Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley brotherhood has been a love-and-hate affair dating back to their days as NBA players, long before they broke through as the “Black barbershop talk meets mainstream America” co-hosts on the iconic “Inside The NBA” broadcast.
What began as actual disdain has developed into a lucrative, never-ending Laurel and Hardy NBA comedy show, and both would admit that steel sharpens steel, so the never-ending verbal jabs have only strengthened their brand, enhanced their popularity as entertainers and connected them at the root as far as the world of broadcast is concerned.
Shaq Turns 50
Shaq celebrated his 50th birthday this week and was surprised with a celebrity-studded surprise party in Atlanta. The 7-foot-1 NBA legend has never been shy to express his love for music, boasting an impressive collection of gold and platinum albums. In fact, he’s the only NBA baller in history to go platinum and release his music on a major label.
We all know the classic joints he released with the late, great rappers Biggie and Phife from ATCQ, Modd Deep, The Fu-Schnickens, Peter Gunz and Lord Tariq, to name a few.
Shaq did all of that while helping to build the Orlando Magic franchise into a rising juggernaut. That’s Shaq in a nutshell. He snatched NBA Rookie of the Year honors, averaged a savage 23.5 points and 13.9 rebounds per game and helped to further hip-hop’s penetration of the mainstream and the NBA’s conservative corporate values.
Few legends have transcended the game as emphatically and totally as Shaq, who was not only one of the Goliaths of the game and the last great traditional center, but a larger-than-life character who made his mark as an entertainment and business mogul.
So, if Shaq wasn’t playing hoops or on TV analyzing hoops and dissing Chuck, you know he would be somewhere rapping, especially after his 50th trip around the moon. The man has created an empire for his family that is quickly moving on a half billion dollars.
Shaq Disses Chuck Using Will Smith Slap
He’s always on time and in touch with the world of pop culture, so it’s no surprise O’Neal used the Will Smith–Chris Rock “slap heard ’round the world” drama in a spitfire roast of his “Inside the NBA” co-host at his own birthday party.
According to TMZ, Shaq grabbed a mic and launched into a 10-minute freestyle session on Barkley.
“Tomorrow I’m on TNT, with f–king Kenny [Smith], with f–king Chuck, I might Will Smith his ass I don’t give a f—k,” O’Neal spat to the audience.
According to the New York Post, “The crowd of about 250 inside Steak Market, where the NBA legend celebrated his 50th birthday, ate up the line referencing the moment that rocked the Oscars four days ago.”
Will Smith is A wild boy. He love his entangled wife 😂 smacked 🔥 out Chris Rock … pic.twitter.com/ketDHXEbXR
— NLE Choppa King (@DaGambler2) March 28, 2022
During Sunday’s live Oscars show on ABC, Smith sucker smacked comedian Chris Rock on stage after Rock made a “G.I. Jane” joke referencing Jada Pinkett Smith, who claims she is suffering from alopecia.
Smith casually returned to his seat and proceeded to yell, “Keep my wife’s name out ya f@ken mouth!” shocking millions across the world as the broadcast reportedly jumped from 9 million viewers to 17 million shortly after word of Smith’s smack circulated social media.
Shaq continues to live a life most people only dream of and in addition to his celebrity, his philanthropy and contributions to the community as the first Black Board of Trustees member at Papa Johns is also all-star caliber.
