It’s rare for Mark Cuban to be off the mark when it comes to investments. With a decade on Shark Tank, the Mavs owner has been picky with where he puts his money. So when he was on The Big Podcast, Adam Lefkoe had to ask which aspect of multi-hyphenate Shaquille O’Neal’s diverse empire would he invest in. Apart from valuing the entire ‘Shaq Enterprises’ at $3 billion, it’s not Shaq-A-Licious or Big Chicken that drew the billionaire. However, the NBA legend had to correct him that DJ Diesel isn’t exactly a moneymaker.

Though O’Neal tried to lure Cuban into his Hershey’s collab, the Shark said, “Shaq the DJ is where the money’s at. Shaq the DJ is the real deal.”

Cuban can relate. Before he was a techpreneur and NBA team owner, Mark Cuban used to jam behind the console. He still crashes a DJ booth now and then and witness accounts are that he’s not half-bad. He knows the business too and believes Shaq’s raking in the cash performing to tens of thousands at Lollapalooza and Beyond Wonderland. He asked O’Neal, “Do you guys have merch people that travel around with you when you go to these places,” Shaq shut it down with an unusual reason.

“No, because I didn’t want to… because I’m a guy like I like to have fun but I don’t like to really take advantage of people like that,” the NBA legend says.

Shaq too used to DJ in his youth to make some extra bucks. He’s said a few times before that after retiring from the NBA, he got back to deejaying because it gave the same high as playing on the court did. It’s not about the money for him. In fact, Shaq confirmed he loses money as a DJ.

Why deejaying is a loss to Shaq?

In 2023, Shaquille O’Neal launched his long-awaited EDM festival, Bass All-Stars which hosted 15,000 trapheads. He spent the year performing at Tomorrowland and his favorite venue, Lollapalooza by then. But he ends up spending more than he earns with each gig.

“Cause I’m not in the top tiers yet. Like some top DJs make half a million a show,” he said on a previous episode of his podcast. He confirmed someone like his old friend, Steve Aoki earns $500,000 per show. “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.” Shaq would probably spend a lot more than that flying in his $27 million private jet with his entourage.

There’s a lack of DJ Diesel merch too, though some fans have sported Bass All Stars merchandise. Cuban tried to convince Shaq it’s not taking advantage of people. By doling out tees and posting his mixes online, Shaq would be giving fans what they want. Listen to Mark, Shaq.