Shaquille O’Neal blended Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” and Meek Mill’s “Dreams & Nightmares” during a recent performance in Philadelphia. The mash-up comes after a viral debate concerning whether Uzi’s song replaced Meek’s as the anthem for the city of Philadelphia.
DJ Diesel had been performing during the Phillies’ home matchup against the Nationals from Citizens Bank Park. Sharing a clip of the set on TikTok, Shaq wrote: “when in Philly..” while tagging both artists.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 01: NBA Hall of Fame member Shaquille O’Neal performs a set as DJ Diesel following a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on July 01, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
DJ Drama was the first one to spark the debate on “Just Wanna Rock” versus “Dreams and Nightmares.” The Philadelphia Eagles had previously walked out to Uzi’s track during their NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. “I think it’s fair to say that ‘Just Wanna Rock’ has replaced—with all due respect—‘Dreams and Nightmares’ as the new anthem of Philadelphia, as the new anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles this year,” Drama told TMZ. “I’m looking forward to hearing that song many, many times [throughout] Super Bowl weekend.”
Despite the debate, Uzi admitted they side with Meek’s “Dreams and Nightmares” when asked which song is Philly’s anthem. “I don’t think so,” Uzi told Revolt TV. “That song like been around for a very long time, and that song is still hitting exactly the same way. I’m just gonna have to see, you know, in a couple of years or a decade or whatever.”
He continued: “[Meek’s] a big homie from Philly, and that’s like one of my big homies. So I just like, feed off the energy that he gives actually to be able to even produce or put out that type of music. So like, hopefully. Like shit, hopefully he would hope that for me too. Not yet, though – it’s too early to tell.”
Shaquille O’Neal has expanded his restaurant empire by bringing his popular Big Chicken restaurant chain to Houston. The grand opening of the Houston location attracted a significant number of attendees, leading to the intervention of the fire marshal crew due to the crowd size. Despite the regulations, the NBA legend expressed his gratitude to the […]
Shaquille O’Neal is always up to something. He joined the board of directors for Papa John’s back in 2019. Recently he dropped a freestyle rap that sampled Drowning Pool’s “Bodies”. However, one of Shaq’s biggest recent projects has involved renovations at his property in Georgia.
Enlisting the help of YouTuber Ed the Pond Professor, the NBA legend has been redeveloping a large area of his property to incorporate a water feature and pond system. According to Ed, who has 116,000 subscribers, the project involved moving 1 million pounds of rocks to create Shaq’s desired design.
To complete the pond, Shaq had a 35lb Yamabuki Koi shipped in from Japan. The fish was delivered by another YouTube channel, Fritz’s Fish Pond. While they only have a little over 5,000 followers, Fritz’s specializes in koi breeding and global distribution. To cap it all off, Shaq gave the fish a hilarious name.
The delivery of the massive koi was posted to Fritz’s Fish Ponds’ Instagram page. Evidently impressed by the fish, Shaq commented “I’m naming this fish Charles Barkley,” eliciting laughs from the gathered crowd.
Shaq co-hosts Inside the NBA alongside Barkley. While the two often butt heads while discussing the sport they once dominated, the pair reportedly have a good off-screen friendship. Barkley, who has widely praised the light shenanigans of the show, will likely see the humor in the naming.
However, Shaq’s renovations are not yet complete. Ed and the rest of the team have shown the project in progress. Still, we’re looking forward to seeing the full scope of the property once it’s complete. Maybe Shaq can build his ultimate All-NBA team with more Koi named after his basketball friends and colleagues.
In more Shaq antics, the former NBA big man recently made his way to Home Depot. This came after a young woman employed by the hardware giant shunned OnlyFans in favor of her mundane 9-5. This video went viral on social media. This led to her being “milkshake ducked” after her derogatory about sex workers then surfaced.
Shaq got involved when he DM’d “Home Depot Girl” to tell her not to get too worked up about the fickle fortunes of social media. Desperate to right her viral ship, the woman then leaked Shaq’s DMs.
This led to a viral video of Shaq heading to Home Depot and donning the iconic orange apron. The video followed Shaq as he ambled around the store and mingled with real employees. As always, we hope that Shaq remains forever weird.
Shaq is someone that has a propensity to go viral. Overall, this is mostly due to the fact that he is constantly offering hilarious commentary on Inside The NBA. He has been with TNT for quite some time now, and he has done a great job with Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. However, the man has many talents beyond just talking about the game of basketball. For instance, he is also a DJ who has played at some massive music festivals. Most recently, he brought his talents to a NASCAR race in Sonoma.
That said, the most recent viral moment involving Shaq has to do with the now infamous Home Depot girl. Essentially, a young woman posted herself working at Home Depot. Moreover, she noted that she would never do OnlyFans and prefers working her 9-5 job. For some reason, this made her go viral on Twitter. Although, things went South as she eventually made some unsavory remarks about sex workers. Shaq subsequently DM’d her to let her know not to get too worked up about it. She then leaked these DMs and the rest is history.
As a way to capitalize on this virality, Shaq took to social media where he delivered a hilarious video on Instagram. In the clip above, the former NBA superstar goes right to Home Depot and even puts on the apron. Overall, he seemed to fit right in with the employees as he mingled with them and made jokes. Moreover, he made one family’s day by buying them some appliances. It was an incredible gesture that definitely went a very long way.
While the viral Home Depot girl craze dies down, at least Shaq found a way to have some fun about it. After all, the NBA season is now over, and he has to find something to do. Perhaps more DJ gigs will be on the horizon for him. Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section below.
LeBron James has played for the LA Lakers since 2018. The 2022-23 season was his third with the team, meaning he has spent more time in LA than he did with the Miami Heat. However, LeBron, who turns 39 this year, has had a mixed tenure with the team. Outside of their 2020 NBA title during the pandemic-impacted season, the Lakers have been far from juggernauts in the Western Conference.
However, one of the many topics currently circulating within the Lakers fandom is whether LeBron deserves a statue outside Crypto.com Arena. The plaza in front of the Lakers’ home court contains a number of statues honoring Lakers legends such as Shaq, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, there is plenty of resistance to the idea of LeBron getting a statue there too. Despite this, there is a prominent voice very much in favor of seeing LeBron be immortalized there.
Shaq Supports LeBron Statue
Speaking to Brandon Robinson of Bally Sports, Shaq gave his take on a LeBron statue. “If they wanted to give him a statue, I’d be fine with that,” the Lakers legend began. “He did win a title with the Lakers and lot of people say that it doesn’t count. LeBron has broke the record [scoring record] and he broke the record as a Laker. He’s a great player, great ability and he did what he was supposed to do as a LAKER. But the thing about the Lakers is that Laker fans are real greedy, Okay you got us this bubble championship, but when are you going to give us another? It’s always that.”
As a Laker, LeBron is averaging 27.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. Those are all career highs when looking at his per-team stats. Granted, he played much longer and at a much different point in his career for Cleveland but the point stands. As Shaq mentioned, LeBron won a championship and broke the all-time scoring record while wearing the gold and purple of LA. Even as his career inevitably winds down, LeBron still playing at an elite level. Depending on how the next few seasons pan out, LeBron could arguably retire as a Laker. But what do you think – does LeBron does a statue outside Crypto.com Arena? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.
Tyler Perry has finalized a groundbreaking deal to purchase BET Networks, the prominent Black Entertainment Television network. This acquisition grants Perry control over BET Media Group, including VH1. Perry already owns a minority stake in the streaming service BET+. TV and film mogul Tyler Perry has recently finalized a deal to purchase a majority stake […]
Shaq has been a busy man as of late. For instance, just yesterday, the former NBA superstar was in Sonoma, California where he got to DJ after the NASCAR race. Overall, it was a big celebration out there as Martin Truex Jr. won the race in a dominant fashion. However, on social media, fans were talking about the legend in a whole different light. Ultimately, this was due to some recent DMs that were leaked between himself and a woman named Ariana Josephine. For those who don’t know, she is the viral Home Depot girl.
Josephine gained fame when she took to social media with a photo of herself in her Home Depot outfit. She made it clear that she enjoys working this job and would never start an OnlyFans. This received a ton of support, however, it quickly devolved after she made some unsavory comments about sex workers. Subsequently, Shaq entered her DMs to tell her that she is doing nothing wrong. “Don’t let them people bother u,” he wrote. He then said to have a great day and to let her boyfriends know he says “hi.”
— Ball Room Service (@ballroomservice) June 11, 2023
Of course, a lot of people took this as Shaq trying to shoot his shot at the young woman. However, he quickly made sure to dispel these comments. “Just uplifting people that’s what the diesel do baby I uplift people, google me,” he wrote in DJ Akademiks’ comments section. Clearly, he was a bit annoyed with everyone trying to project onto him, and he let those feelings be known. Ultimately, it is good to see Shaq standing up for himself in these situations. Although, there is no doubt that Home Depot girl is getting even more clout than before.
Of course, Shaq has a bit more time on his hands now that TNT is done covering the NBA for the year. The Finals are always on ESPN, much to the dismay of a lot of fans. Regardless, this is a time when Diesel can do whatever he wants. That includes DM’ing women online, at his own discretion.
NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal was gong to dinner with fitness model and Instagram influencer Brittany Renner. Shaq’s dating history has always been a little bit of a mystery. He was long associated with film marketer Shaunie O’Neal, whom he married in 1996. However, the couple divorced in 2007, something that Shaq blamed on former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant. Most recently, Shaq was seen with actress Annie Ilonzeh.
Meanwhile, Renner, who has five million followers on Instagram, has a long history of dating athletes. Her partners include Colin Kaepernick, Ben Simmons, James Harden, and P.J. Washington. Furthermore, she has also been linked with the likes of Lil Uzi Vert, Drake, Chris Brown, and Trey Songz. Her relationship with Washington, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets, is her most notable one. Renner and Washington have a son together, who was born in 2021. However, the pair split in 2022.
Footage obtained by TMZ showed Shaq and Renner arriving at a Beverly Hills hotel for dinner around 6pm on June 5. The meal reportedly lasted around two hours, with both diners in good spirits. Afterward, the pair left separately around 8pm. However, sources from both camps have told TMZ in the strongest terms that the pair are not dating. Instead, they have been friends for some time and were merely catching up over dinner. Reportedly, it was reiterated several times to TMZ that the dinner was purely platonic.
However, another connection does exist between the pair. Shaunie O’Neal is serving as an executive producer for the upcoming season of Basketball Wives, which Renner is rumored to be a member of the cast for. Despite this, sources told TMZ that no cameras appeared to be present for Renner’s dinner with the producer’s ex-husband. As reported by TMZ, there is nothing to read into this story except two friends having dinner in LA. Follow all the latest celebrity sightings news here at HotNewHipHop.
Shaquille O’Neal got emotional during NBA TV’s broadcast ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. He was discussing the 23rd anniversary of the Lakers’ iconic 13-point fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. The late Kobe Bryant famously threw up an alley-oop to Shaq to punctuate the win.
“I’m happy that happened, but every time I see my young fella, he’s not with us anymore, kinda makes me sad,” Shaq said. “Shout out to his mom and dad, we talk all the time, his sisters. Of course it was a happy moment, but if I could trade that moment and have him sitting here with us or be able to text him and say, ‘Kob’ can you believe this happened 23 years ago?’ that would be better for me.”
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: The Los Angeles Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal (L) and Kobe Bryant (R) talk in the second quarter during their NBA game against the Portland Trail Blazers 15 April 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Lakers won 105-100. AFP PHOTO/Lucy Nicholson (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020. Despite their success together n the court, Shaq and Kobe feuded for years while he was alive. The NBA legend admitted that he hadn’t spoken with Bryant for years after his passing. While breaking down into tears on air at the time, Shaq remarked, “With the loss of my father and my sister, that’s the only thing I wish — that I could just say something to them. Last time I talked to (Bryant) was when we were here (in the TNT studio) and I asked him to get 50 and he got 60. That’s the last time I spoke to him.”
Shaq Reflects On Kobe Bryant
“Of course it was a happy moment…if I could trade that moment and have him sitting here with us…that would be better for me.”@SHAQ reflects on the iconic lob with Kobe pic.twitter.com/hi0rmDR57w
As for the NBA Finals, the Denver Nuggets are currently up 1-0 in the series. The Heat look to even things up tonight before heading back to Miami for Game 3 on Wednesday.
The Simpsons has dipped into every facet of pop culture imaginable. Professional sports are no exception. Ever since classic episodes like “Homer at the Bat,” the series has incorporated sports-themed narratives. Naturally, these episodes often led to cameos from professional athletes willing to poke fun at themselves. Some of the most notable cameos have been from the world of the NBA. From Shaq to Magic Johnson, some of the greatest players to ever set foot on the court have visited Springfield.
The Season 16 episode “Homer and Ned’s Hail Mary Pass” seemed like an unlikely platform to host professional athletes. The episode parodied early viral internet videos and the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ. However, “Homer and Ned’s Hail Mary Pass” incorporated several professional athletes, including Lebron James and Yao Ming.
In a scene where Homer tried to recreate the story of Noah’s Ark for a halftime show, things went terribly wrong. Homer employed several professional athletes, including Tom Brady and Michelle Kwan, to help mobilize the makeshift boat. Yao Ming gets a wonderful snipe regarding the difference between labor in China and U.S. during the scene. Lebron also gets a moment to shine in the episode where he ruins a Simpson’s family dinner.
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Living legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has never been a stranger to the world of film and television. The 7’ 2” NBA titan has appeared in classic films like Game of Death and Fletch. In the Season 22 episode, “Love Is a Many Strangled Thing.” Abdul-Jabbar made his debut in Springfield, where he made fun of his own large stature.
In the episode, Homer went to anger management to help quell his violent tendencies. Kareem took the position of Homer, while the Simpsons patriarch embodied his son. The result was both hilarious and uncomfortable. The scene had a metanarrative regarding Homer and Bart’s relationship, which has been scrutinized for over 30 years.
4. Dennis Rodman
The Simpsons’ Halloween special “Treehouse of Horror” has been a seasonal hallmark for over 30 years. “Treehouse of Horror XVI” was no different. In the segment “I’ve Grown a Costume on Your Face,” the show parodied The Twilight Zone episode “The Masks.” The story centered around the residents of Springfield being cursed by a witch, who made their Halloween costumes come to life.
In the episode’s final moments, power forward Dennis Rodman appeared as an anthropomorphic baby pacifier. Rodman acclimated to the show’s self-deprecating sense of humor, casually commenting on his controversial life. Plenty of NBA cameos on The Simpsons have been bizarre, but Rodman’s was probably the most surreal.
Some episodes of The Simpsons will dedicate their entire runtime to poking fun at a particular subject. The episode “22 for 30” was one of them. Presented in a documentary format, “22 for 30” follows Bart’s rise and fall as a Springfield Elementary basketball team star player.
The episode hilariously poked fun at sports documentaries with characters arguing for camera time and declaring conflicting anecdotes. Steph Curry makes a hilarious cameo as himself. His gag was throwing a paper ball into Principal Skinner’s coffee through the Lard Lad Donuts’ mascot. It was a brief appearance from the Golden State Warriors point guard, but it felt right at home in the faux documentary.
2. Magic Johnson
One of the earliest NBA cameos on The Simpsons was from one of the greatest ever to play the game. In the Season 3 episode “Homer Defined,” Homer is named Employee of the Month by Mr. Burns. However, the superlative was not earnestly won as he accidentally diverted a nuclear meltdown. Homer realized his win was not well-earned. This caused him to feel guilty once Lisa started to look up to him as a role model. His guilt further deepened when he received a call from Magic Johnson, congratulating Homer on his heroism.
1. Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal had been featured in The Simpsons before his vocal debut in the episode “Gone Boy.” Kevin Michael Richardson voiced the four-time NBA Champion in a previous episode. However, Shaq took the wheel in the recording studio to lend his vocal talents to the Season 29 episode.
The episode is a loose parody of the hit film and novel Gone Girl. The story centers around Bart disappearing and Sideshow Bob trying to manipulate Milhouse for information on his whereabouts. Homer and Grandpa Simpson run into Shaq while tracking Sideshow Bob. However, the NBA All-Star gets creeped out by the father-and-son duo for ridiculous reasons.
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