On a recent afternoon via phone call, ShaqIsDope shared intimate details about his life as an entertainer. He started rapping when he was 11 years old. He recorded his first song when he was 17 years old. At that age, most teenagers are worried about senior year studies. Or the youth are set to graduate from high school, with little to no idea about their futures. Nevertheless, the talented Toronto juvenile made other plans.

The name of the first song he recorded is "Too Fly Flow." Since 2010, meticulously, he's made his way to the messy desks of countless influencers in the industry.

When I about being in a hometown print publication he said, "It just felt really great to get that recognition. When I was back in high school, every morning before you get on the bus, the newsstand was right there. You would either grab the Metro or the NOW Toronto. I actually came to the barber shop this morning and saw the paper in there. They had a bunch of them, so it was dope."

As you've probably wondered or guessed, yes, he was named after NBA center Shaquille O'Neal. He also has a song with the 7-foot-tall athlete.

What attracts people most is Shaq's ability to steadily garner success and make commercial-ready music, and still remain charismatic and likable. It's a rare trait. Today, ShaqIsDope premieres "Falls Down" with Myspace.

"Falls Down was inspired by the mood I was in," the rapper explains. "I remember it being a Tuesday, around 7 PM and I was feeling really motivated. I kept saying to myself, I need to tell the world why I feel like I'm the best in my city. As soon as I played the beat, I immediately had the first lines ready."

We chatted with ShaqIsDope about his beginnings, influences and the Toronto scene. Read on to learn more.