Among the many things he is known for, being generous and helpful is Shaquille O’Neal’s best quality. As a man with a lot of influence and wealth, he often devotes his time and money to doing good for others. He has a new passion project where he’ll help lesser-known musicians gain notoriety by competing in his NCAA bracket-style rap tournament on the Whozfire YouTube channel.
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When asked by his co-host KO on the ‘Tournament DRAFT DAY’ what motivated him to create this tournament, O’Neal said that he once received help from Magic Johnson and Julius Erving, so, he’s simply trying to do the same for someone else. KO announced that the Hall of Famer will give $10,000 to the tournament winner as prize money.
When asked why he was paying the hefty prize money out of his pocket, O’Neal said,
“Let me tell you a story, Dr. J put me on. Let me tell you a story, Magic Johnson put me on. I’m just trying to put somebody on. Hopefully, the $10,000 gets you studio equipment you want or helps you finish your demo. Hopefully, we get a lot of eyes… And I’m just trying to put you on.”
He added that there are a lot of talented artists who do not make it big due to financial constraints. He claimed that if the artists in the tournament made a name for themselves, he’d want nothing from them in return.
While the prize money was initially revealed as $10,000, a post on O’Neal’s Instagram revealed that he’d give $20,000 to the winner of this rap tournament. The four-time NBA champion not only loves music but is also a successful artist.
Shaquille O’Neal’s incredible music career
In 1993 O’Neal, who had just won the Rookie of the Year award released, his debut album ‘Shaq Diesel’ under Jive Records. The album reached #25 on Billboard 200 and sold over one million copies. He’s the only athlete with a platinum-certified album.
He released a few more rap albums but none came close to emulating the success of his ‘Shaq Diesel.’ Years later, Shaq discovered electronic music and pivoted to DJing.
Known for his love of dubstep, the three-time Finals MVP performed alongside his son Myles at this year’s Tomorrowland music festival. The duo created history by becoming the first father-son tandem to play a set at the event.
O’Neal success as a musician and a businessman suggests that the career of the artist who wins his rap tournament will likely take off.
