tags: DJ, Shaq, Gary Neville, Football, Music, Spotify, House
Sportsmen have had to dedicate their entire lives to their craft to become the very best in their sports. However, instead of putting their feet up like most retired sports stars, some have challenged themselves and moved into a different industry and become musicians. This is a look at some of the sport’s best musicians.
Shaquille O’Neil, Basketball.
Shaq was one of the best basketball players of his generation. Playing in one of the most successful LA Lakers teams of all time with the likes of Kobe Bryant. However, Shaq has kept the work ethic up since retiring from the sport as a successful businessman having shares in companies such as Papa Johns and Five Guys and becoming a pundit for ESPN.
However, he has also become a very successful DJ, starting his career in 2015. Shaq, otherwise known as DJ Diesel, has produced tunes such as Bang Your Head which has over 5 million and Mosh pit which is also close to 5 million on Spotify. Shaq has performed at numerous festivals such as the Tomorrowworld festival in Atlanta and Lost Lands in Legend Valley. As well as this he has also performed in numerous clubs across the world such as in The Bahamas and Beijing.
DJ Diesel is killing the game in the dubstep world and is on track to become one of the biggest in the genre. I am not talking just physically.
Gary Neville, Football.
When I saw this, I honestly thought this was a joke. However, it is true, the man that we see having on our screens analysing the best footballers in the prem every weekend is in fact an up and coming DJ. The member of the treble winning 1999 Manchester United squad has decided to go into DJing. DJ G-Dog as he is going to refer to himself said to Geoff Shreeves on his podcast Football, Music and Me that he was going to play at the Kendal Calling festival with Tim Burgess.
Neville said: “I’m actually Djing with Tim at Kendal Calling, I mean… What the hell am I doing?
“Obviously Tim [has] played thousands of times, I’ll just be accompanying him. I’m a bit worried about what I actually have to do, to be honest.”
You can catch DJ G-Dog at Kendal Calling this August.
Djibril Cisse, Football.
The ex Liverpool star that featured in their epic Champions League comeback win 2005 who has also played with the likes of Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane at international level for France, has also stepped into the world of Djing. Like Neville, Cisse is fairly new to DJing as he started in 2020 going by the name TCHEBA, specialising in the bassline genre.
However, Just like Shaq, Cisse’s rise in popularity has been exponential, especially in his native France. He has performed at a lot of festivals such as Tomorrowland Winter as well as the Couvert Connection festival both in France.
TCHEBA also produces music with his song Most Wanted even featuring Idris Elba. The linkup we never knew we needed!
Rob Gronkowski, American Football.
The Gronk had a very successful career at the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linking up with the greatest of all time Tom Brady. However, the retired tight end has also become an aspiring DJ.
He has hosted Gronk Beach parties in Las Vegas at the famous Encore pool club and has played at every one he has done. He has even had famous DJ Diplo as well as having The Chainsmokers play at the event in 2022.
Ezekiel Elliot, American Football.
This is an interesting one because Elliot still plays in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys but the running back has a side hustle of being a DJ taking over famous DJ Steve Aoki’s set in Miami in 2017, this has only been one time has played but I think we know what he is going to do when he retires right?