Dean Barrow might be retired and his United Democratic Party (UDP) humbled, but Wednesday’s general elections in Belize just might be the beginning of a ‘shiny’ new chapter in his most famous son’s rollercoaster of a life.

Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow has won the Mesopotamia seat in Belize City.

Yes. That Shyne.

Almost 20 years after being slapped with a 10-year prison sentence for his role in a 1999 Manhattan nightclub shooting that almost brought an end to rap mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs career, Shyne is now a member of the Belizean House of Representatives. Oh, and J Lo was at the club that night too.

Acccording to some reports, Shyne argued during his campaign against the People’s United Party’s (PUP) Dr Candice Pitts that his life experiences made him “tailor-made” for the complexities of the rough Southside neighbourhood he now represents.

The rapper, who famously teamed with Jamaica’s own Barrington Levy on the 2000 hits ‘Bad Boyz’ and ‘Bonnie & Shyne’ replaces his uncle, Michael Finnegan and will be joined in the house by his aunt, Denise ‘Sista B’ Barrow, who won the Queen’s Square seat to replace his dad.

This election was a true family affair.

But while, the election individually went well for members of the Barrow family, it wasn’t all sunshine for the UDP, which was seeking a fourth consecutive term in office.

It appears new UDP leader Patrick Faber isn’t quite ready to enjoy the same level of of success as the departing three-term prime minister.

The UDP, which had won the 2015 election with 19 seats to the PUP’s 17, felt the sting of defeat when just five years later it ended up winning only five to the PUP’s 26.

The Barrow family now holds two fifths of the UDP’s seats in the House.

Maybe, at 42, it is now time for Shyne the politician to step completely away from that night of December 27, 1999, when Shyne the 21-year-old rapper pulled a gun in the club and possibly made the most lifechanging decision of his life.

Maybe it is time for Shyne to step completely into his father’s shoes and begin charting a path to leading his country.