Portland Trailblazers shooter Damian Lillard — known in the rap world as Dame D.O.L.L.A — has some spit game and he’s recognized as the best lyricist in the NBA right now.
Let’s not get it twisted though. Lillard may act like it but he’s not the first NBA superstar to be nice with the words and put out music.
There’s a list of current and former NBA guys who have ventured into the hip-hop world, but none as successfully as Shaquille O’Neal, who has platinum plaques and classic with legends on his musical resume.
You Can’t Stop The Reign (1996)
By Shaq & Biggie— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 1, 2019
I know Dame is feeling himself these days, with the huge contract and his recent victory in a Twitter rap battle where he basically bodied Marvin Bagley back in June.
However, his recent disrespect of Shaq’s legacy and ability as an MC on the Joe Budden podcast was kind of obnoxious, as he basically discredited Shaq’s hip-hop authenticity and called him a sideshow, not a serious artist.
Shaq released the diss track because of Dame's comments on the @JoeBudden Podcast.
"People weren't looking at it like he's a real rapper. It was like, 'That’s Shaq rapping.' So, of course, it was a big deal." pic.twitter.com/SRdvy4hiqW
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 1, 2019
You know Shaq had to dust off the pen, dig in the crates, represent for the OG’s and come with the ruckus.
Shaq definitely gave Dame a little whipping. He came with the throwback beat and the hardcore gangster flow with a lyrical edge that is synonymous with the 90s and early 2000s.
Of course, he banged on Dame’s lack of NBA accolades and called him a “little boy” who needs to stay in his place. Then he proceeded to remind the young gun of his immortal place in NBA and Hip-Hop history run down his place in hip-hop history, encouraging the baby flame-spitter to exercise more humility, saying Dame “loves himself so much he needs sex himself”.
You know Dame was going to respond and he did with a 3:00 minute retort.
Dame hit Shaq with some catchy punchlines and a new age flow, but he never had a chance. It’s like challenging your grandpa to a dance-off. All the OG needs to do is nail one move and he got the crowd, it’s over. It was like KRS -1 schooling DaBaby in a generational battle of rap’s elite wordsmiths.
Dame’s lazy but lyrically potent flow might work against novice Marvin Bagley III, but it didn’t do anything to Shaq. He tried to disparage Shaq’s role in the four championships he won, but that was a dud.
Add in the fact that Dame is way younger, stays polishing his rap skills and Shaq kind of rolled out of bed after 20 years off the microphone and came with the ether, and I have to give this rap battle to Shaq.
