Shaq Fu: Da Return

Shaq Fu: Da Return
Shaq Fu: Da Return
Studio album by Shaquille O'Neal
Released	November 8, 1994
Recorded	1994
Genre	Hip hop
Length	43:04
Label	Jive
Producer	Chyskillz; Erick Sermon; LoRider; Redman; RZA; The LG Experience; Warren G;
Shaquille O'Neal chronology
Singles from Shaq Fu: Da Return
	"Biological Didn't Bother"; Released: October 17, 1994; "No Hook"; Released: February 6, 1995;

Shaq Fu: Da Return is the second studio album by American basketball player and rapper Shaquille O'Neal. It was released on November 8, 1994, via Jive Records. Production was handled by Erick Sermon, LoRider, The LG Experience, Chyskillz, Redman and Warren G. It features guest appearances from Erick Sermon, General Sha, Ill Al Skratch, Keith Murray, Method Man, Mr. Ruffneck, Redman and RZA.

The album peaked at number 67 on the Billboard 200 and number 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts in the United States. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on January 11, 1995 for selling 500,000 copies in the US alone.

The album was supported with two singles "Biological Didn't Bother" and "No Hook" with accompanying music videos. Its lead single, "Biological Didn't Bother" (which discusses O'Neal's estrangement from his biological father, with whom he would not reconcile until 2016), reached number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 54 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 18 on the Hot Rap Songs. The second single off of the album, "No Hook", made it to number 3 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, number 66 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 16 on the Hot Rap Songs.

The kanji 風—meaning 'wind'—is used on the cover, which can be pronounced as 'fu' in Japanese. It has no relation to the fu (夫) in kung fu (功夫), whose name the album's title references.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s	^[2]
Entertainment Weekly	C^[3]
NME	7/10^[4]
Select	^[5]

NME reviewer found the album "doesn't have as sense of continuity".^[4] David Thigpen of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "Shaquille O’Neal settles for soggy, tired old beats and raps in a monotone so relentlessly laid-back that he sometimes seems to vanish into himself".^[3] In his Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s book, Robert Christgau highlighted both of the album's singles, stating "he's got skillz, connectionz, a wicked laugh--and he can rhyme some".^[2]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, JT Griffith called the album "a solid (but not outstanding) rap CD that takes another step forward in that no-man's land between legitimacy and novelty act".^[1]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"No Hook" (featuring RZA and Method Man)	Shaquille O'Neal Ken Bailey RZA Method Man	RZA	3:17
2.	"Newark to C.I." (featuring Keith Murray)	O'Neal Bailey Keith Murray Reggie Noble	Redman	3:57
3.	"Biological Didn't Bother" (G-Funk Version)	O'Neal Patrick Harvey Tony Prendatt	The LG Experience LoRider	5:07
4.	"My Dear"	O'Neal Warren Griffin	Warren G	3:42
5.	"Shaq's Got It Made"	Edward Archer Howie Tee	Erick Sermon Redman	3:57
6.	"Mic Check 1-2" (featuring Ill Al Skratch)	O'Neal Lorenzo Grooms Harvey Prendatt Alphonso Constant	The LG Experience LoRider	3:47
7.	"My Style, My Stelo" (featuring Erick Sermon and Redman)	O'Neal Sermon Noble	Erick Sermon	3:41
8.	"(So U Wanna Be) Hardcore"	O'Neal Chylow Parker	Chyskillz	3:27
9.	"Nobody"	O'Neal Sermon	Erick Sermon	3:48
10.	"Freaky Flow" (featuring Mr. Ruffneck and General Sha)	O'Neal Parker Davone Williams Norald Saunders	Chyskillz	3:43
11.	"Biological Didn't Bother" (Original Flow)	O'Neal Harvey Prendatt	The LG Experience LoRider	4:38
Total length:				43:04

Bonus tracks
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
12.	"Shaq-Fu: Stand & Deliver"	Def Jef Meech Wells
13.	"Biological Didn't Bother" (Dr. Ceuss Remix)

Notes

Track 3 is remixed by Warren G.

Sample credits

"Newark to C.I." contains a sample of "Fire"; written by Clarence Satchell, Melvin Pierce, Ralph Middlebrook, Marshall Jones, Leroy Bonner, James Williams, and Willaim Beck; performed by the Ohio Players.
"Biological Didn't Bother" contains a sample of "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", written by Corey Penn and Peter Phillips, performed by Pete Rock & CL Smooth.
"Shaq's Got It Made" is an adaptation of "I Got It Made", written by Edward Archer and Howie Tee, and performed by Special Ed.
- "I Got It Made" contains a sample of "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat", written by Andre Young and Tracy Lynn Curry, and performed by Dr. Dre.
"(So I Wanna Be) Hardcore" contains a sample of "Machine Gun Funk", written and performed by The Notorious B.I.G..
"Nobody" contains samples from:
- "Nobody Can Be You", written by Steve Arrington and Charles Carter, and performed by Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame.
- "It Ain't Hard to Tell", written by Nasir Jones and William Mitchell, and performed by Nas.
"Freaky Flow" contains a sample of "Come Clean", written by Christopher Martin and Kendrick Davis, and performed by Jeru the Damaja.

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[6]	67
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[7]	19

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[8]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ ^a ^b Griffith, JT. "Shaq-Fu: Da Return - Shaquille O'Neal | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Christgau, Robert (2000). "Consumer Guide '90s: O". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Thigpen, David (December 2, 1994). "Shaq Fu-Da Return". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
^ ^a ^b M, I (June 3, 1995). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 50. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
^ Hall, Matt (February 1995). "New Albums". Select. p. 84. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
^ "Shaquille ONeal Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
^ "Shaquille ONeal Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
^ "American album certifications – Shaquille – Shaq-Fu". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

Shaq Fu - Da Return at Discogs (list of releases)

[AM-1] Griffith, JT. "Shaq-Fu: Da Return - Shaquille O'Neal | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved May 11, 2024.

[RC-2] Christgau, Robert (2000). "Consumer Guide '90s: O". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Retrieved May 11, 2024.

[EW-3] Thigpen, David (December 2, 1994). "Shaq Fu-Da Return". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2024.

[NME-4] M, I (June 3, 1995). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 50. Retrieved January 20, 2024.

[5] Hall, Matt (February 1995). "New Albums". Select. p. 84. Retrieved December 9, 2024.

[ac_Billboard200_Shaquille_ONeal-6] "Shaquille ONeal Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2024.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Shaquille_ONeal-7] "Shaquille ONeal Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2024.

[RIAA-8] "American album certifications – Shaquille – Shaq-Fu". Recording Industry Association of America.

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