Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to verse and writing rhymes. He was one of the first pro athletes to dip his oversize toe into the music industry early in his career when he started making guest appearances on hip hop albums and eventually released a rap album of his own.
The Big Diesel may not spit that hot fire as often as he used to anymore, but that doesn’t mean his love for rhyme and wordplay has waned over the years.
In fact, Shaq will discuss his lifelong love for the written word as part of a new series called “Poetry in America.” Shaq has already filmed his segment for an episode of the 12-part series, wherein he reads a poem, then discusses it with series host and Harvard English Professor Elisa New.
Via the Associated Press:
On the show the 46-year-old former All-Star from the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat recites “Fast Break,” a poem by Edward Hirsch from his 1986 book “Wild Gratitude.” It describes some very imperfect players who manage to put together a perfect basketball play.
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“The first mistake I made was thinking it was about basketball,” he said. “I read it real quick I said `fast break, shovel passes, sure, this is what I do.”‘
He said New, who sat next to O’Neal in the interview and like almost everyone is utterly dwarfed by him, gave him whole new insights that led to a fast friendship.
“When she broke it down intelligently for me, I was very astounded and very amazed.”
“Poetry in America” is produced by American Public Television and will air locally on public television networks. Each of the 12 half-hour episodes will explore a single poem by an American author via interviews with athletes, scholars, actors, scientists, musicians, and everyday people. Visit PoetryInAmerica.org for more information.
