Even after joining the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal was not someone whose interests were solely confined to professional basketball. Along with pursuing his livelihood, Shaq also took up an interest in rap music. For many years, Shaq was the biggest name that was associated with both basketball and music. That all changed, however, with the entry of the new Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard. Despite their different approach to rap music, both individuals have established their presence in this particular world of music. But who is better?

During the 90s, Shaq released various albums, highlighting his talent alongside other renowned rappers of the era. Even after retiring from the NBA in 2011, Shaq has continued to keep the music spark alive. Meanwhile, Lillard has released multiple studio albums as well and continues to impress the masses.

Shaquille O’Neal established his rap presence during the 90s

Shaquille O’Neal commenced his rap career as soon as he entered the NBA. In a span of over 30 years, Shaq has released five studio albums, two compilation albums, two soundtracks, and 19 singles. Along with rap, the former player has shown his prowess as a DJ as well, often performing under his persona ‘DJ Diesel’.

O’Neal kicked things off by launching his debut album ‘Shaq Diesel’ over 30 years ago. Featuring a mix of hip-hop and R&B tracks, the album was made in collaboration with other artists like Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Def Jef, Erick Sermon, etc. Despite receiving mixed reviews, ‘Shaq Diesel’ became one of the very first albums by a professional athlete to achieve commercial success.

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It placed Shaquille O’Neal on the map, elevating him to the status of a musician on the rise. One of the tracks, “(I Know I Got) Skillz”, managed to make it to number 35 on the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ and earn the album a platinum certification.

Shaq’s talents caught the attention of other mega music artists of the 90s. One of them was none other than Michael Jackson himself. The King of Pop invited O’Neal to feature alongside him as a guest rapper for “2 Bad”, one of the songs from Jackson’s album ‘HIStory’. Along with Magic Johnson and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, O’Neal was the only other NBA player to get the chance to form a collaboration with the music icon.

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Apart from Michael Jackson, Shaq has also worked alongside Jay-Z and The Notorious B.I.G. for his third album ‘You Can’t Stop The Reign’. Three of his tracks were featured in the 1996 movie ‘Kazaam’. The level at which Shaq rose through his musical talent helped his fans generate even more respect for their idol. From dominating the basketball court to laying out rap beats during the same period, Shaquille O’Neal made the 90s all the better for his enthusiasts.

Damian Lillard is THE rapper-athlete of the current generation

Similar to Shaquille O’Neal, Damian Lillard also didn’t take long to jump into the rap world after making his mark in the NBA. Over the past few years, the 33-year-old has adopted his alias ‘Dame D.O.L.L.A.’ to release various tracks and establish himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Lillard kicked things off in 2015 by releasing his first single “Soldier in the Game”. Through his debut album, ‘The Letter O’, the 7x NBA All-Star was able to work alongside rap professionals like Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Jamie Foxx. Lillard would later go on to release three more albums, imbibing his musical talent in the minds and hearts of all music listeners out there.

In the span of just eight years, the new Bucks star has managed to create a strong following of musical enthusiasts, with most of them also being a fan of the player’s on-court talents. The progress that Lillard made in his rap career allowed him to enter the world of video games as well. Working alongside Snoop Dogg and Derrick Milano, Lillard created the soundtrack for NBA 2K21, the 2020 edition of the iconic basketball video game series. One of the tracks in the same, ‘Kobe’, was made to pay tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, who lost his life earlier that year.

Who reigns supreme?

Shaquille O’Neal and Damian Lillard have gone back and forth with each other due to their rapping abilities. Back in 2019 on The Joe Budden Podcast, Lillard stated that after listening to the music produced by the Los Angeles Lakers legend, he formed the opinion that he was a much better rapper. “People weren’t looking like this a real rapper. It was like ‘That’s Shaq rapping,’” said Lillard during the interview.

The comment reached the ears of the Big Aristotle. He took to his Instagram account to drop a diss track, titled ‘Damian Lillard Diss’ for his then 13.2 million followers. In the track, Shaq expressed his wish to “discipline these children”.

O’Neal giving it back to Dame is one of the most prominent reasons why the author considers Shaq to be the better rapper. However, this is not the only reason. One factor that has to stand above all others when considering a favorite pick is experience.

Shaq has been in the game for over 30 years. He has worked alongside some of the greatest musical artists of the 90s and the early 2000s. These collaborations not only elevated Shaq’s credibility within the rap community but also demonstrated his ability to hold his own alongside established rap legends. Damian Lillard, with less than a decade of experience to back him up, has not been able to reach that level yet. While he may have received praise for his lyrical abilities, alongside the fact that he possesses a loyal fanbase, the 33-year-old has not been able to get as much recognition for his talents as Shaq.

Shaq’s first two albums managed to receive a platinum and gold certification, respectively. Both of them reached as high as No. 25 and 67 on the Billboard 200 chart. His third and fourth albums peaked at 82 and 58, respectively. None of Lillard’s albums have even managed to crack the top 60. While the circumstances between the release dates of both individuals’ albums would have been different, it still does not change the fact that more people tuned in to listen to the Lakers legend rather than the former Portland Trail Blazers star.

By becoming one of the first NBA stars to take the risk and expose his rap talent to the world, Shaquille O Neal’s early success laid the foundation for athlete-rappers like Lillard. Both Lillard and O’Neal are two of the best examples of athlete rappers. However, when the decision comes to pick one and place him on a high pedestal, then only one clear choice stands out.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.

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