Years After Legendary Collab with Close Friend, Shaquille O’Neal Restarts Career that Almost Gave Him a Second life outside NBA

Apart from his successful NBA career, Shaquille O’Neal has been involved in various projects and undertakings over the years. Shaq has made a name for himself in the business world, with investments in diverse areas like tech startups, real estate, and restaurant chains. The Diesel has always been passionate about music as well, with his previous foray into the industry resulting in four rap albums and some iconic collabs. However, it has been decades since Shaq’s last hip-hop album. 

With his platinum-selling album Shaq Diesel, the former NBA superstar found fame in the 1990s. He also collaborated with a number of iconic hip-hop musicians, such as the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and Jay-Z. Shaq has since then collaborated with renowned DJ producers to develop electronic dance music and perform under the moniker DJ Diesel. Years after his legendary collab with close friend Biggie Smalls, Shaq is set to make a huge return to the rap industry.

Shaquille O’Neal is all set to make his comeback in his alternative career 

‘King Talk,’ a new single by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, is set to release on May 2 in celebration of the NBA playoffs. Koko, a Ghanaian-American rapper, and Blackway worked together to make the song.

It will be available on several music streaming services. O’Neal has already experimented with music. He had released four hip-hop albums in the 1990s, including “Shaq Diesel,” which went platinum, and “Shaq Fu: Da Return”, which went gold. The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, and Method Man were among the biggest rappers to collaborate on these albums.

Despite his success in the music industry, O’Neal eventually turned his attention to other pursuits. In recent years, he has become a popular DJ, performing under the name DJ Diesel at festivals and events, like the pre-Super Bowl extravaganza Shaq’s Fun House.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, O’Neal compared the rush of performing live onstage to playing on the basketball court. He said, “It’s like being in a basketball game and having people come and cheer you on and support you. I just want everybody to have a good time.”

Read more: “You Should’ve Done That”: Despite Dominating His Opponents, Shaquille O’Neal Failed to Impress His Father Until He Attained “Perfection”

Collaborator Blackway and teaser video for ‘King Talk’

Blackway, O’Neal’s collaborator on ‘King Talk,’ is best known for his appearance on the soundtrack for the Oscar-winning animation film ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’, with the song ‘What’s Up Danger.’ His song ‘Heavyweight’ was also used by the NFL for its Songs of the Season campaign.

Watch this story: NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal’s Three-Word Message to NFL GOAT Tom Brady’s Unretirement Peddlers

O’Neal first teased ‘King Talk’ on Feb. 7 on his social media accounts with an animation video, celebrating LeBron James passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. The video featured a snippet of the song’s chorus, which was performed by Blackway.