Shaq's rap gets him in trouble

KANSAS CITY, MO -- Shaquille O'Neal will lose his special deputy's badge in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says the Phoenix Suns center's use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language in a rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in January and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse earlier this month.

Shaq was seen in a video posted on the celebrity news and gossip Web site TMZ.com rapping that "Kobe couldn't do without me." O'Neal skewers the Lakers' star for not being able to win a championship without him. They won three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002 while O'Neal was with Los Angeles.

O'Neal claims he was "freestyling" and it was all done in fun.

O'Neal previously served as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach Police Department while playing for the Miami Heat. He also volunteered with the Tempe Police Department after being traded to the Suns in February.

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