Shaquille O’Neal has never been shy about saying what’s on his mind. Just recently, when Tyrese Haliburton’s dad, John, was under fire for his heated argument with Giannis, Shaq stepped in. He defended John even after Charles Barkley called him an “idiot” and criticized his take. But Shaq didn’t back down. That’s just how he has been; if he believes in something, he is ready to stand on business. That has often earned him a mix of respect and criticism from his peers. But that’s what makes him stand out.

Back in 2021, DaBaby faced heavy backlash for a controversial comment during a live performance. To make matters worse, DaBaby had stood by his comment. The internet came down hard, and many celebrities like Demi Lovato, Elton John, and Dua Lipa, to name a few, spoke out against him. But some stood by him. DaBaby had already shared that 50 Cent offered support during that time. However, there was another name that came to check on him, someone who even he found surprising: Shaquille O’Neal. Who would’ve guessed the NBA legend would reach out in that kind of situation?

During his recent appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, DaBaby opened up about that moment. N.O.R.E. asked, “Shaq ain’t call me. I think Shaq DM’d me, what I mean, in the midst of all the chaos and s*** like… but just some, everyday real s***.” It stood out to him. The rapper revealed that he didn’t expect Shaq to reach out to him during such a time. “Like but just some you know everyday real, but that’s not common that ain’t nowhere near as common as you think you get what I’m saying, you would expect it from a Shaq.” Moreover, he even refrained from sharing what exactly Shaq had written to him. This led N.O.R.E. to recall how, even when he found himself in a similar situation, at the time, one of the first people to contact him was Diesel.

Noreaga pressed further, asking how it felt. DaBaby paused, then said, “It was an honor, you know what I—It was super honorable of him.” He went on to talk about how he grew up watching Shaq, calling him Superman and naming old movies he loved. He added, “I’ve been, a fan of this n**** all the way around the board, you know what I’m saying?” The fact that someone like Shaq was paying attention, reaching out with kindness, hit differently. “I ain’t take that s*** lightly,” DaBaby admitted. “Like even as a young n**** I’m 32 now—but even as like a young n****, I always been that young n**** that all the OGs love,” he claimed. It seems this is where the two started getting closer, leading to the rapper even making an appearance on Shaq’s podcast!

The time Shaquille O’Neal and DaBaby contemplated a $20m fake rap beef

Last year on The Big Podcast, things took a turn when DaBaby shared an unexpected behind-the-scenes story. After Kendrick’s ‘Like That’ shook up the rap world and J. Cole clapped back with ‘7 Minute Drill’, DaBaby revealed that a lyrical rapper reached out to him. The proposal? A fake beef, just for the buzz. “He said, ‘Man, the back and forth between J Cole and Kendrick got me fired up. Bro, I feel like we should diss each other.’” DaBaby recalled. But he turned it down, saying he couldn’t throw shots unless it came from something real.

That story had Shaquille O’Neal’s imagination spinning. The big fella has always loved drama, especially the kind that entertains. So after hearing DaBaby’s hesitation, he made a playful offer. “Alright, so, Shaq record offers you $20 million each?” he asked. Without blinking, DaBaby responded, “Oh, we’re doing it.” He even joked about doing it right there on the podcast. It seems that while joking, the sheer amount of money even had him considering.

But overall, DaBaby stood firm on one thing: he doesn’t play around with respect. He explained that rap beefs should be rooted in real issues, not marketing schemes. “I’m not about to say certain things about you if I don’t feel a certain way about you,” he said. While he understood the other rapper’s motive, he just wasn’t built to chase clout that way. Credibility still outweighs the attention in his book, and he’s not afraid to stand on that.