(AllHipHop News) Peter Gunz’s most recognizable song, “De Ja Vu (Uptown)” with Lord Tariq resulted from a probation violation, Rikers’ Island stay and Shaquille O’Neal’s 1996 album You Can’t Stop The Reign.
Peter Gunz appeared on Cipha Sounds’ Hip Hop improv show Take It Personal and told the story of how him working on Shaq’s third album resulted in him being sent to Rikers. According to the man formerly known as Pete Lova, after catching a gun charge(and subsequently changing his name to Peter Gunz) he had mandatory probation. What happened after a young Peter Gunz was called to work on Shaq’s album is a mixture of complicated serendipity.
The UCB improvisers turned his frequent probation visits into a hilarious sketch in the futility of fighting a probation officer’s request.
Cipha Sounds’ Take It Personal is every Friday at 9pm at 153 E 3rd St in New York City.
Check out Peter Gunz explain how Shaq got him into and out of Rikers Island: