Search - Shaquille O'Neal :: Respect

Now five albums into an unlikely rap side career, NBA star Shaquille O'Neal long ago established himself as only a marginally talented rapper with a great propensity for lobbing monotone lyrical bricks toward the mic. But commercial hip-hop has long been more about personality than skills, and the many fans of Shaq's rebounding and commercial endorsements won't have trouble liking their hero's efforts on Respect. Besides, star power and bankroll let O'Neal draft enough topnotch help to outshine the seven-footer and bring key tracks like "The Way It's Goin' Down" (featuring Peter Gunz and DJ Quik) to life. Elsewhere, though, Respect offers competent but strictly one-dimensional loops and beats, plus lyrics it's hard to get excited about: "I hold my water / So you better hold your daughter," goes one favorite couplet. Um, thanks for sharing, Shaq. --Roni Sarig