'Shyne' reflects on storytelling, struggle and Sean 'Diddy' Combs in Andscape documentary on Hulu

LOS ANGELES -- Stories are a lifeline for hip-hop legend Moses "Shyne" Barrow.

"Words can be destructive, words can give life," he said. "All of us are connected. We experience highs and lows, we experience betrayal, we experience the exhilaration of falling in love. We experience disappointments, and we experience poverty. Some of us experience wealth. Sharing those experiences are so important because we're all so interconnected."

In collaboration with acclaimed director Marcus A. Clarke on Andscape's "The Honorable Shyne," a documentary currently streaming on Hulu, Barrow's testimony rings true, underscoring the power of shouting your truth both in music and beyond, no matter how complicated.

He sat down with Clarke and former basketball star Iman Shumpert for an intimate conversation about the documentary, his journey to enlightenment, and aspects of his life not featured in the film.

When asked what sparked their journeys as storytellers, Barrow, ever poetic, traced his love for stories back to his youth.

"I used to be a very romantic young kid," he shared with a smile. "When I met a girl I liked, I would write her poetry. My pen game was always vicious."

As he grew older, his passion extended beyond wooing the ladies. It became a tool to voice the struggles of the voiceless in hip-hop.

Clarke found his love for storytelling through relentless hustle in the film industry.

"I've been in production since I was 16 years old as a production assistant, working my way up," he said. "By the time I started directing, I was going hard. Storytelling has been something I've been incredibly passionate about ever since my first directing opportunity."

In "The Honorable Shyne" documentary, Clarke's goal was to unravel Barrow's extraordinary life, from his upbringing in Belize, to his meteoric rise in the world of hip-hop, and his prison sentence and exile to Belize in connection with the 1999 shooting of Sean "Diddy" Combs. Instead of breaking him, these experiences shaped Barrow into a leader, politician, and man of honor.

Barrow's reflections on his journey are heavy with the wisdom of lived experience.

"Everybody's journey is different," he said. "Mine was 23 years. I sacrificed my career, my life, and my family to be someone with humanity, integrity, and honor."

He went on to say, "You have to go to hell before you get to heaven, right? You have to have pain so you can understand pleasure."

Clarke was careful to capture this evolution with precision and care.

"This story had all the elements for an incredible documentary-pain, betrayal, triumph, and evolution," he said, describing the process as deeply immersive, blending cinematic visuals with Barrow's music to create an experience that "brings you into his world."

For both men, hip-hop remains a sacred medium; a raw, authentic art form born from struggle.

"Hip-hop is a gift from God," Barrow said. "It comes from a place of despair, hopelessness. I always look at it as God's reparation for what African Americans went through. Our voices are so powerful. You can't do anything without hip-hop. It's a part of everything."

Clarke echoed this sentiment, emphasizing hip-hop's authenticity.

"It comes from the disenfranchised, from people who've been oppressed," he said. "It resonates because it's real. Our people have always made something out of nothing, sampling, creating with the tools we have."

The heart of "The Honorable Shyne" lies in that history of alchemy and perseverance. Audiences at the film's premiere cheered during moments of triumph and sang along to Barrow's music. For Clarke, seeing those reactions validated years of hard work.

"It was incredible," he said. "Seeing it on the big screen with an audience, hearing their reactions, it's a different experience. People were fully engaged the whole time."

For Barrow, the film is more than his story. It's a reflection of his purpose.

"When I made music, my hope was that the powers that be would hear the cries of the young inner-city youth and actually do something about it," Barrow said. "My hope for this film is the same. Let it inspire people to find the strength within themselves."

Andscape's "The Honorable Shyne" is now streaming on Hulu.

Watch ABC's On The Red Carpet Storytellers Spotlight interview with Moses "Shyne" Barrow in the video player above.

Andres Rovira, Luke Richards and Jason Honeycutt contributed to this report.

Disney is the parent company of Hulu, Andscape and this station.