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Rim-rocker, mix-master and general cash cow Shaquille O'Neal could dispense afew entrepreneurial tips to his dissed mentor, former Laker Magic Johnson.
Just days after The Magic Hour announced it would soon stop
tormentingviewers, the Lakers' center-of-attention and his
gold-chained, cell-phonedposse moved their press junket from
Philadelphia to Chicago to spread goodwilland good hype about his
forthcoming hip-hop album, Respect.
Due out Sept. 15, Shaq's fourth major-label release will debut on
TwismRecords -- an A&M Records-distributed independent label
that Shaq recentlyfounded. Now affiliated with more than fourteen
corporations, includingInterscope Pictures and Pepsi, the
multi-talented Shaq-Daddy is also spreadingthe wealth with a series
of eleven all-star basketball games designed tobenefit the Boys and
Girls Clubs of America, among other charities.
"There's many definitions of the word 'role model,'" he said during
his WindyCity stop. "My role models to this day are still my
parents. [New York Jetslinebacker] Brian Cox made a great statement
when he said, 'If you want me tobe a role model because I'm a great
citizen, all right that's cool. But if youwant me to be role model
because I'm on TV and I make a lot of money, I'm notcool with
that.'" Of course, Shaq was paraphrasing Cox, who was
paraphrasingKen Griffey, Jr., who was probably paraphrasing a
fortune cookie.
Regardless, Shaq-Fu continues to supplement his elephantine NBA
salary in truePuff Daddy style. His upcoming album features cameo
rhymes from Big Pun, FatJoe and Peter Gunz, whom O'Neal has already
signed to Twism.
The gentle giant has compared his MC skillz to those of more
wholesome rappersHeavy D and Will Smith. "You know, the clean-cut
party albums," he says. "Idon't be talking about gangs and
stuff."
Though the gangsta-flavored Snoop Doggy Dogg took the music
industry bysurprise this week by bumping the Beastie Boys out of
the top chart position,Shaq seems confident that he can compete
with two of the biggest-selling rapartists in the world. Already,
he's enlisted blue-chip artists BruceSpringsteen, Stevie Wonder and
Grace Jones to appear in the music video forRespect's
first single, "The Way It's Goin' Down," which Shaq directed.
"Hopefully, if I become sort of legendary," Shaq boasts, "I can do
more moviedirecting." Or perhaps hit a free throw.
ANNI LAYNE