Tag Archives: Shaquille O’ Neal

Remember When Kobe Bryant Was A Hip-Hop Lyricist? A Look Into His Rap Career

In light of the tragic passing of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant, it is only right to look back at his career as a Hip-Hop artist. Born and raised in Philly, another Hip-Hop capital, despite spending 8 years of his childhood in Italy, Kobe fell in love with the art of rap. It was not a secret either.

As early as 1992, Kobe was a member of a rap group called CHEIZAW. CHEIZAW was formed during Kobe’s days as a student at Lower Merian High School in Philadelphia where he joined a couple of high school buddies to form a megatron Wu-like rap collective. According to Grantland, when Kobe came back to the United States at the age of 14, he was recruited by a young gentleman named Anthony Bannister, who worked at the local community center who Kobe’s father, Joe Bryant, was the fitness director.

The group’s name, CHEIZAW, is an acronym inspired by the Chi Sah gang from the kung fu movie, The Kid With the Golden Arm. Featuring members Broady Boy, Tréoz, Russell Howards, Akia Stone, Jester, and Sai Bey, who were all for the most rap underground battle like rappers, Kobe, a varsity playing freshman was their lyrical poet who brought on the balance.

Words, from the duo Punch and Words, recalled his impression on the late Lakers icon with Grantland when he battled against CHEIZAW saying it was obvious he was inspired by Canibus.

” “You could tell he was influenced by Canibus,” said Words. “Kobe had a quality of lyrics. When he got into the cipher, you didn’t look at him as just Kobe. You looked at him as a dude that could rhyme and if you sleep on him, you could get embarrassed.”

In 1999, just 3 years after Kobe was drafted to the NBA, CHEIZAW was signed to Sony Entertainment by Steve Stoute and Trackmasters and the label actually pushed for Kobe’s solo career. In a recent interview with The Breakfast Club, Stoute talked about his role in burgeoning Kobe’s solo rap career.

“As a rookie, I met him and he wanted to put out an album. He was actually a part of a group and I signed the group over at Columbia. Trackmasters, we signed them. We were just coming off of LL Cool J and Will Smith. We thought we can make this thing work,” said Stoute.

With the Mamba mentality always in motion, Kobe wanted to master the craft of hip-hop’s rap element. According to Stoute, Kobe spent quality time with Nas and Foxy Brown to gain insight.

“He stayed in New York. He spent a lot of time with Nas and Foxy really trying to acclimate himself to what he was going to do as an artist. To learn.”

Kobe was on the verge of releasing his debut album, Visions in 2000. However, due to creative differences, as Kobe preferred to emulate lyrical rap as opposed to the pop star rap the label attempted to lure the basketball phenomenon to pursue. The album ended up being shelved and Bryant was dropped from Sony Entertainment.

However, he did make a couple of memorable tracks along with some huge features. Reigning from his postponed debut was the posse embedded “Thug Poet” featuring Broady Boy, Nas, and 50 Cent and the self-titled “Kobe” featuring Tyra Banks. He also made a tuneful guest feature on the Trackmasters remix of Brian McKnight’s “Hold Me” and also made noise on a remix to Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name.”

One of his most memorable moments in rap is his feature on fellow Lakers baller, Shaquille O’Neal’s Clark Kent produced”3X’s Dope” which is featured on Shaq’s fourth solo album, Respect.

For an elite basketball player, Kobe had a pretty ample career. Hip-hop was a culture he respected and it even influenced his signature Mamba mentality. He admired the revolutionary component of hip-hop, where lyrics were used to combat realistic matters along with the toss of battle. The art of picking and choosing your battles wisely is one thing Kobe and Hip-Hop had in common.

The post Remember When Kobe Bryant Was A Hip-Hop Lyricist? A Look Into His Rap Career appeared first on The Source.

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Shaq Gets At Damian Lillard In Diss Track, Dame D.O.L.L.A. Roasts Diesel With Ass-Cuttin’ Response

NBA 2K20 Launch Party

Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz

Uh oh, it looks like Shaquille O’Neal out here looking for beef and we ain’t talkin’ about the flame broiled that comes in sesame seeded buns kind. Obviously taking issue with Dame telling Joe Buddens that he’s a better rapper than Shaquille O’Neal was making history as the first NBA player to also be a platinum plaque packing rapper, Shaq decided to drop his first ever diss track and took aim at the Portland Trailblazer’s star point guard.

Hoping on Eminem’s instrumental to “What’s The Difference?,” Shaq let off some unapologetic bars off on Dame and went straight for the jugular with lines like, “MVP candidates, you are not one/platinum plaques on my wall, go and get you some… legendary, i’m a Hip-Hop scholar/I’m tryin’ to get a billion, who gives a f*ck about a dolla?! Little boys better stay in they place/next time they ask you about Shaq, man fix your face!” Shaq-Fu still got darts, b!

Oh, you thought Dame D.O.L.L.A was going to take that lying down, Diesel? Don’t you know how disrespectful these millennials can get nowadays? Well, you ’bout to find out.

Not even 24 hours after Shaq went at Dame, the D.O.L.L.A. man responded with a scathing blast back track and held no punches as he clowned the NBA Hall of Famer with bars like “I’m new school, got new hits/Space Jam not Blue Chips/hang-man, your shoe sh*t/Dame 6, i’m too lit/big name got big brand but you corny/gift bags get purchased every time you get horny, then they repo’d.” Daaaaaaayuuuumn! Dame went on to fillet Shaquille by stating Kobe and D-Wade won him those championships and how useless he was by the time he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Well, at least he never mentioned Shaq’s wild relationship with Hoopz.

Check out Dame’s response below and let us know who had the better diss cut in the comments section.

Source: HipHopWired.com

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Shaquille O’Neal & Skechers Team To Release Kids Atheletic Footwear

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Source: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty

Shaquille O’Neal is for the children!

Footwear News is reporting that Shaq Diesel is teaming up with Skechers in an effort to release affordable basketball sneakers for kids who just don’t have the funds to cop footwear bearing the name of current NBA superstars. The collaboration will lead to the first time Skechers has ever designed athletic footwear specifically made for basketball courts (word?).

Skechers President Michael Greenberg knows that there’s not better time than now to get into the kids sportswear game especially since Shaquille O’Neal is willing to partner with them on the new venture.

“This all-new children’s basketball collection is an important addition to our offering, so it’s only fitting that we’re launching with the help of one of the biggest and best players in NBA history. Fans everywhere continue to enjoy Shaq’s enthusiasm for the sport, so we know kids will be excited to wear his shoes while on the court or at play. We couldn’t ask for a better brand ambassador to help bring athletic footwear to elementary and middle schoolers in a new and exciting way.”

Shaquille for his part is excited to see little kids running around in Shaq branded Skechers even if they won’t be playing above the rim in them.

“I think kids are going to love the way the new styles look and they’ll love playing in them even more,” said O’Neal. “These boys and girls might not be dunking yet, but I can’t wait to see them posting up in their new Shaq by Skechers footwear.”

The kids collection will be available in three colorways and is currently available at select retailers and of course Skechers stores and Skechers.com

Source: HipHopWired.com

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NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal is Ready to Bring His ‘Fun House’ to Super Bowl Weekend

With the Super Bowl being in Atlanta this year, you can expect some crazy and wild parties.  One in particular party could stand out from the rest. NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has partnered with JBL to throw an enormous, carnival-themed “Shaq’s Fun House” Super Bowl party at SunTrust Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

Dubbed a “Shaq-sized extravaganza” that’s “part festival, part carnival, part circus,” this feels like the largest Super Bowl party going down in this year…and possibly ever? The line-up features DiploMigos, Tiesto, Lil JonT-Pain, DJ Diesel (which is Shaq’s DJ alias), and DJ Irie, as well as Cirque Du Soleil doing a performance as well! That’s not to mention a full-blown carnival, which will feature a special “circus sideshow” promising all kinds of “oddities” from around the world. There’s also food being supplied by Waffle House, Krispy Kreme, Papa John’s, and more.

“The Fun House is going to be legendary,” Shaq exclaims. “I’ve been to so many Super Bowl parties over the years and they have all been boring. I’m pumped to be bringing Shaq’s Fun House to Atlanta—you know I’m the king of Atlanta.”

Shaq let it be known that after Shaq’s Fun House, “Super Bowl parties will never be the same!”

“I’ve been to a lot of Super Bowl parties and they’re all the same. We wanted to make it fun and be different — bigger than ever,” O’Neal tells USA Today. “This is going to be talked about for years to come. It’s part festival, part carnival, part circus. It’ll be the best Super Bowl party ever seen.”

According to USA Today, a limited number of tickets were available to the general public beginning at $249.99, with VIP tickets going for $999.

The post NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal is Ready to Bring His ‘Fun House’ to Super Bowl Weekend appeared first on The Source.

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