Prior To $10,000,000 Record Deal, Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘680 SAT Rap’ Nearly Fumbled His Scholarship

Shaquille O’Neal, known for his prowess on the basketball court, also harbored a passion for music. His love for hip-hop led him to pursue a rap career. His dedication to music paid off when he signed a lucrative three-album record deal worth $10,000,000. But, back before he was famous, he made an audacious move, once testing his rhyming skills during a crucial academic exam – the SATs.

As he revealed in his book, Shaq Talks Back, O’Neal’s academic prowess wasn’t his shining attribute. Recognizing his talent on the basketball court, he pinned his hopes on a full-ride athletic scholarship as his ticket to college. And, given his disastrous SAT scores, that was truly his only option.

Shaquille O’Neal once tried rapping his way to a good SAT score in order to get into college

There can be no denying that Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest players of all time. However, back in his high school days, there was a good chance he may have never made it to the NBA. Why? Because The Big Aristotle wasn’t exactly a studious individual.

He struggled with his studies but knew he had to pull through. After all, he was destined for the NBA. Luckily, he received an athletic scholarship from Louisiana State University after he got a 15 on his ACTs. But, before that, he did make an attempt at the SATs.

Now, going into the exam, Shaq knew he was in for a tough time. So, he decided to answer this the only way he knew how. He decided to write the paper in rhyme style, where he essentially picked options based on how well they rhymed. An interesting tactic, but he only barely made the cut-off with a score of 680. A score that was certainly not enough for him to get into the colleges of his choice.

“This is kind of sad and hard to admit, but I ended up taking the SAT test rhyme-style. I was like, A to the B, B to the C, give me an E, back to the B. Multiple guess. But you can’t get into no college with a 680. Luckily, I made a 15 on the ACT, which back then was good enough for you to play.” 

It is a shame that his rap-rhyme technique didn’t get him a higher score. But, it did come in handy later on in his life, as he had quite a successful music career.

Shaq had a very successful career in music and most recently traded diss tracks with Damian Lillard

Shaquille O’Neal’s music career took flight in the early 1990s when he released several albums that achieved platinum status. His debut album “Shaq Diesel” and follow-up “Shaq Fu: Da Return”  showcased his unique blend of rap and humor. Decades later, in 2019, Shaq found himself in a rap beef with Damian Lillard, exchanging diss tracks.

The clash highlighted Shaq’s enduring involvement in the music industry and his ability to stay relevant, even in the ever-evolving landscape of hip-hop.