Diesel (Shaquille O’Neal) performs on the Twin Peaks stage at Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park on Aug 11, 2023.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE
If the Outside Lands crowd for DJ Diesel — aka Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal of basketball fame — was annoyed at the tardiness of the set, they apparently have two beloved Golden State Warriors to blame.
“Sorry I’m late, I was chilling with Steph Curry and Draymond Green,” said Shaq when he appeared onstage about fifteen minutes behind schedule. It’s hard to say if Shaq was telling the truth about being with Steph and Draymond. Maybe Shaq and Steph had been commiserating about their role in the FTX lawsuit? Or maybe Shaq and Draymond were agreeing on the legality of Green’s infamous stomp last postseason.
Shaq has long been interested in music, including an ill-fated rap career in the 1990s. Recently he’s turned his ears towards bass music, a UK-born form of electronic dance music. But on Friday, it was clear fans were there for Shaq the celebrity and all-time great center, not DJ Diesel the musician.
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There was much more of the Lakers’ purple and gold in the crowd than you’d expect in the Warriors’s backyard. But fans also came dressed in gear from Shaq’s stints with the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, LSU Tigers and a surprising number of Orlando Magic jerseys.
As Shaq — excuse me, DJ Diesel — settled in at the DJ booth, “MVP” chants rang out like it was Y2K at the Staples Center.
Throughout the 40-minute set, Shaq played house remixes of famous songs, continuously told the audience to put their hands up, and invited around a dozen fans to join him onstage.
Those brought on stage included: A mom and a baby, some random child he put on his shoulders (the kid must have been around 11 feet up in the air), and a “sexy dude” who Shaq demanded take his shirt off.
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Diesel (Shaquille O’Neal) performs while a festivalgoer invited on stage dances on the Twin Peaks stage at Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park on Aug 11, 2023.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE
DJ Diesel’s music wasn’t the most inventive — he relied on samples of famous tracks likes “Seven Nation Army,” “Hustlin,” and “Whatcha Say” — but that wasn’t the point. Shaq’s always been the life of the party, and that’s all he had to do for the raucous Outside Lands crowd.
Throughout his show, the NBA hall of famer made a point to reach out to his female fans.
“Fellas, watch out for my ladies in the mosh pit [unless you] want me to come out there,” admonished Shaq at one point during the set. The threat was taken seriously given the staggering size of the man offering it.
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He then called for an “all ladies mosh pit” before breaking out a timely “Barbie Girl” remix.
Diesel (Shaquille O’Neal) acknowledges the crowd while DJ’ing on the Twin Peaks stage at Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park on Aug 11, 2023.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE
Warriors fans in attendance nearly lost their minds when Shaq teased a splash brother cameo.
“Hands up for Steph Curry!” said O’Neal as he welcomed a guest to the stage. The crowd gasped before Shaq grinned and said, “I’m just playing” as a thoroughly non-Steph figure appeared. A Paramore moment was not in the cards.
But O’Neal did bring out one Warriors point guard. Gary Payton II made an energetic appearance late in the set. Like his role during the 2022 championship run, Payton was an admirable backup for Curry.
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“I was talking to Junior [Payton II] backstage and he said this is the song you’ll be playing at the end of the season,” announced Shaq at the end of the season before breaking into Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”
O’Neal seemed thrilled with the cheers the song elicited from the Golden State fans… as if Shaq forgot that he rose to fame playing for the Warriors’ biggest rivals.