Shaq made sure that hands were up and heads were banging on Friday night in San Francisco.
Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA Champion and Hall of Famer, took the stage as DJ Diesel at 1015 Folsom, hosting a sold-out show after his performance at Day One of Outside Lands 2023. Throughout the set, the 51-year-old kept the jam-packed crowd entertained by teasing his appearance in the mosh pit and yelling things like “Take your shirt off if you’re sexy!” and “I need a fucking shot!”
Eight attendees interviewed by The Standard rated DJ Diesel’s set an average of 8.3/10. People were riveted by his engagement with the audience, highlighting his love for music.
“He has such a passion for the industry, so he gets the crowd going and it’s pretty amazing,” Kevin Ye said.
O’Neal began his music career in 1993 with EP “(I Know I Got) Skillz” and started his stage run as DJ Diesel in 2015. Ashalia Dawkins was surprised by the size of DJ Diesel––he stands 7-foot-1—but not in the way one might expect.
“I literally went there just to see what Shaq looked like onstage,” Dawkins said. “Honestly, he looked smaller than I thought he would.”
From acting in commercials for the businesses he’s invested in to holding a doctoral degree in education to serving as a TV sports analyst, O’Neal is a jack of all trades. Adding his music career on top of that, his talents and achievements may appear otherworldly to some.
“It was just cool to see him in person because, in my eyes, he was always like a mythical creature,” Billy Holmquist said.
As he played his last song, Diesel made a heart with his hands and expressed his gratitude and affection for the city.
“Love you, San Francisco!”