"Shaq was the only athlete to go platinum with a rap album" - Antonio Brown on wanting to be an athlete with a successful rap career like Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal is currently lighting up the dance floor as DJ Diesel, but he had a successful career as a rapper back in the 1990s. It's something that former Tampa Bay Buccanneers star Antonio Brown wants to emulate as he starts his music career.

In an interview with HipHopDX, Brown talked about starting his rap career now that his days as an NFL player appear to be over. The one-time Super Bowl champion goes by the stage name AB and has already released several singles since 2020. He also set lofty expectations for his career in music.

"I’m making music to feel fun, energized and feel good about your existence in this space and time. Shaq was the only athlete to go platinum with a rap album. Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson — a lot of those guys attempted it, so I want to be the first guy to make people respect the craft from an athlete’s perspective," Brown said.

Shaquille O'Neal released four albums from 1993 to 1998, with his debut album "Shaq Diesel" receiving platinum certification from the RIAA. Despite his subsequent albums never reaching the success of his first one, Shaq has made it possible for athletes to become successful entertainers.

Meanwhile, Antonio Brown's music career is just starting and it's not bad to associate with someone like Kanye West. Brown announced that he's been named president of Ye's Donda Sports, a brand that will look to provide holistic support to athletes during and after their careers.

Shaquille O'Neal on the Antonio Brown controversy last month

Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most prominent athletes to comment on the Antonio Brown controversy last month. Brown made headlines in Week 17 of the NFL season when he took his jersey and pads off, leaving the arena in the third quarter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' win over the New York Jets.

In an interview with LA Mag, the LA Lakers noted that he had never met Brown, but he knew something had happened behind the scenes. The Hall of Famer added that he was not going to criticize Brown for what he has done since the full story has not come out yet.

"I’ve never met him. I know at one point he was one of the top athletes in the world. Something happened that we don’t know about, whether he’s injured or not injured, but I’m not going to bash him and say he should have done this, shouldn’t have did that," O'Neal said.

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Shaq is a big fan of the NFL, supporting the Dallas Cowboys. With his Cowboys not reaching the Super Bowl this season, he's going to have a hard time choosing between the Cincinnati Bengals and the LA Rams. Joe Burrow of the Bengals and Odell Beckham Jr. of the Rams are both from Shaq's alma mater of LSU.