So Shaquille O'Neal has made a rap song that samples Bodies by Drowning Pool

(Image credit: Getty / Drowning Pool)

In today's edition of 'nu metal popping up in the most unexpected places', it turns out one of the most famous basketball players of all time has gone and sampled one of nu metal's most iconic anthems.

Shaquille O'Neal, the 7 foot 1 powerhouse center who won three back-to-back NBA championships with the LA Lakers in the early 2000s, has surprise-released what he's described as a "freestyle" rap, featuring him dropping bars over beats that sample Drowning Pool's legendary 2001 rock club floor-filler, Bodies. The track, titled Thotties Hit The Floor, comes accompanied by a ridiculous video starring Shaq driving a truck as he spits out rhymes left right and centre.

"Lil Freestyle for y’all," says Shaq on TikTok. "Never would i have thought DJing would get me here!! But when it’s your time, it’s YOUR TIME. Im beyond grateful 🙏🏿 Thotties Hit The Floor (MONSTER MASHUP) ft. Me, Lex Bratcher, Scar Lip."

Watch the (surprisingly not bad!) new take on a classic track below.

@shaq
Lil Freestyle for y’all. Never would i have thought DJing would get me here!! But when it’s your time, it’s YOUR TIME. Im beyond grateful 🙏🏿 Thotties Hit The Floor (MONSTER MASHUP) ft. Me, Lex Bratcher, Scar Lip
♬ original sound - ShaqDieselONeal

Shaquille O'Neal is no stranger to rap music, having released four hip hop albums between 1993 and 1998, with a fifth, Shaquille O'Neal Presents His Superfriends, Vol. 1, never seeing release.

Bodies was originally released on Drowning Pool's 2001 debut album, Sinner, catapulting the Dallas, Texas four-piece to immediate fame after becoming one of the biggest songs of the nu metal era. Sadly, the band never got to fully capitalise on their fame, with frontman Dave Williams being found dead on Drowning Pool's tourbus while on the road in Manassas, Virginia, in August 2002, just over a year after Sinner's release. The Texans have worked with various vocalists since, including Soil singer Ryan McCombs, who rejoined Drowning Pool for a second stint with the band earlier this year.

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.