Shaquille O’Neal is mostly known for his dominance on the basketball court, but the Hall of Fame center has also taken on several different hobbies during both his professional and post-NBA career. The Diesel is currently a thriving DJ and had a surprisingly strong rap career back in the 90s.
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Shaq released his debut album, Shaq Diesel, back in 1993, just a year after he was drafted by the Orlando Magic. The album peaked at number 25 on the Billboard 200, number 10 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
He never saw that level of success again in his rapping career, but that didn’t stop the Hall of Fame center from working on his craft years later. Shaq combined his rap pedigree with his extremely petty personality to create a memorable diss aimed at Kobe Bryant following the Lakers’ loss in the 2008 NBA Finals.
Immediately after Kobe’s defeat, Shaq saw the perfect opportunity to free-style about his former teammate and on-court rival. The legend didn’t hold back throughout the expletive-laden diss.
“You know how I be, last week Kobe couldn’t do it without me,” Shaq started his rap, garnering a roar from the crowd. The Big Fella continued through his free-style, comparing himself to the Notorious B.I.G. and throwing shade at others, including Patrick Ewing, before taking another swing at Kobe.
“Kobe, tell me how my a** taste?” Shaq repeated into the mic in the most memorable part of his rap. “I’m a horse, Kobe ratted me out, that’s why I’m getting divorced. He said, ‘Shaq gave a b***h a mil. ‘ I don’t do that, ’cause my name’s Shaquille.”
Shaq and Kobe can make up all they want.
This song will NEVER die. pic.twitter.com/v4xPfSqUWU
— Thomas Duffy (@TJDhoops) February 17, 2018
Shaq made sure to add that last verse as part of a long-standing beef that dates back to when Bryant was accused of sexual assault. The Mamba threw Shaq under the bus in order to get the attention off of him, which further ignited an already-heated beef.
Shaquille O’Neal’s rap got him into trouble
While Shaq was shortly able to live the life of a rap superstar during the beginning of his career, some would argue his controversial music did more harm than good for him in the long run. Following O’Neal’s derogatory lambasting of the Lakers legend, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was left with no choice but to revoke Shaq’s deputy status.
“I want his two badges back,” Arpaio told The Associated Press. “Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they’re fired. I don’t condone this type of racial conduct.”
Shaq and Kobe were somewhat able to squash their mutual hatred before the latter suddenly passed away in 2020. But it’s clear that when their beef was at its peak, neither of the two NBA greats played by the rules.
