# Shaq Fu: Da Return

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***Shaq Fu: Da Return*** is the second studio album by American basketball player and rapper [Shaquille O'Neal](/source/Shaquille_O'Neal). It was released on November 8, 1994, via [Jive Records](/source/Jive_Records). [Production](/source/Hip_hop_production) was handled by [Erick Sermon](/source/Erick_Sermon), LoRider, The LG Experience, [Chyskillz](/source/Chyskillz), [Redman](/source/Redman_(rapper)) and [Warren G](/source/Warren_G). It features [guest appearances](/source/Guest_appearance) from Erick Sermon, General Sha, [Ill Al Skratch](/source/Ill_Al_Skratch), [Keith Murray](/source/Keith_Murray), [Method Man](/source/Method_Man), Mr. Ruffneck, Redman and [RZA](/source/RZA).

The album peaked at number 67 on the [*Billboard* 200](/source/Billboard_200) and number 19 on the [Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums](/source/Top_R%26B/Hip-Hop_Albums) charts in the United States. It was certified gold by the [Recording Industry Association of America](/source/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](/source/Biological_Didn't_Bother)" and "[No Hook](/source/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](/source/Billboard_Hot_100), number 54 on the [Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs](/source/Hot_R%26B/Hip-Hop_Songs) and number 18 on the [Hot Rap Songs](/source/Hot_Rap_Songs). The second single off of the album, "No Hook", made it to number 3 on the [Bubbling Under Hot 100](/source/Bubbling_Under_Hot_100), number 66 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 16 on the Hot Rap Songs.

The [kanji](/source/Kanji) [風](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%A2%A8)—meaning 'wind'—is used on the cover, which can be pronounced as 'fu' in Japanese. It has no relation to the *fu* ([夫](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AB)) in *[kung fu](/source/Kung_fu)* ([功夫](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8A%9F%E5%A4%AB)), whose name the album's title references.

## Critical reception

*[NME](/source/NME)* reviewer found the album "doesn't have as sense of continuity".[1] David Thigpen of *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/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".[2] In his *[Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s](/source/Christgau's_Consumer_Guide:_Albums_of_the_'90s)* book, [Robert Christgau](/source/Robert_Christgau) highlighted both of the album's singles, stating "he's got skillz, connectionz, a wicked laugh--and he can rhyme some".[3]

In a retrospective review for [AllMusic](/source/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](/source/Novelty) act".[4]

## Track listing

**Notes**

- Track 3 is remixed by [Warren G](/source/Warren_G).

**Sample credits**

- "Newark to C.I." contains a sample of "[Fire](/source/Fire_(Ohio_Players_song))"; written by [Clarence Satchell](/source/Ohio_Players), [Melvin Pierce](/source/Ohio_Players), [Ralph Middlebrook](/source/Ohio_Players), [Marshall Jones](/source/Marshall_%22Rock%22_Jones), [Leroy Bonner](/source/Leroy_%22Sugarfoot%22_Bonner), [James Williams](/source/Ohio_Players), and [Willaim Beck](/source/Ohio_Players); performed by the [Ohio Players](/source/Ohio_Players).
- "Biological Didn't Bother" contains a sample of "[They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)](/source/They_Reminisce_Over_You_(T.R.O.Y.))", written by [Corey Penn](/source/CL_Smooth) and [Peter Phillips](/source/Pete_Rock), performed by [Pete Rock & CL Smooth](/source/Pete_Rock_%26_CL_Smooth).
- "Shaq's Got It Made" is an adaptation of "I Got It Made", written by [Edward Archer](/source/Special_Ed_(rapper)) and [Howie Tee](/source/Howie_Tee), and performed by [Special Ed](/source/Special_Ed_(rapper)). - "I Got It Made" contains a sample of "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat", written by [Andre Young](/source/Dr._Dre) and [Tracy Lynn Curry](/source/The_D.O.C.), and performed by [Dr. Dre](/source/Dr._Dre).
- "(So I Wanna Be) Hardcore" contains a sample of "Machine Gun Funk", written and performed by [The Notorious B.I.G.](/source/The_Notorious_B.I.G.)
- "Nobody" contains samples from: - "Nobody Can Be You", written by [Steve Arrington](/source/Steve_Arrington) and Charles Carter, and performed by [Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame](/source/Steve_Arrington's_Hall_of_Fame). - "[It Ain't Hard to Tell](/source/It_Ain't_Hard_to_Tell)", written by [Nasir Jones](/source/Nas) and [William Mitchell](/source/Large_Professor), and performed by [Nas](/source/Nas).
- "Freaky Flow" contains a sample of "[Come Clean](/source/Come_Clean_(Jeru_the_Damaja_song))", written by [Christopher Martin](/source/DJ_Premier) and [Kendrick Davis](/source/Jeru_the_Damaja), and performed by [Jeru the Damaja](/source/Jeru_the_Damaja).

## Charts

Chart (1994) Peak position

## References

1. M (June 3, 1995). ["Long Play"](https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53474663579/). *[New Musical Express](/source/NME)*. p. 50. Retrieved January 20, 2024.

1. Thigpen, David (December 2, 1994). ["Shaq Fu-Da Return"](https://ew.com/article/1994/12/02/shaq-fu-da-return/). *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)*. Retrieved May 11, 2024.

1. Christgau, Robert (2000). ["Consumer Guide '90s: O"](https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Shaquille+O%27Neal). *[Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s](/source/Christgau's_Consumer_Guide:_Albums_of_the_'90s)*. Retrieved May 11, 2024.

1. Griffith, JT. ["Shaq-Fu: Da Return - Shaquille O'Neal | Album | AllMusic"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/shaq-fu-da-return-mw0000626635). [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic). Retrieved May 11, 2024.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Shaq Fu: Da Return](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaq_Fu%3A_Da_Return) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaq_Fu%3A_Da_Return?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.