One of the most vibrant personalities in the world of sports is Shaquille O’Neal. The NBA Hall of Famer is famous for his hilarious antics on the popular NBA on TNT show and also on his social media handles. Apart from a glittering career in the NBA, Shaq has had success in the fields of business and entertainment as well.

A fascinating fact about Shaquille O’Neal is his career in the music industry. Shaq once revealed how the death of rapper Biggie Smalls affected him and he still thinks about the day. The two celebrities were good friends and also had collaborated for a song in Shaq’s album.

Shaquille O’Neal talks about rapper Biggie Smalls

Talking in an interview, Shaq revealed how he nearly lost his life the same day the iconic rapper Biggie Smalls was murdered. He developed a good relationship with the rapper during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Moreover, the two even collaborated in one of Shaq’s albums.

During an interview with ESPN, Shaq revealed he wanted to meet his friend in person in Los Angeles. That happened to be the night Biggie Smalls was murdered. Shaquille O’Neal revealed, “I was in my condo. I had on a cold white suit, white hat, and all that. I was on my way. Ready to go.”

He happened to fall asleep and missed the party, after which the horrible murder took place. Looking back at his friend’s death, Shaq says, “I’m blessed enough to say that he knew me and I knew him. So I really don’t think about the bad times just think about the good times. Even when I hear his verses on different beats it still sounds like he’s still here.”

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Have Shaq and the Notorious B.I.G collaborated?

After retiring from the NBA, Shaq decided to become a full-time DJ. DJ Diesel, as he is popularly known, has performed in major festivals around the world. Although Shaq dedicated his entire time to his career in music after retirement, his association with music and rap goes way back.

His breakthrough came in 1993. Shaq released his debut album named “Shaq Diesel” which went on to sell over a million copies. He released 4 studio albums which were all major hits.

Shaq’s third album, “You Can’t Stop the Reign” was nothing short of legendary. The album had collaborations with names like Jay Z and Notorious B.I.G. 

Biggie Smalls and Shaquille O’Neal collaborated on the song You Can’t Stop the Reign from the album of the same name. Although both rappers did a great job, Shaq credited the success of the song to Biggie. He said, “I’m a realist. It was a hit because he was on it.”

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