“I started DJing because it gives me the same adrenaline boost that a championship game would give me,” Shaquille O’Neal once said. True to form, he didn’t just settle for talking hoops or nodding along to other artists. Nope, he strapped on the headphones, grabbed the mics, and unleashed his alter ego, DJ Diesel, proving he can own a crowd as easily as a paint battle. And before the New Year even had a chance to say hello, Shaq had already lined up plans for himself and all his Diesel fans: a trip to Texas.

Shaquille O’Neal recently took to Instagram with a post that teased more than just festival vibes. Accompanying a carousel of images, he urged fans to “PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.”

While the visuals showcased the music and lights, the real message was for his loyal “bass family.” Shaq confessed, “It’s no secret when I first joined the scene, I got a lot of backlash. I heard the same thing over and over: that was ‘taking someone’s spot on the lineup who deserved it more.’ That’s the main reason I created Shaq’s Bass All-Stars—to give everyone an opportunity. Artists of all different sizes.”

That’s always been Shaq’s mission: to give every artist a platform, no matter their size or status. He’s humble enough to recognize that his celebrity DJ status comes second to the fans’ love for basketball, which initially drew them in and now fuels his music career. 

That’s why he’s committed to delivering top-notch performances every single time, striving to meet the high bar his audience expects. Keeping that in mind, he further shared his philosophy, “What I’ve learned over the years is that bass music isn’t just about the drops or the party culture. It’s about the people.”

 And then came the announcement fans have been waiting for: “Our festival will embrace everything that makes this community great. This festival was not created for the artist—it was created for the moments where you get lost in the reality with your rave fam taking in the sounds of some of your favourite DJs.”

Mark your calendars, because Shaq is bringing the beats back on March 26 at Panther Islands Pavilion. He even hinted at a fun surprise: “And who knows…maybe someone who has not been in dubstep before will be joining us this year.” Diesel fans, this is one event you do not want to miss.

Fort Worth is about to get louder. Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival, first started 2 years back, is rolling back into Panther Island Pavilion on March 21, 2026, for its third edition, and it’s already shaping up to be a full-on spectacle. In just two years, the festival has drawn over 30,000 bass heads, and Shaq isn’t slowing down; think massive production, in collaboration with Medium Rare and Disco Donnie Presents, that gives you a Ferris wheel spinning above the crowd, immersive art, and local food and drinks to keep everyone fueled while the bass drops.

Shaq’s genius move? ‘The Trenches,’ a 360° second stage that puts fans right in the heart of the action. No sidelines, no missing a beat—you’re part of the performance. On the main stage, DJ Diesel leads the charge with a high-voltage set, joined by Levity b2b Wooli, Jessica Audiffred, GorillAT, Drinkurwater, and Shaq & Friends.

Fans will bounce between main stage madness and Trenches’ intimate chaos, catching Big Florida, Whales, Tynan, Celo b2b Neotek, and Dreamtakers along the way. Add in a few surprise headliners, and you’ve got a lineup that’s as electric as the man behind the decks.

The artist presale for Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival starts November 20 at 10 a.m. CT, followed by the general public on-sale on November 21 at 10 a.m. CT.

Shaq turned championship energy into bass-fueled festivals

Shaquille O’Neal has always chased adrenaline, and after hoops, he found it in bass music. “To me, bass music is a relief,” he says. “It is an outlet that allows Shaquille O’Neal to be someone other than a basketball player. Every time I hear a drop hit or a crowd go nuts, it takes me back to Game 7 championship energy. Nothing has been able to do that for me except bass music. I crave it.”

His love for beats actually started long before fame, at age 14, when he hustled mowing lawns and walking dogs to scrape together $200 for his first turntables from a local pawn shop. That early spark grew into a full-blown obsession with electronic and hip-hop culture, solidified when he attended TomorrowWorld in Georgia in 2015, connecting with festival masterminds Silberzweig and Richman who helped transplant Belgium’s Tomorrowland vibe to the US.

Fast forward, and Shaq’s DJ persona, DIESEL, has taken him across major stages like Lost Lands, Tomorrowland, EDC Las Vegas, Lollapalooza, and Beyond Wonderland, along with a Las Vegas residency at Wynn’s XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club. But the king of the paint wanted something bigger: his own bass festival. “Since the creation of DIESEL, I have always wanted to create my own mega bass festival—a true event for the culture,” O’Neal says. “I was already throwing my annual Super Bowl party, Shaq’s Fun House, but I needed something for the headbangers—something that DIESEL could get behind.”

Thus, Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival was born in 2023, a two-stage event designed to bring his signature championship-level energy to the crowd, debuting on the Panther Island Pavilion in Fort Worth, Texas.