Shaq Diesel is back!
Shaquille O’Neal, the man of many hustles, has returned to his rapping persona and released a new hip-hop song titled “King Talk.” The single features a Ghanaian American rapper named Blackway.
For those old enough to remember, the former NBA player released a platinum album, Shaq Diesel, 30 years ago in 1993. In his desire to get back on stage to utilize the microphone in a different way, he spoke to The Hollywood Reporter several months ago and teased his return to hip-hop.
“It’s like being in a basketball game and having people come and cheer you on and support you,” he told the media outlet in February ahead of his performance at Shaq’s Fun House. “I just want everybody to have a good time.”
The song was produced by Koko and released specifically for the NBA playoffs, which are taking place now. According to People, Shaq Fu incorporated afrobeat and hip-hop artist, Blackway, who captured O’Neal’s ear before working together on this song. In a written statement to People, O’Neal said that he and Koko had been “sending beats back and forth for a minute now,” and after hearing “King Talk” initially, “I knew I had to jump on it,” he stated.
Blackway had a song placed in the movie, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse in 2018, “What’s Up Danger,” featured Black Caviar. Blackway is working on his own EP and recently released his latest solo single, “Lion,” on March 10.
“I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment for a collab with Blackway, and this was it. This is the type of record that gets me hyped like I’m walking out for Game 7 of the finals,” said O’Neal.
“King Talk” will be released via Hive Music/Position Music on streaming platforms. O’Neal’s collaborator is no stranger to his music receiving airplay. His song “Heavyweight” was used in an NFL promotion during the season for its Songs of the Season campaign, along with other emerging recording artists who have also had their work incorporated into broadcasts throughout the football season.
When O’Neal released his platinum offering, it featured two gold-selling singles, “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock)” featuring Fu-Schnickens and “(I Know I Got) Skillz.” Both songs placed in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
No word on if an album is on the way.