Shaq is coming to Columbia, but not for basketball. Here’s why you can see the NBA legend

Noah Feit
·2 min read

Shaquille O’Neal is a Hall of Fame NBA player who’s known these days for his role as a basketball analyst and pitchman for a wide variety of companies.

But he’s also a DJ who specializes in playing EDM, or electronic dance music. And Shaq is bringing his record spinning skills to Columbia this spring as the headliner of the Hidden City Music Festival.

Billed by promoters as “Columbia’s first and only EDM music festival,” the event will be held on March 30 at the Historic Columbia Speedway at 2001 Charleston Highway in Cayce.

And O’Neal, performing under the stage name “Diesel,” tops the bill.

Shaquille O’Neal, aka Shaq, is billed as Diesel and will be the headline performer at the Hidden City Music Festival at Historic Columbia Speedway.
Shaquille O’Neal, aka Shaq, is billed as Diesel and will be the headline performer at the Hidden City Music Festival at Historic Columbia Speedway.

The four-time NBA champion who is regarded as one of the best centers in basketball history, has carried his success off the court and is one of the world’s most recognizable and popular entertainers.

“His larger-than-life personality and formidable athleticism have garnered him widespread admiration and one of the most devoted fan bases in both sports and entertainment,” event promoters said about O’Neal.

In addition to the basketball analysis he provides on TNT, O’Neal can be seen endorsing anything from Papa John’s pizza, to The General car insurance, to Gold Bond Foot Powder or Icy Hot Extra Strength Pain Relief, as well as Epson cartridge ink for printers.

During his 19-year NBA career, Shaq even starred in multiple films and released five rap albums. But how did he become a DJ specializing in percussive EDM that’s usually played in clubs and at raves?

O’Neal was introduced to electronic dance music at TomorrowWorld in 2014, “a pivotal moment that forever changed his life as he was exposed to renowned DJs like Steve Aoki and Skrillex,” according to promoters.

Shaquille O’Neal shown in a 2022 file photo
Shaquille O’Neal shown in a 2022 file photo

And fans of the genre can see the 7-foot-1 O’Neal will be a part of the cast of performers who will seamlessly blend electronic beats with the echoes of aventure, promoters said on the event’s website.

“Here, EDM Legends and local talents unite, electrifying our iconic, temple-inspired main stage, beckoning you to lose yourself and discover the secrets of the city,” promoters said.

In addition to the headlining set by Shaq, the event will feature performances by Acraze, Pickup Lines, Name Unknown, Tre Burnett and Vyce Bloom among others.

General admission tickets are available for $59.99 each, according to promoters. Among the other offers is a VIP ticket — which includes skip the line entry, premium viewing, private VIP bar and VIP bathroom — that’s available for $129.99. Parking passes are also on sale for $15 apiece, according to the website.

In addition to the music, the Hidden City Music Festival will also feature vendors that include food trucks, fireworks, and a silent disco where three DJs will play simultaneously, “all under a mesmerizing canopy of lights,” promoters said.