Shyheim Calls Out Fat Joe & Funk Flex Over Alleged Blacklisting

Shyheim wants an explanation for a joke that apparently never felt funny from his side.

The former Rugged Child is revisiting a conversation involving Fat Joe and Funkmaster Flex, and his concern goes beyond somebody laughing at his name. In the statement posted on Facebook, he accuses the two of discussing how to shut a teenager out of opportunities.

“In the 1990s, two grown men were on the phone discussing how to blacklist a 15-year-old kid and prevent him from accessing opportunities.

Let that sink in.

A child navigating an industry dominated by adults, politics, egos, and power plays.

Welcome to the music industry.

Some stories don’t need embellishment. The truth speaks loudly enough.”

That is a serious accusation, so the context deserves some attention.

For all the context, we have to take a step way back. A 2017 report about Joe’s interview with Flex describes a discussion about getting Big Pun onto Flex’s compilation. According to that account, Flex had been refusing crew affiliates, with Shyheim and King Just mentioned as examples. That supports the existence of a conversation about access, but it does not independently establish a coordinated campaign against Shyheim. 

For those interested, feel free to watch the whole interview here:

Still, I understand why revisiting that exchange could bother him. There was nothing wack about Shyheim. Being young did not make his talent a novelty, and having Wu connections did not mean every industry door swung open automatically. Apparently, some doors came with a bouncer and a guest list. He was 15 and maybe younger.

The uncomfortable question is whether the adults remember a funny industry anecdote while the young artist remembers opportunities he never received. Those perspectives can occupy the same room without enjoying each other’s company. By the way, they were not on the phone so I am wondering if he’s referring to some other mysterious clandestine men.

Meanwhile, Wu Maskman is showing love to Shy and also waging his own mini-war on Fat Joe.

And that might be the bigger story here. The kid grew up, found his own microphone, and now has questions for the people who once controlled access to theirs.