Shaquille O’Neal returns to the rap scene, rekindling memories of his ’90s music hits and also highlighting his enduring versatility. O’Neal has gained success with his music career, be it EDM or hip hop. Fast forward to the present, and Shaq just made a rap comeback, collaborating with rising star Gawne. In a recent interview, the rapper detailed their intriguing first encounter.

This unexpected alliance has once again inspired a fresh outpouring of anticipation from fans. As stated by the rapper, the legend initially reached out to him via Instagram.

Gawne talks about meeting Shaquille O’Neal for the first time

Hailing from Oak Park, the rapper shared a common passion for sports with O’Neal, having previously played football. Unfortunately, a severe injury forced him to give up his athletic dreams. After subsequent challenges and a struggle with depression, Gawne made a significant shift to music and rap. His track, “Rise,” surfaced in 2020, marking the beginning of his journey as he continued to make a name for himself in the music world. 

While talking about his career’s biggest collaboration with Los Angeles Lakers legend O’Neal, he spoke about their first meeting. It all began when DJ Diesel sent a message to Gawne on IG about a potential collaboration. He noted, “At this time, I didn’t know who was running his account. I was a little skeptical.”

However, after a few exchanges of music samples and conversation, the two decided to Facetime. “He called and said ‘should we do a video for it?” Gawne added, “I was like ‘Shaq, anytime, any place, anywhere, I will be there with my team, you name it.’ It still didn’t feel real until the actual video shoot where we linked up.” 

It wasn’t surprising to see the duo’s collaboration. The Big Man of the NBA has always been enthusiastic about teaming up with budding artists.

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Shaquille O’Neal is supportive of aspiring artists

Earlier, this year, O’Neal extended his support to aspiring rapper NTS Staxx. Alongside that, he also showed his support for rapper Loaded Lux. He continues to promote emerging talents. The NBA legend boasts four studio albums, two soundtracks, two compilation albums, and 19 singles, showcasing his love and prowess for music. His latest song with Gawne, “Chaos”, encapsulates Gawne’s story and his struggles in youth, while O’Neal’s rap takes it to another level.

Have you listened to the song? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

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