Former Laker teammates Shaquille O’ Neal and Kobe Bryant have never pretended to be friends. They often clashed on and off the court during their short lived time together. Last weekend though the beef took on a whole new level as Shaq exercised his rapping skills and tried to “ether” Kobe in a live freestyle at a New York club. Shaq was in the building for hosting duties at the club but I guess got inspired and hopped on the stage to go in on Kobe. The freestyle began with Shaq asking Kobe “So you couldn’t do it last year without me huh?” much to the crowds surprise and excitement who let out immediate cheers. He then goes on for a few extremely wack lines about how he is the big man and even calls Kobe a snitch for telling on his affairs and causing his divorce. Then comes the good part. “Tell me Kobe how did my ass taste?!” Shaq yelled into the microphone immediately erupting the crowd into laughter. Soon this became an almost Lil Jon sing along chant with the whole crowd asking Kobe how their asses taste. Pretty funny for us but apparently some people aren’t laughing.

Shaq has went on to say the very next day that the rap was just a competitive joke and shouldn’t be taken as anything more. “I was freestyling. That’s all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever,” O’Neal told ESPN.com Monday. However Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Arizona Sheriff who has been on DMX’s ass for the past year or so, wants to revoke Shaq’s special deputy’s badge which was given to him by the city of Phoenix. Do remember Shaq likes to play snitch himself from time to time and has volunteered for three sheriff departments including the city of Miami Beach. Arpaio said the use of foul language and Shaq’s use of the word nigga is not the behavior befitting of a basketball playing, rapping, pretend sheriff in his county. “I want his two badges back,” Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they’re fired. I don’t condone this type of racial conduct.” There has not been any word from any other state or city officials as to the status of Shaq’s badges or from the big man himself on this matter. I think it’s funny how this sheriff is conveniently using the fuel the whole “nigger” controversy has now to try to come down on Shaq. I really don’t think anyone thinks Shaq hates blacks and was calling Kobe a nigga in a derogatory sense. I say take it for what it was, a joke. If Shaq wants to play superhero at night, a freestyle shouldn’t be the reason for him not being able to do so. Do you think Shaq should lose his snitch badge because of this?