Shaquille O’Neal may be the most famous for his outstanding NBA career, however, the big man has had his share of side hustles. And arguably his best projects have been as a hip-hop artist. In fact, aside from being a platinum recording artist, Shaq was also offered a three-album deal by Jive Records, worth $10,000,000. He even sold $1,500,000 albums, which is remarkable for someone who didn’t always prioritize hip-hop as his career. And as the big man once explained, it was all due to his dear stepfather.
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O’Neal has always shown talent as a rapper. However, he didn’t always use it in the most effective of ways. Aside from delving into countless shenanigans, he also made sure his talent escalated his beef with Kobe Bryant.
Shaquille O’Neal explains how his father, Sergeant Phillip A. Harrison fostered his talents
As Shaquille O’Neal was growing up, Sergeant Phillip A. Harrison only made enough for the family to get by. So, when he brought a young Shaq a gift, he predictably cherished it for a long time.
Shaq recently revealed how his father gifted him his first album, ‘Beat Street’, and a turntable so that Shaq could use the record. Take a look at the endearing story in the Instagram post by Shaqfu Radio.
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Due to Phillip A. Harrison’s influence, O’Neal grew up listening to the classics. He picked up on certain aspects of the genre, which stimulated his curiosity for the craft. Harrison also owned a bunch of records, which Shaq used to listen to in his early years. This knowledge in his formative years helped the Diesel to refine his art in the years to come.
O’Neal’s rap beef has gone quite far on occasions
Shaquille O’Neal is not a man who holds back whatsoever. When he and Damian Lillard had a rap beef, things started out fairly tame. However, at some point, the two decided to stop playing nice, going full throttle at each other instead. In fact, things got so bad that even Lillard’s mother was forced to get involved. You can read all the details here.
O’Neal may portray himself as an affable and loving person. However, it appears that the NBA legend will never lose his wild side.
