Shaquille O’Neal has been through a lot in his life — both on and off the court. Most would consider themselves lucky to have experienced even half as much as he has. From winning NBA championships and awards to starring in blockbuster movies, he’s done it all. Plus, his work as a DJ—under the alter-ego Diesel—has taken him to live shows around the world, where he’s often ended up in wild mosh pits.
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O’Neal recalled the most dangerous one while speaking with Russ on his Big Podcast. The rapper asked the Lakers legend whether he had ever crowd surfed as part of his act before. But he regretted the question almost instantly.
The thought of a 7’1″, 325-pound man crowd surfing on the arms of regular people seemed insane—even to Shaq himself. But when he revealed that he often took part in mosh pits, Adam Lefkoe, who was also on the segment, asked if it ever made him feel nervous or fearful for his safety.
The big fella went on to describe a scary incident that did unfold, though he wasn’t scared for himself, but for a fan who had unfortunately gotten caught up in the crowd.
He recalled that a woman, noticeably shorter than he, was hugging him in the pit when the crowd around them surged, overwhelming her and pushing her to the ground.
Since the rest of the crowd hadn’t realized what had happened, O’Neal took it upon himself to make sure the woman got the help she needed. So, he did the one thing he knew best—he threw elbows, clearing space around her to ensure she wasn’t caught in a stampede.
“She fell, now she’s on the ground, and they’re stepping on her, so I gotta get violent,” he recalled. “But you tell people to move back, and they see you, but they (don’t listen), so now I throw a couple ‘bows.
“I had an incident in Germany where a girl got messed up, and I had to take her to the hospital.”
Despite his size, Shaq can be surprisingly gentle when needed. And, above all else, Shaq knows that his concerts are meant to be enjoyed, and that mosh pits are supposed to be safe places. In fact, the Germany incident wasn’t even the first time he’s gone to extreme lengths to make sure that his fans are okay.
In 2022, Shaq even went as far as pausing his set to make sure a fan caught in the pit was safe. The concert, held in Ohio, took a turn when O’Neal noticed someone being trampled in the mosh pit. He immediately cut the music, grabbed the mic, and stepped in to break up the situation and alert the authorities.
