Shaq Proposes To Nicki Minaj During TNT Rap Cypher! Watch 'Inside The NBA' Freestyle Battle With Grant Hill, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson [VIDEO]

Shaq proposed to Nicki Minaj during an epic rap cypher on Inside The NBA... and the record-breaking Pinkprint superstar delivered a stinging 'No' in response. Along with stars Grant Hill, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, the NBA studio crew took on a cypher on last night's NBA double header between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, and the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, which it ended with someone dropping the mic and walking away. It's just a bit of a surprise as to who.

Christmas came early: EJ freestyles. #InsideTheNBA https://t.co/2vLKw7WWr3

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 19, 2014

The studio crew took to the newly single Nicki as quickly you'd imagine — with Kenny and Shaq in particular crushing hard on the diminutive rap superstar (who barely came up to Shaq's belly button) — as they partook on their version of a BET cypher, calling it a "TNT cypher".

As Kenny points out everybody had a little bit in common, saying that Minaj and Shaq are at least comparable in terms of record sales, pointing out that in Shaq "We've got a platinum artist from 25 years ago," adding that "25 years ago today he was platinum."

Nicki, Kenny says, "has been platinum" all her life, while Grant Hill's wife "has been platinum", and Kenny has "a daughter who wants to be platinum". As for the super white (but quite excellent) Ernie Johnson? He's got a "platinum belt", says Grant.

(To be fair, Kenny's a bit off. Shaw actually went platinum with his debut, Shaq Diesel, about 20 years ago.)

But the actual cypher is... pretty good! Kenny's verse is fine, but the highlight of the entire clip, though, is when Kenny calls Grant Hill a "Republican" for reading his verse from notes... to which Grant responds by saying that he's "no, I'm not. I'm VERY Liberal."

Shaq is amazing, especially when he starts rapping about all the products he reps ("Icy hot, Soda Shaq, Shaq jewelry") and when he threatens to "kill all ya'll".

Oh, and the bit where Shaq proposes to Nicki is pure gold. He screws up her name ("Nicki Milaj will you marry me?") and then is stunned when she delivers a killer 'NO!' rebuke.

The way Minaj — who just set a Billboard record for No.1 singles with new cut "Only" that features Drake, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne —- finishes off though? Pure fire.

"I'm riding the bass (base) line like 'quille O'Neal," indeed.

Ernie's mic drop is dope as hell though. 

Check out the entire 'Cypher Edition' of Inside The NBA below!