Ray J has expressed his support for Shannon Sharpe amid the legal battle he is facing in a $50 million rape lawsuit, while Shaquille O’Neal is now being accused of attempting to blackmail Sharpe. Leaked voice messages circulating on social media on April 24 allegedly involve former NBA player Matt Barnes soliciting blackmail on behalf of Shaq against Sharpe. The messages suggest Shaq was seeking information about Sharpe before the lawsuit was filed in Nevada.

In the leaked messages, Barnes is heard mentioning Shaq offering a reward for information on Sharpe and implying previous animosity between Shaq and Sharpe as a motive. The lawsuit against Sharpe includes accusations of rape, battery, emotional abuse, and secret recordings of sexual encounters by the accuser, Gabriella Zuniga. Sharpe’s attorney released explicit messages allegedly sent by Zuniga showing her involvement in race-related activities and sexual requests.

Although it is unclear if Barnes and Shaq's actions led to the lawsuit, reactions on social media escalated following the leak. Ray J shared his thoughts in an Instagram post, drawing parallels between his own experiences with bondage and the accusations against Sharpe. Sharpe, in response to the situation, made a statement on April 24 announcing his withdrawal from his work at ESPN to focus on addressing the allegations against him.