Shaquille O’Neal has been making headlines for his DJing ever since his career as a DJ took off. After retiring from basketball, Shaq diverted his attention to a number of different ventures. Apart from joining TNT as an analyst and building a $400 million business Empire, the Diesel has also created a massive international fanbase, and now regularly performs in Europe during the NBA offseason. However, Shaq recently revealed that it all started with a $200 turntable and high school and college parties.
Shaq’s stint with music is nothing new. The big man was even offered $10,000,000 by Jive Records for three albums in 1993. His rap career kickstarted after his entry into the NBA, with his very first album going platinum. After that came collaborations with iconic figures like Jay-Z, Biggie, and Nas. However, Shaq’s stint with Deejaying has been a completely different journey.
DJ Diesel’s journey started with a $200 turntable
The transition from basketball superstar to DJ extraordinaire might seem like an unexpected detour, yet, the journey to DJ Diesel’s prominence began with a modest $200 turntable purchase – a decision that would eventually reshape the narrative of an already legendary career.
However, there was a moment when the big man thought of pausing his DJ career due to a better opportunity. Shaq’s pursuit of DJing took a hiatus when the allure of a $10 million rap deal beckoned. The offer to trade the turntables for the microphone seemed tantalizing, but it was short-lived. Shaq recently addressed the start of his music career during an interview with Lyndsey Parker, Editor-in-Chief of Yahoo music.
“At age 14, after being wowed at his “favorite concert” by Public Enemy’s Terminator X, he saved up his earnings from odd jobs to buy his first set of turntables, for $200, from a pawn shop, and he started DJing local high school and college parties,” Parker noted in her article prefacing the interview.
However, things unexpectedly changed after that. “But I got away from [DJing] when Jive said, ‘We’ll give you $10 million, we’ll do three albums.’ I was like, ‘Um, I’ll do it,’” Shaq added, chuckling.
Fast forward to now and DJ Diesel still seems to be a hit with packed shows whenever he performs, showing that Shaq hasn’t lost his ability to make the crowd groove to his tunes.
Shaq compared the energy of playing a set to playing a game 7
Shaq’s magnetic stage presence isn’t just a byproduct of his basketball celebrity; it’s an evolved showmanship honed through years of dominating arenas. Controlling a stadium during a high-stakes playoff game is not unlike controlling the energy of a packed music festival during a set. It’s an art form that Shaq, the ultimate entertainer, has masterfully conquered on multiple fronts.
Shaq claimed that he does DJing not for the money, but the adrenaline rush. There’s no doubt that entertainment is in Shaq’s blood.
