entire life has been battle after battle. [But while ] odds against me, I always come out triumphant. Hallelujah, Shyne got his voice and his swag back. A miracle indeed.

Shyne, even in the darkest cell in Clinton Dannemora, haunted by the spirit of Tupac Shakur, I Shyne. Just like the olive oil in the holy temple enough for only one day yet [it] burned for eight days, [I Shyne]. I was supposed to be in a grave or a jail, but with divine intervention I [still] shyne.

One of the most remarkable stories of Chanukah reminds me of the wife I'm looking for. Yehudit, the daughter of Yochanan, the high priest was forced by the Greek govenor to have relations with him before she got married. Before he took her virginity, she fed him cheese and wine till he became drunk and passed out. She then chopped his head off! Dragged [it] through the city, Keysha from New Jack City style! The Greek general and massive army saw this and fled. Blllllllllaaaaaat!

This is my third Chanukah out the pen, my second in Israel. [I] just flew back from France to the Holy Land. I more or less spend this time turning up all my efforts on my greatest battles. Right now my biggest fight is to get back to the U.S.A. It's necessary. Too many young bloods spending the rest of their lives in prison because they have no alternative. I'm putting together the  Shyne Coming To America Goodwill Tour. This tour will focus on high risk inner city youths [and will help] to deter crime and violence as the only option. I want to see my little brothers in Harvard, Howard or Yale, not Rikers Island. The goal is to raise a million dollars for scholarships and other youth programs to keep these young Oprahs and Obamas off the street and in the class room.

That's my wish for Chanukah: to return to the streets that made me and help my little bros up out the struggle. Occupy U.S.A."

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