Shaq Diesel: The NBA Star’s Iconic Rap Collaborations With Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls, And More

In 1992, Shaquille O’Neal’s career was just taking off. It was his last year playing for Louisiana State University (LSU), where he had already become a sports sensation due to his exceptional rebounding and blocking skills. As the LSU Tigers’ first All-American, O’Neal was chosen as the number one pick in the NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, launching his storied NBA career.

Earlier this month, O’Neal dabbled in the rap beef phenomenon by responding to Shannon Sharpe’s commentary about The Diesel’s dissatisfaction with only being awarded MVP once in the form of bars. “Shannon Sharpe, man, you’re way beneath me. Your whole demeanor is faker than new rapper beefy,” The Diesel raps. This fun return to rap highlights O’Neal’s deep-rooted love for hip-hop, a passion he didn’t shy away from during his 1992 debut in professional basketball.

Shaq’s Favorite Rap Group and First Record Deal

In 1992, under the moniker Shaq Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal performed with his favorite rap group, Fu-Schnickens, on the Arsenio Hall Show. This led to the newly drafted Orlando Magic center to secure a $10 million, three-album deal with Jive Records.

Shaq explained on a 2022 episode of Drink Champs, “My agent called me and said, ‘Man, you ain’t gonna believe this.’ I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Jive offered you $10 million for three albums.’ And I’m like, ‘Bro, $10 million?’ I never wanted to be a rapper, never wanted to do an album. You know, for me, just meeting you guys is a pleasure. Even though I’m Shaq, I’m still a kid.”

Fu-Schnickens, the ‘90s hip-hop trio from East Flatbush, recruited Shaq to replace a Warner Records-challenged Bugs Bunny sample on their 1993 single, “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock).” Shaq Diesel dropped his first verse on wax. Shaq often cited the trio as his favorite hip-hop group and credited Chip-Fu of Fu-Schnickens with teaching him how to flow and deliver his bars during his Arsenio Hall appearance.

Shaq’s Hip-Hop Debut

After winning NBA Rookie of the Year and securing a starting spot in the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, O’Neal released his debut album, Shaq Diesel. With production from Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, Erick Sermon (who was on Def Squad time), Def Jef, Meech Wells, and K-Cut, O’Neal showcased his lyrical skills over the grooviest boom bap beats. The album featured three guest artists: Phife Dawg, whose group A Tribe Called Quest released the groundbreaking Midnight Marauders album the following month, Def Jef, and Fu-Schnickens.

Shaq Diesel stands out as one of Shaq’s most successful musical endeavors. The single “(I Know I Got) Skillz” peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “I’m Outstanding,” produced by Erick Sermon, reached number 47. The K-Cut-produced track “What’s Up Doc (Can We Rock)” featuring Fu-Schnickens became a top 40 hit and earned RIAA gold status. The entire album went platinum the next year, marking a victorious debut for O’Neal.

Shaq’s Sophomore Debut

Fulfilling his contract with Jive Records, O’Neal released his second studio album, Shaq Fu: Da Return, the next year. He adopted the MC name inspired by his favorite rap group, Fu-Schnickens. The album retained a boom-bap sound with elements of G-Funk, featuring producers like Erick Sermon, RZA, Warren G, The LG Experience, and Chyskillz. It produced singles such as “No Hook,” featuring Method Man and RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, where Shaq embraced his Superman nickname. The music video held a dungeon vibe, echoing a Grave Diggaz aesthetic. As the title suggests, the song has no hooks, with the 3 emcees spitting they don’t “needs no hooks.” The album also highlights Def Squad’s presence, with Keith Murray on “Newark to C.I.” and Sermon and Redman on “My Style, My Stelo.”

Shaq Fu: Da Return includes one of Shaq’s most introspective tracks, “Biological Didn’t Bother,” where he opens up about his personal experience with his estranged father. This album, his second, was fairly successful, reaching number 67 on the Billboard 200 and number 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, earning RIAA gold status.

In 1996, after spending four seasons with the Orlando Magic, O’Neal signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, joining forces with Kobe Bryant. After hearing The Notorious B.I.G.’s bars in “I Love The Dough,” “We hit makers with acres / Roll shakers in Vegas, you can’t break us / Lost chips on Lakers, gassed off Shaq,” he contacted Biggie through his New York City connections. He was then asked to choose a beat for their collaboration, “You Can’t Stop the Reign,” featured on his third album. Shaq quickly wrote his verse, which impressed Biggie. “I did my verse right away,” Shaq recounted on Genius’ Between the Lines. “I thought, “Nah, this isn’t good enough for Big…I know I’m not going to be anywhere close to Big, but I gotta be under him.”

You Can’t Stop the Reign peaked at number 82 on the Billboard 200 and number 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, marking another successful venture for the Lakers center. The album showcased a fusion of hip-hop and R&B, with production from Easy Mo Bee, Trackmasters (Poke & Tone), Darkchild, Domingo, and others. It featured numerous colorful collaborations, including Jay-Z and Lord Tariq on “No Love Lost,” Peter Gunz on “Best to Worst,” Mobb Deep on “Legal Money,” and Bobby Brown on the R&B track “Edge of the Night.”

The Michael Jackson Feature

Before dropping his third studio album, Shaq was reveling in his rap acclaim by contributing to Michael Jackson’s hip-hop repertoire. In 1995, he delivered bars on the King of Pop’s 1995 single “2 Bad” off his double album, HIStory, rapping: “Nine-five Shaq represent with the Thrilla / Grab my crotch, twist my knee, then I’m through / Mike’s bad, I’m bad / Who are you?” Notably, Jackson later reused Biggie Smalls’ verse from “You Can’t Stop the Reign” on “Unbreakable” in his 2001 Invincible album, further cementing Biggie’s place in music history and Jackson’s hip-hop connection.

In the 1990s, hip-hop was heavily influenced by posse cuts, and Shaq made sure to get involved. In 1997, he starred as John Henry Irons (Steel) in the DC Comics film Steel, portraying a weapons designer who became a superhero. For the movie’s soundtrack, O’Neal led the posse cut “Men of Steel,” featuring Ice Cube, B-Real, Peter Gunz, and KRS-One. This track holds a significant place in hip-hop history for ending the feud between West Coast rap staples Ice Cube and B-Real.

Shaq’s Last Solo Effort on Wax

After fulfilling his three-album contract with Jive Records, Shaq released his final solo album, Respect, under .W.IsM./A&M Records. This album features key moments in the fusion of hip-hop and basketball, with Kobe Bryant, who also tried his hand at rap, joining Shaq on the DJ Clark Kent-produced track “3 X’s Dope” alongside Sonja Blade from Brooklyn.

Respect also features the ‘90s female rap collective Deadly Venoms, who rapped alongside Kobe Bryant (performing as K-Raw) on the song ‘The Bomb Baby.” Sonja Blade and K-Raw collaborate again on “Deeper,” showcasing Shaq’s awareness of female emcees dominating the underground scene. “I reach destinations with split second acceleration / It caps enough time to witness your bone evaporation / Slash paragraphs that emphasize my emphasis / Abbreviate lyricist the lyrical short hands,” Kobe lyrically miracles.

The album also includes contributions from Sauce Money, Loon, Accord 1, the R. Kelly collective Public Announcement, and another appearance by Peter Gunz.

While Respect was a clear passion project for O’Neal, it did not achieve the same commercial success as his albums under Jive Records. However, it still peaked at number 58 on the Billboard 200 and reached number 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Shaq Is a Hip-Hop Purist

Throughout his Hall of Fame basketball career, Shaq has remained an unapologetic hip-hop purist, never abandoning his rap dreams. Over the years, he has featured on tracks like “In The Sun” with Common, Black Thought, and Joi in 2001. This song was originally part of Shaquille O’Neal Presents His Superfriends, Vol. 1, his unreleased fifth solo album, which reportedly included features from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Black Star, Nate Dogg, Ludacris, Black Rob, Angie Stone, 112, and more.

Recently, he has continued to participate in posse cuts, such as DJ Kay Slay’s historic “Rolling 110 Deep,” which features 109 emcees (Ghostface Killah takes two turns), and joined the remix of Meek Mill’s “Shaq and Kobe” with Rick Ross and fellow baller Damian Lillard. Shaq has also ventured into EDM as a DJ, performing under the name DJ Diesel. His recent diss to Shannon Sharpe shows his versatility and commitment to his passions while maintaining his esteemed status as a sportsman. Shaq Diesel can reactivate at any moment.