Shaquille O’Neal and the late, great Kobe Bryant made history together on the basketball court by three peating the NBA trophy. While they didn’t get along well off the court, the two legends shared a love for rap music and also tried to pursue a career in it. However, Charles Barkley once advised them to focus solely on basketball instead.
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Barkley has never been one to mince his words when expressing his opinion on something. Even when he had to talk about two of the game’s biggest superstars, being politically correct was going to be the least of his worries.
During a short interaction with Fuse in 2012, Barkley was asked to choose the better MC between Shaq and Kobe. Instead of giving a straight answer, Sir Charles decided to roast the Lakers legends. He said, “Neither one of them are that good.” If that answer wasn’t enough, Barkley added, “Stick to basketball.”
Shaq started his rap career in 1993. He went on to release five studio albums and became a platinum-selling artist with his debut project ‘Shaq Diesel.’ So, despite Chuck not liking O’Neal’s rap music, it’s clear that there was an audience for it, given that fact that he went platinum.
Years later, he pivoted towards electronic music and became a touring DJ with his stage name DJ Diesel. To this day, he is the most successful basketball player-rapper to come out of the NBA.
Kobe on the other hand also had an early start in hip-hop music. He was a member of a rap group in his high school. The Black Mamba even landed a record deal with Sony Entertainment, but after his first single “K.O.B.E” was poorly received, the label shelved plans to release Kobe’s album. Both the players showed respectable hustle for their respective music careers, but it wasn’t meant to be. And while Barkley might not have liked their music, he is a huge fan of hip-hop.
Charles Barkley named his favorite rapper of all time
During the same interaction, Barkley was also asked about his favorite rappers and hip-hop albums. He said, “My favorite rapper of all time is 2Pac.” But at the time of that interview, other big names were ruling the hip-hop genre. Barkley gave a nod to Jay-Z as one of the best in the business and for carrying the genre forward.
He also mentioned Kanye West on the list of artists “you can never go wrong with.” He said, “I just love the whole genre, to be honest with you. Especially like, I listen to it a lot when I’m working out because you need something to kick you in the a** a little bit. I love listening to rap.”
Chuck also revealed that he used to listen to rap music on his way to games back in his NBA games. Hip-hop music is known for its ability to boost adrenaline and simply get you hyped. So, because of that, it’s a preferred genre for world-class athletes like Sir Charles to get the blood pumping prior to games.
