Shaquille O’Neal Hits the Miami Club Scene as DJ Diesel

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Shaquille O’Neal proves that he’s not just a basketball legend, he’s also a nightlife icon.

On Monday, December 30, the 52-year-old NBA Hall of Famer brought his DJ Diesel persona to E11EVEN Miami for a late-night set at Winter Wonderland.

Arriving in a Rolls Royce at 2:30 a.m., O’Neal took the stage at 3 a.m., kicking off with Rufus Du Sol’s “Innerbloom” and rousing the crowd with “Raise your middle finger, Miami!” His son Myles O’Neal continued the party by taking over the decks at 4:30 a.m.

For Shaq, DJing is more than just a side hustle. “I started DJing because it gives me the same adrenaline rush that a championship game would give me,” he said. People in August. Since adopting the DJ Diesel moniker in 2015, he has performed at major festivals like Lollapalooza and collaborated with big names like Steve Aoki and NGHTMRE.

Fans can’t get enough of his energetic sets, but for the retired athlete, it’s also about staying busy and inspired. He told the outlet that he spends his time “working hard and staying out of trouble,” adding, “One of my mottos is, ‘It could be worse.'”

Shaq went on to say that he knows that “a lot of people in my situation don’t have anything going on, they just wake up and they’re lost. So the fact that I’m working, it’s a blessing.”

As for Myles, 27, the self-proclaimed “Dubstep Dad” couldn’t be more proud to see his son carving out his own path in the entertainment world.

“I’ve seen him play a few times and he’s really good,” Shaq said. People last year. “Actually, I’m jealous, he’s really good.” He even remembers how it all started. “I remember when I bought him his first DJ set. He was in a room and I was trying to let my kids do it on their own, so he would come in and I would say, ‘Get it.'” and he would come back with it. ‘idea. “

The quadruple NBA The champ shares Myles with ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal, along with Shareef, 24, Amirah, 22, Shaqir, 21, and Me’arah, 18. Shaq also has a daughter, Taahirah, 28, from his relationship with Arnetta Yardbourgh. .