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Released 30 years ago · 1996

Shaquille O'NealYou Can't Stop the Reign

Shaquille O'Neal
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Shaquille O'NealYou Can't Stop the Reign

Tuesday, November 19

You Can't Stop the Reign is the third studio album by American basketball player and rapper Shaquille O'Neal. It was released on November 19, 1996, through T.W.IsM./Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place at T.W.IsM. Studios in Orlando, Skip Saylor in Los Angeles and Bosstown Recording Studios in Atlanta, with additional recordings done at Soundtrack Studios and The Hit Factory in New York. Production was handled by Dave Atkinson, Ross "Spyda" Sloan, Domingo, Trackmasters, Darkchild, Bobby Brown, Chris Large, DJ Quik, Easy Mo Bee, G-1, I-Roc, Jammin' James Carter, Mobb Deep and Ralph Tresvant. It features guest appearances from The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz, S.H.E., Bobby Brown, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep and Peaches.

The album was moderately successful, peaking at number 82 on the Billboard 200 and number 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. It was supported by two singles with accompanying music videos for "You Can't Stop the Reign" and "Strait Playin'".

Its lead single, "You Can't Stop the Reign", made it to No. 54 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in the United States, No. 40 on the UK singles chart, No. 17 on the Official Dance Singles Chart and No. 9 on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart in the United Kingdom and No. 47 in New Zealand. The song has multiple versions, including one that features a verse from The Notorious B.I.G., which was re-used in 2001 for Michael Jackson's song "Unbreakable" from his Invincible album. The "Still Can't Stop the Reign" version peaked at No. 36 on the US Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.