Nowadays, Shaquille O’Neal is best known for his work on Inside the NBA and as an Icy Hot pitchman, but he made his name as one of the most dominant basketball players of all time. This gave Shaq a leg up in pursuing rapping, and he released four albums in the 1990s. His third effort, You Can’t Stop the Reign, is now on streaming, and it notably features Jay-Z and Nas’ first collaboration.
The streaming version of “No Love Lost” marks the first time we’re officially hearing the original track. Apparently, Nas didn’t clear his verse for the album’s 1996 release.
Though Shaq had become a capable MC three albums into his career and Lord Tariq is talented in his own right, Jay and Nas are obviously the main attractions on “No Love Lost.”
Both in their mafioso eras, neither artist disappoints, with Jay rapping, “We stepped it up, y’all don’t ever want a showdown/ Get wetted up by the sleeve that leave the bezel out.” Meanwhile, Nas spits lines like, “I flip my loot twice a week/ On the most trifling streets/ You got no right to eat by the laws of life you keep.”
Besides “No Love Lost,” You Can’t Stop the Reign features the title track with the Notorious B.I.G. and appearances from Mobb Deep, Rakim, and DJ Quik.
Check out “No Love Lost” and stream You Can’t Stop the Reign in full below.
You Can’t Stop the Reign Artwork:
You Can’t Stop the Reign Tracklist:
01. Shaquille (Interlude)
02. Still Can’t Stop the Reign (feat. The Notorious B.I.G.)
03. D.I.V.A. Radio (Interlude)
04. It Was All a Dream
05. No Love Lost (feat. Jay-Z, Nas, and Lord Tariq)
06. Strait Playin’ (feat. DJ Quik and Peter Gunz)
07. Best to Worst (feat. Peter Gunz)
08. Legal Money (feat. Mobb Deep and Lord Tariq)
09. Edge of Night (feat. Bobby Brown)
10. S.H.E. (Interlude) [feat. S.H.E.]
11. Let’s Wait Awhile
12. Can I Play (feat. Peter Gunz)
13. Just Be Good to Me
14. More to Life (feat. Smooth B, Bobby Brown, and Ralph Tresvant)
15. Big Dog Stomp
16. Game of Death (feat. Rakim)
17. Outro Interlude (feat. Lord Tariq)
18. Player (Bonus)
19. Don’t Wanna Be Alone (Bonus)