NBA Legend Shaquille O'Neal Set to Headline Event at Florida Atlantic

Get ready South Florida, because the Diesel has decided to call back to his music career, and it will happen in Boca Raton.

Shaquille O'Neal, aside from a legendary basketball career, is known for his dips into music, specifically hip-hop and freestyle rap.

O'Neal broke into mainstream music in the 1990s, releasing four albums throughout the decade. He is most well-known for his debut album, Shaq Diesel, which featured four singles as it peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200, No. 10 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified platinum in the United States.

After his last album in 1998, O'Neal would not officially release another music project until 25 years later, dropping Gorilla Warfare in August 2023. Even though it didn't chart in the Billboard 200, the album showcased three singles, showing that O'Neal's music chops is not gone yet.

On Friday, Florida Atlantic University's student government program board took notice of that as they announced on Instagram that O'Neal will headline their annual Bonfire Music Festival on campus.

"This year we are in our rave era!" the post said. "We are excited to announce that this year's headliner of Bonfire Music Fest is DJ Diesel aka SHAQUILLE O'NEAL!!...Stay tuned as we announce the rest of our lineup."

FAU's Bonfire Music Festival is an event that takes the shape of a concert/pep rally for FAU students and community members. It is typically meant to hype fans for the football team's home openers.

The last two editions saw the likes of Flo Rida and Nelly headline the event, with Justine Skye and Sevyn Streeter making guest appearances. While the rest of O'Neal's group awaits to be revealed, this year's event will take place on Sept. 6 at the Boca Raton campus.

The Owls will have plenty to be excited about after the event, preparing for the football team's home opener against Army on Sept. 7 at noon.

Related: Head Coach Tom Herman Reveals Florida Atlantic's Starting Quarterback