Michael Jackson, Who Tried Buying Shaquille O’Neal’s 76,000 Sq Ft Mansion, Once Invited Him to Guest Rap in His Hit Song

Maintaining a rap career along with their basketball careers appears to be a recent trend in the NBA. Miles Bridges and Damian Lillard for instance, have made quite the wave in hip-hop recently.

But the trailblazer was arguably the one and only Shaquille O’Neal, in this case. Shaq Fu was arguably the first NBA player to hit the rapping mainstream and even earned platinum certification.

Shaq released his debut album, Shaq Diesel, in 1993 and it sold over a million copies. And it wasn’t just because of the clout associated with Shaquille O’Neal. Superman could clearly rap.

Collaborations with the likes of Method Man, RZA, Redman, Jay-Z, and The Notorious B.I.G. followed as Big Poppa curated quite the discography. However, the biggest collaboration in Shaq’s career took place in 1995. With none other than ‘The King of Pop’ and arguably the most identifiable musician for generations, Michael Jackson.

Also Read: Shaquille O’Neal, Who Received $7 Million for Playing a ‘Genie,’ Reveals the ‘Dr. J Movie’ that Changed his Life

How did the opportunity to feature in MJ’s 1995 album come through for Shaq?

Michael Jackson was preparing to release his much-anticipated album, HIStory, around the time O’Neal was coming into prominence. Impressed by the work of the young NBA superstar, Jackson invited Shaq to feature on HIStory.

And it isn’t every day that an offer from ‘The King of Pop’ comes your way. Shaq probably accepted the offer before it even slipped MJ’s mouth – how many fledgling rappers have gotten to feature on MJ’s albums ever?

Shaq featured on “2 Bad” on HIStory. While the song didn’t release as a single, getting a feature in an MJ album was bound to earn Superman’s respect in the rap game.

While he wasn’t bullying adults on a regular basis on live television, Shaq was establishing himself as a star rapper too. Talk about multi-tasking at the highest level.

However, this proved to be one instance of Michael Jackson’s paths crossing with Shaquille O’Neal’s. MJ who famously maintained a zoo with exotic animals at his house, allegedly turned up at Shaq’s, exploring a real estate opportunity. All this while ‘The King of Pop’ was in incredulous debt.

What incident involving Shaq’s Orlando mansion also included Michael Jackson?

Imagine being Shaquille O’Neal, roaming around your 76,000 Sq Ft Mansion in Orlando. And then you spot Michael Jackson at your walkway.

To top it of, while you are gathering an idea of how MJ is at your doorstep, you have MJ telling you that he wants to own your house. Just a normal day in superstar-ville?

However, Shaquille O’Neal rejected all offers despite getting a boost in his rap career through MJ. O’Neal didn’t entertain the offers or interest as he had no plan to sell his mansion. And as we are all aware, $400 million worth Superman didn’t need any more money than he’s made in his career.

Arguably the most high-profile real estate “negotiation” Orlando had seen, it also appeared to have taken place at a time when MJ was knee-deep in debt. The pop star was allegedly in around $500 million in debt, despite his status and fame.

Shaq is known for his calculated approach to his finances. And this appears to have been yet another smart move by Big Diesel.

Also Read: $500 Million in Debt, Michael Jackson Showed Up at Shaquille O’Neal’s Doorstep to Buy His 76,000 Sq Ft Mansion