Since debuting as DJ Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal has become one of the dance world’s (literally) biggest advocates for bass music. Now, he’s taking this passion to the championship level with the debut of his own bass music festival, Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival.
Happening this Sept. 16 in Fort Worth, Texas, the event will feature 14 artists across two stages. The lineup, curated by O’Neal, features Alison Wonderland, Kai Wachi, Sullivan King, Crankdat, Jantsen, Layz, Emorfik, Hairitage, Leotrix, Charlitz Web, Soltan, Ruvlo b2b Celo and, of course, DJ Diesel himself.
“I am building this festival for all my headbangers out there,” O’Neal tells Billboard. “I’m bringing together my favorite acts and am excited for this to be a home for bass music fans throughout Texas that we can create a community around. I’ve got a big platform, and I love to support up-and-coming acts as well … Some of these little guys on the lineup are just as good as the headliners, and that’s what Shaq’s Bass All-Stars is all about … It doesn’t matter who is performing if we are all together having a great time and headbanging.”
Hosted at Fort Worth’s Panther Island Pavilion, the festival anticipates hosting approximately 10,000 fans and will also feature a food truck village, games, activations and more. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 23, at 12 p.m. CT. Ticket prices begin at $49, with O’Neal intending to keeps costs low to make the event as inclusive as possible.
“I don’t DJ for the money,” he says. “I DJ to replace the Game 7 energy that I can’t seem to replicate anywhere else besides at music festivals. For me, Shaq’s Bass All-Stars festival is about inviting the whole state of Texas out for a good time, and it’s important to me for this to be a community-driven event that all sorts of people can afford.”
The festival is an evolution of the ongoing Shaq’s Bass All-Stars concerts, which have happened across the U.S since their inception. “I DJ tons of concerts, clubs, and festivals,” O’Neal says, “but taking ownership of my own bass festival is something I am so passionate about. I just bought a house in Texas, the music scene there is awesome and was the perfect place to launch it.”
The festival is produced by Medium Rare and the Texas-based Disco Donnie Presents. O’Neal notes the event is likely to be a traveling one, saying that “we are excited to bring the concept on the road.”
O’Neal has a busy summer leading up the Texas show, with DJ Diesel on the lineups for Chicago’s Lollapalooza, Los Angeles’ HARD Summer, Belgium’s Tomorrowland, this weekend’s Electric Forest in Michigan, along with other festival and club dates.
See the lineup for Shaq’s Bass All-Stars Festival below:
