Photo Credit: Tin Lazar
The NBA legend-turned TV personality and world-famous DJ, Shaquille O’Neal aka Shaq, is taking the country by storm with his new unique party, Shaq’s Fun House. In recent years, the star has developed a passion for music and DJing and has capitalized on some of the biggest weekends of the year by launching this truly unique concept during Miami Music Week, and most recently, the Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.
Photo Credit: Tin Lazar
Now, Shaq’s Fun House Miami is fast approaching once again, this time bigger and better than the year before with new talent, carnival aspects, food, beverage and so much more, partnering with presenting sponsor JBL. The carnival-themed music festival will return to its Wynwood warehouse and will include live performances, celebrity guests, circus elements, delicious food and beverage and more, all hand-picked specifically by Shaq. The festival will technically kick off the morning of March 30th from 1 a.m. – sunrise. New for 2019, Hakkasan Group will activate their renowned Las Vegas nightlife experience with an exclusive VIP deck hosted by Omnia Nightclub, Hakkasan Nightclub, and Wet Republic. Esteemed Miami restaurants STK will be serving signature favorites throughout the evening.
In light of the big, upcoming event, Shaq sat down with Haute Living to dish on what we can expect from this year’s highly-anticipated Shaq’s Fun House and his passion for music:
HL: Tell us about the success of Shaq’s Fun House since you first launched it that you’ve seen?
SO: It’s been crazy man, I can’t believe how much fun it’s all been. I have always wanted to plan my own event series and now I get to go even bigger than I ever imagined with my own festival. I really enjoy planning it behind the scenes—picking the artists, getting the best food, game planning with Cirque Du Solei. But most of all I just love to DJ. DJ’ing to me is like Game Seven—the energy brings me back to my playing days—I’m performing to asold-outt arena filled with thousands of people who are just as invested as I am. We’ve really created something unbelievable with this.
Photo Credit: Tin Lazar
HL: How did you come up with the concept?
SO: I have been to a lot of the best clubs and festivals in the world, but I was getting bored of them all. I created Shaq‘s Fun House to bring the FUN back and just do something totally different than everything else out there. I thought, ‘hey I love festivals, I love carnivals, I love the circus, I should just combine them all.’ That’s how the Fun House was born. The great thing about it is I just call up all my friends to come perform. This year at the Super Bowl LIII, I called up Migos, Tiesto, Diplo, Lil Jon and T-Pain to come hang and perform, but for this upcoming Miami event all of the talent with be a surprise. I recruited some of the best DJs in the world straight from Ultra Music Festival to play the Fun House with me.
HL: You’ve had tremendous success in Miami and Atlanta—will you be taking it elsewhere?
SO: I am taking the Fun House all over the world! The whole idea is to pop up at leading sports and entertainment events and we are just getting started.
HL: Any new additions for Miami’s party this year?
SO: Oh yeah, of course! We are back at the same venue in Wynwood, Miami, but I rented out the entire street next door to build out more of a proper carnival. On top of that, the lineup will be even better and we are announcing some amazing food partners including my favorite Mexican spot in Miami, Coyo Taco. It would not be the Fun House without special guests so I’ll be sure to hit up a bunch of my friends as well to come through! Gronk had a good excuse to miss the last Fun House at Super Bowl, but I have a feeling we will see him with all his friends in Miami.
Photo Credit: Tin Lazar
HL: Favorite aspect of Shaq’s Fun House?
SO: I have always loved the circus. Sure, the Fun House always gets some of the biggest DJs and rappers in the world, but I love the Circus Side Show stage at the Fun House and all of the interactive performers. At our last Fun House, we had over 50 performers and man, it was crazy. As I was DJing on stage we had fire breathers, robots, stilt walkers, clowns, The Fat Jewish (of Insatgram @thefatjew), and even a marching bang up there with me. I love the Fun House because it combines all of my favorite things – part music festival, part carnival, part circus… there’s just nothing like it!
Photo Credit: Tin Lazar
HL: What can guests expect?
SO: Off the bat, the DJs this year for Shaq’s Fun House Miami will surpass even last year’s epic lineup. The lineup is a surprise with a ton of special guests and what is even crazier is the Fun House experience. Miami: I am back for another championship. Last year the event was totally invite-only, but we are selling a few tickets this year so grab ‘em before they’re sold out, because trust me, it’s going to be worth it!
While the majority of the Fun House is invite-only, a very limited number of All-Inclusive Tickets from $149 go on sale to the general public general public this Thursday March 7th at www.SHAQSFUNHOUSE.com.
