DJ Shaq: The Unexpected Side Hustle

Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA legend, has a unique side gig. He's a DJ, known as DJ Diesel. Recently, Mark Cuban, a big shot in business and NBA team ownership, thought Shaq was making a fortune from this hobby. He was wrong. Cuban, who used to be a DJ himself, believed that Shaq’s DJing gigs at big events like Lollapalooza were raking in the cash. But Shaq set the record straight. He’s not doing it for the money. In fact, he loses money on each gig.

Shaq started DJing as a teen to earn extra money. After his NBA career, he returned to it for the thrill it gave him, similar to playing on the court. In 2023, he even launched his own EDM festival, Bass All-Stars. But here’s the thing: top DJs can make half a million per show, while Shaq is still working his way up. His private jet and entourage don’t come cheap, and he’s not yet making big bucks from DJing. Cuban suggested Shaq could make more by selling merchandise. But Shaq doesn’t want to take advantage of his fans. He wants to keep it fun and not turn it into a money-making machine. So, even though Cuban was off the mark on this one, Shaq’s approach to DJing shows a different side of him. It’s about the love of the game, not the money.

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