Shaquille O’Neal has one of the most extensive resumés in entertainment, and he’s all set to add another skill set to his repertoire: music production.
In a TikTok video posted yesterday (June 6), the NBA champion gave beatmakers and studio chefs a warning about his arrival in their domain. He can be seen cooking up his own tracks on an airplane with his headphones on, which suggests that he’s already in the process of learning the craft.
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Whereas Shaq expressed his appreciation for the work producers do and even acknowledged that it requires a great deal of talent, he seems ready to take on the challenge. But it doesn’t stop there — the big man wants to be the very best in the field.
The TikTok caption reads as follows: “Learning production has made me realize just how talented yall really are damn.. but im learning a lil everyday and im coming for that throne.”
@djdiesel Learning production has made me realize just how talented yall really are damn.. but im learning a lil everyday and im coming for that throne 😈 #musicproducer#producer#ableton#edmtiktok#edmtok♬ original sound – Shaq Diesel
Best known as DJ Diesel in the electronic music space, the basketball legend initially made a name for himself as one of the most dominant players in the history of the sport. His success as an athlete opened a lot of doors for him, and he walked through as many as he could fit past.
At the age of 51, Shaq has more accolades to his name than the average celebrity. From his highly acclaimed role on TNT’s Inside the NBA to acting in films and his multiple lucrative investments, Shaq has done it all. Music, however, has been one of his primary interests since he first started playing in the NBA in 1992.
A year after his entering the league with the Orlando Magic, he released his debut rap album, Shaq Diesel. He subsequently dropped three more records over the next few years, collaborating with some of Hip Hop’s all-time greats such as Method Man, JAY-Z and even the Notorious B.I.G., and still occasionally gets behind the mic to remind everyone that he got bars.
In recent years, however, the L.A. Lakers icon has pivoted his focus to electronic dance music, embracing his DJ Diesel moniker. Though his name shows up on festival lineups and event bills quite often, Shaq has mostly focused mostly on DJing thus far rather than making his own beats.
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Aside from one-off collaborations with producers such as Nghtmre and Steve Aoki, DJ Diesel has yet to release a cohesive body of work that he can solely take credit for producing. Given his recent update, though, it seems like it won’t be long before we get a taste of a Shaq-exclusive beat.
Because ABC has acquired the exclusive rights to broadcast and cover the NBA finals, Shaq is free from his duties as a TNT host till October. That should give him plenty of time to learn the nuances of music production and work on original music.
