By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
HUNTSVILLE, AL — NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is known for dominating on the court and delivering analysis on TV’s Inside the NBA. But this fall, fans in north Alabama will see a whole different side of the 7-foot icon—as a deejay.
Performing under his stage name DJ Diesel, O’Neal will bring his high-energy EDM set to Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater on October 3–4, as part of the Breakaway Music Festival.
The touring music festival will feature more than 20 acts, including prominent names such as The Chainsmokers, Kaskade, and Brandi Cyrus. Two-day tickets start at $170 and are available now at universe.com.
Shaq’s Soundtrack: From Courtside to Club Scene
DJ Diesel sets have been known to mix hip-hop, EDM, and rock, blending artists like Kendrick Lamar, Journey, and DMX into crowd-pumping anthems. A lifelong music enthusiast, O’Neal has released four rap albums, including his platinum-selling debut, Shaq Diesel, in 1993.
Though known best for his Hall of Fame basketball career—highlighted by four NBA championships, 15 All-Star selections, and an MVP award in 2000—Shaq’s off-court life has always included the unexpected.
One such moment: during a 1997 Taco Bell commercial shoot, O’Neal stumbled into a Guns N’ Roses jam session at a Los Angeles studio. According to band member Dizzy Reed, Shaq even joined the band for a funky improv—and ended the session by breakdancing on the studio floor.