Shaq Sharing Official Version Of Unreleased Jay-Z And Nas Collab On Forthcoming Album
Shaquille O’Neal will give streaming platforms a taste of 1996, as his third studio album, You Can’t Stop The Reign, is set to hit DSPs this Friday (June 28). There will be a special addition to the original album, as an unreleased Jay-Z and Nas collaboration will be a part of the LP.
The track, titled “No Love Lost,” made its rounds on the internet over 20 years ago, but fans questioned if it was real due to Hov and Esco’s intense feud and the fact that it wasn’t mastered. Shaq ended up releasing the version with only the Brooklyn rapper and Lord Tariq, and it was rumored that The Notorious B.I.G was supposed to be featured.
Now fans will get the real thing, which is Jay-Z and Nas’ true first-ever collaboration. The four-time NBA Champion previously spoke about trying to put the record out and what hindered it.
“People didn’t clear it, but I didn’t take it personal,” Shaquille O’Neal told Drink Champs in 2022. “Me being in the studio with Nas, I’m happy. I get to call my boy and say, ‘Come over, Nas here.’ I get to call my boy and say, ‘Jay in here.’ I get to call my boys and say, ‘Yo, Biggie at the house, he ’bout to jump in the seat.’ That’s what it’s all about.”
The Los Angeles Lakers legend also spoke about how he didn’t stick with music long-term due to the lack of money to be made. “And not to disrespect you guys, it wasn’t enough money in that for me,” he said. “I went platinum, right? And they showed me the check, and I was like, ‘This some bullsh*t.’”
Nonetheless, he will provide a cultural moment in the forthcoming “No Love Lost” featuring Jay-Z and Nas. The duo have worked together in the past after patching things up, such as their 2006 song “Black Republican” and 2021’s “Sorry Not Sorry” on DJ Khaled’s Khaled Khaled album. Listen below.