Shyne recognizes his latest music offerings have been far from his best, but he also wants fans to understand that one doesn’t just do nine years in prison, the way he did, and return to form instantly.

During an interview with XXLMag.com, Shyne said he wants listeners to know he’s still very much trying to find his footing after completing nine years of a 10-year prison bid stemming from his involvement in a 1999 Club New York shooting.

“I spent 10 years in hell with murderers, all types of degenerates and cats that want to kill you and all types of crazy things…you don’t just come back,” Shyne says. “You got to learn that studio again. For me, it’s taking me a while to find my way around the studio again and get my voice back and get everything back.”

The 32-year-old rapper also explained that it wasn't a conscious decision on his part to change his flow as much as circumstances that lead it to alter.

“It wasn’t me sitting there saying, ‘I don’t want to give the people what they want,’” Shyne says. “Yo, I spent 10 years in the pen! Ain’t nobody did that! Even when I was putting the records out, I thought what I was putting out was great, and it was, but it didn’t have any soul.

“Going to prison killed me,” he adds. “It killed me. When I came out I was dead and I didn’t even know that. For me, I think I should have made the people understand what we’re talking about right now a long time ago. Nobody wants to hear an excuse too long, but I think it would have gave them a perspective of what was going on with me.”

Still, Shyne promises he’s getting his mojo back and finding his groove musically.

“I feel it’s back and top of the year, you’re going to hear the new music,”he says. “It’s definitely a million times better than [guest verse on Lil Wayne’s] “Outro.” That was just the turning point, as far as getting it back.

“I can’t wait [for fans to hear it], but I got to make sure it’s right because they were waiting for so long and then it wasn’t what it was supposed to be,” She continues. “I’m a million times better than that, though. I think the people are going to roll with it.” —Mark Lelinwalla

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