Who is DJ Diesel? 5 things to know about Shaq ahead of his Indy 500 Snake Pit performance

May 26 update: Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced Friday evening that Shaquille O'Neal would no longer appear at Sunday's Indy 500 Snake Pit concert due to "scheduling complications" with the NBA season. Read more here.

Diplo dropped “Harlem Shake,” Skrillex shook the speedway, Steve Aoki pelted the crowd with sheet cake: With a legacy of epic on-stage antics, past performers at the Indianapolis 500 Snake Pit have left big shoes to fill for future lineups.

Luckily, the next man up wears a size 22.

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is set to spin Sunday as DJ Diesel, along with EDM acts Jauz, John Summit, Subtronics and headliner Kaskade. He’ll take the stage Sunday morning on the infield near Turn 3 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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The four-time league champion played his first festival as DJ Diesel in 2015, adding the side gig to the still-growing collection of other projects he’s pursued since his retirement from basketball in 2011. O’Neal’s prolific career on the court is only the beginning of a list of accolades and outside ventures spanning long enough to match his 7-foot frame.

Here are five things to know about The Big Aristotle’s resume before his IMS debut:

DJ Diesel isn’t Shaq’s first shot at music

Though he’s an EDM artist now, O’Neal got his start in rap and hip-hop early in his NBA career. His 1993 debut, “Shaq Diesel,” saw two tracks, “(I Know I Got) Skillz” and “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock),” reach the billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 35 and No. 39, respectively.

O’Neal recorded three more albums before he ever won a ring. O’Neal recruited Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and Method Man, Warren G, Redman and more for his 1994 sophomore album, “Shaq-Fu: Da Return,” which followed a video game of the same name. Two more releases — “You Can’t Stop the Reign” and “Respect,”— arrived in 1996 and 1998.

O’Neal hasn’t totally abandoned his past as an emcee. Most recently, he added a verse to rapper Blackway’s single “King Talk,” which was released earlier this year.

He’s worked with some of the biggest names and events in the industry

The Snake Pit’s 30,000 fans are far from the most DJ Diesel’s entertained at once.

O’Neal’s landed on festival lineups like Lollapalooza, Tomorrowland and Electric Zoo, where hundreds of thousands of people gather to catch their favorite DJs and EDM artists each year. He also headlined Shaq’s Fun House – his own festival/carnival hybrid that also featured performances from Snoop Dogg and Diplo – last February in Phoenix.

Big crowds are nothing new to O’Neal, and neither are big names. He’s worked with artists like Lil Jon, Trick Daddy and last year’s Snake Pit headliner Steve Aoki on his music as DJ Diesel, adding to the slew of high-profile rappers he tapped to assist on his early records.

Shaquille O'Neal: a man of many talents

O’Neal’s musical achievements are extensive on their own, but he boasts quite the resume of other ventures.

If you haven’t seen him on the basketball court, chances are you’ve seen the big guy on the big screen. O’Neal’s early films, 1996’s “Kazaam” and 1997’s “Steel,” saw him suit up as the titular genie and superhero and launched a string of appearances through the years. He’s since made cameos in “The House Bunny,” “Scary Movie 4,” “Grown Ups 2” and more, and he’s lent his voice to “The Lego Movie,” “The Smurfs 2” and “Show Dogs.”

Shaq’s no stranger to the small screen, either. He’s guest-starred on episodes of “The Simpsons,” “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” appeared in reality programs like “Punk’d” and “Lip Sync Battle” and even took over hosting duties for late-night comic Jimmy Kimmel.

O’Neal’s also a figure in the wrestling world, with guest hosting spots and appearances at World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment and All Elite Wrestling events – as well as a long-standing feud with wrestler Big Show. In 2016, he stepped into the ring for the first time at Wrestlemania 32, and in 2021, he lost his second-ever match in Shaq-tacular fashion – crashing through a tower of tables.

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A list of what O’Neal hasn’t tried is shorter than what he has. He’s trained in mixed martial arts and was certified as a reserve police officer, owns more than 200 car washes, restaurants and other businesses and even dabbles in real estate – not to mention his endorsement activities with Gold Bond, Papa John’s, Icy Hot and other brands.

Dr. Diesel? Yes (kind of…)

O’Neal won four rings as an NBA player, and he’d say he has four college degrees to match.

Though he entered the NBA draft before graduating from Louisiana State University in 1993, O’Neal still found time to hit the books throughout his basketball career. O’Neal returned to his alma matter in 2000 and earned a degree in general studies with a minor in political science, and he graduated with an MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2005.

But is Diesel a doctor, like many fans believe? Technically, yes. Though he didn’t pursue a Ph.D., O’Neal graduated with an educational doctorate in human resources from Barry University in 2012.

A Shaq set is larger than life

When it comes to a DJ Diesel show, anything is possible.

O’Neal has incorporated everything from to the Microsoft theme to The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” to music from “The Legend of Zelda” video game series in his sets, and you never know what you’ll hear next. A Bon Jovi track before a bass drop, a Panic! At the Disco pick, a child on his shoulders while he works the deck – it’s all fair game.

A rowdy crowd is always expected, with O’Neal encouraging the energy from his place behind the turntables. He attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest mosh pit ever at last year’s Lost Lands dubstep festival, and though the crowd fell short, they definitely didn’t lack spirit.

And if you’re barricade for a Diesel set, be prepared to press ahead – if past sets are any indication, DJ Diesel will demand you “break that rail.”

Contact Pulliam Fellow Heather Bushman at HBushman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @hmb_1013.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Shaq takes on the Indy 500 Snake Pit as DJ Diesel: What to know