“I just have to let these people know who paved the way,” Shaquille O’Neal says of the NBA hip-hop scenes. DJ Diesel or Shaq Diesel, with his tours around music festivals and rap collaborations with names like Michael Jackson back in the early 90s, the 4x champion wasn’t playing around with his second passion. After all the success in the field, you would think he would top the list in the league. But Stephen Jackson believes there to be someone better.

On a recent episode of All the Smoke Unplugged, When Matt Barnes, co-host of All the Smoke, asked Jackson to rank his top five NBA rappers, the answer caught listeners off guard. “Okay, that ain’t hard. I’m going five, I’m going Iman Shumpert. Four I’m going Lou Williams. Three I’m going Damian Lillard. Two, I’m going Shaq, and one, I’m going me,” said Jackson during the podcast.

Jackson’s self-proclaimed title raises eyebrows, considering his limited rap catalog. Known by his rap moniker, “Stak5,” Jackson’s music career has been more of a passion project than a professional pursuit. His 2020 mixtape Jack of All Trades was well-received by fans of his raw, unfiltered style, but it hardly made waves in the mainstream. While his music has garnered him respect within hip-hop circles, Jackson’s small library of work makes his claim to the throne seem bold—at best, controversial.

In contrast, Shaquille O’Neal’s rap career boasts undeniable accomplishments. Under the name “Shaq Diesel,” the Hall of Famer dropped his debut album, Shaq Diesel, in 1993. The album went platinum, driven by hits like “(I Know I Got) Skillz.” Shaq collaborated with heavyweights such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Method Man, solidifying his place as a legitimate force in hip-hop. His follow-up albums, including Shaq Fu: Da Return, further showcased his versatility and enduring appeal. So he has something to say to his competitors.

“I have a couple of freestyles, it’s all competition for me. So when I hear the people that say, ‘I’m a better athlete-rapper than Shaq,’ I gotta step up. Nothing personal. I just have to let these people know who paved the way. So for me, it’s all fun,” said Shaq about his rapping confidence. He is also all in to flex a little about his career, having worked with the biggest of names.

I’ve been in the studio [with]…Erick Sermon (of the legendary EPMD), Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, Redman, Canibus, KRS-One, Snoop [Dogg], Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, Quincy Jones, Fat Joe, Michael Jackson, Big Pun. So, I know what’s going to hit and what’s not going to hit,” he had said during a segment of Whozfire.

However, another rapper from Jackson’s top five list, recently has shown his concern regarding Shaq’s rap career.

Iman Shumpert targets Shaq’s rap fans

Iman Shumpert isn’t just an NBA champion; he’s also carving out his place in the music world. With a growing discography, including standout tracks like “Knicks Anthem” and his 2021 album This Car Ain’t Stolen, Shumpert has proven that he’s more than a hobbyist rapper. Now, Shumpert has his sights set on the fans of one of the league’s most iconic rapper-athletes: Shaquille O’Neal.

In the recent episode of the  7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Shumpert talked about the problem of players who also have a career as a rapper: lack of recognition. “This is the problem with what we got going on. Like people will say, man, Shaq went platinum and all that. Man, he the best rapper ever. I’m like, bro, what’s your favorite song? And they never know. They just like, he got a song with Big,” said Shumpert during the podcast.

The cast of the podcast also gave the example of how today’s fans don’t know Shaq’s legendary song You Can’t Stop the Reign,” which featured none other than the Notorious B.I.G. But the Big Diesel is now furthering his platform to help the local, budding artists who are trying to make it in the music industry. He judges the tournament, Whozfire, and will be giving $20,000 of the prize money from his pocket.