Shaquille O’Neal is 7'1", which is a great advantage when it comes to, say, playing basketball, but must be a real hindrance to a lot of other day-to-day stuff like flying in a plane, lying in a bed, or really any activity designed for people who aren’t seven entire feet tall. Still, Shaq prevails, his days filled with genie movies, video game projects, um, joining Papa John’s board of directors, and playing music under the name DJ Diesel.
This last pursuit seems to give Shaq plenty of joy. Leveraging his celebrity to attract notice and his incredible height to stand high above his decks, the former NBA player seems to make himself, and lots of other people, happy with his music—until, we guess, he stands in front of them while they’re trying to watch a show.
This clip is taken from Belgium’s Tomorrowland, an EDM festival where Shaq—as DJ Diesel—had performed earlier in the day. Adrenaline still pumping through his miles-long veins, Shaq went into general admission for a set by Modestep afterward, banging along to the music and tossing water onto those behind him.
Not content only to block out the stage (and probably a lot of the sun), Shaq, seemingly unaware that he’s one of the largest men on the planet, also took a turn in the mosh pit. Luckily, he seemed to be holding back a bit, likely remembering that one misplaced redwood trunk arm or leg could send an unsuspecting crowd member into orbit.
As terrifying as a giant man losing himself in the music may be, Shaq used his height for good, too, holding fellow artist Tokyo Machine up in the air like a late ‘00s-styled doll, presumably in an effort to atone for his view-blocking by giving one lucky person a crow’s eye view of the stage.
Despite any drawback that might have come for anyone whose view of Modestep’s performance was replaced with the back of an enormous man’s bobbing head, it should be remembered, too, that Shaq’s place in the crowd proves he’s a truly courteous musician. Unlike other celebrity performers who return backstage or watch from the sides, Shaq is the kind of guy who stands in the front row after his own set is done, hyping fellow acts right the fuck up by introducing as much energy into the crowd as possible. Even if some of their fans couldn’t actually see the stage, think of much harder Modestep went knowing they had Shaquille O’Neal to entertain.
[via Junkee]
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