Despite $2.3 Billion Rich Vegas Dream, Shaquille O’Neal Sees No Financial Gain in Post-Retirement Gig

With $400 million in the bank, Shaquille O’Neal can afford to absorb a couple of losses. His DJ career is not the most lucrative of his multiple side hustles. But he says on The Big Podcast that it is the most thrilling and rewarding. After all, DJ Diesel performs to crowds bigger than NBA legend Big Diesel was playing in front of.

That hasn’t deterred Shaq from deejaying. He’s set a goal to be one of the many names that have performed in an iconic venue valued at about $2.3 billion.

Shaquille O’Neal’s 2024 dreams include this Nevada venue

His EDM career is at the top of Shaquille O’Neal’s 2024 priorities. While on The Big Podcast, he listed out big plans to further his brand as DJ Diesel. Currently, by Shaq’s own admission, he’s nowhere at par with dubstep veterans earning big bucks. He said DJ Diesel’s resolution would be, “Just to continue to move the crowd, continue to just have fun.” O’Neal then surprised his co-host Adam Lefkoe by saying he loses money playing with each DJ gig.

“Cause I’m not in the top tiers yet. Like some top DJs make half a million a show.” As he said, someone like Steve Aoki earns $500,000 per show. One of the highest-earning DJs in the world, Calvin Harris reportedly gets paid $400,000 per show in his Las Vegas residency alone. Shaq’s per show earnings aren’t known. But O’Neal says, “I’m close. But let’s just say it’s a show I want to do. It’s going to be like 30,000 people at a festival, their budget may be $50,000.” 

In fact, Shaq listed a dream venue. “I’ve done mostly all the big ones but if I can headline something, I would love to headline the Sphere,” he told Lefkoe. Based in Paradise, Nevada, the $2.3. billion venue has a floor capacity of at least 20,000 attendees. It’s not clear if that would set Shaq back. Regardless, he’s ensured a venue is no obstacle to get crowds pumped.

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If O’Neal really wants to perform at the venue, he’d accept it even if it costs $60,000 (that’s $10,000 over the hypothetical budget) to get there with his crew and equipment. Since he’s a regular at Lost Lands with a 40,000 crowd size and enthralled Lollapalooza that attracts 400,000 headbangers annually, Shaq clearly doesn’t care about the financial remuneration.

DJ Diesel starts the New Year

O’Neal already told Lefkoe that he’s got a packed January 1 with back-to-back shows. The Los Angeles Lakers legend headlined the Lights All Night festival in Dallas Market Hall this year. Joining him was his eldest of six, Taahirah O’Neal as her hypegirl and muse.

He’s heading to Denver next where he will hold his own EDM festival, Bass All-Stars at Mission Ballroom on January 5. He meant to launch the festival there in September 2023 but moved it to Texas where 15,000 EDM maniacs attended the event.

Shaq’s obviously not in it for the money. He’s getting the recognition and hype from dubstep fanatics that he deserves and he basks in it.

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