Shaquille O'Neal Explains How He Maintains All of His Many 'Superstar' Friendships (Exclusive)

Celebrities, kids, fans, random people in the toy store — they all have a friend in Shaquille O’Neal.

As O’Neal, 52, prepares for his annual Shaq’s Fun House party over Super Bowl weekend, the retired basketball star — who goes by the name DJ Diesel — tells PEOPLE how he maintains his friendships, especially his many celebrity friendships.

“Diesel knows everybody,” says O’Neal, who will perform at his Super Bowl party with DJ Irie, John Summit and Ludacris, O’Neal’s longtime friend, on Friday, Feb. 7 in New Orleans, not far from where O ‘Neal broke out as a college basketball star at LSU.

The former Laker credits “respect and a simple demeanor” for his extensive social network. “It’s all about honor and respect, so every person I come in contact with, superstar or not, I just try to show as much respect as I can,” O’Neal says.

Shaquille O’Neal, Taylor Swift and Jamie Salter.

Shaquille O’Neal/Instagram

“I’ve been friends with Ludacris for over 30 years,” he said of the rap icon. “Ludacris used to come over to my house every time he was in LA unannounced, just to get my chef’s cake,” O’Neal tells PEOPLE.

“And John Summit is a good friend of mine and he said he’d like to be involved.”

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poster for Shaq's Super Bowl party Shaq's Fun House

Shaq’s Fun House.

Shaq’s Fun House

O’Neal is a longtime friend of this year’s halftime performer, Kendrick Lamar. “I know Kendrick personally, so I know he’s going to put on an amazing show.”

O’Neal says he first met Lamar when they were “shooting a soap commercial” that was “really funny.”

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“I won’t tell you what happened in the commercial, but it was an accident and it was so good that we just kept it,” he says of the spot, which wasn’t actually promoting the soap, but a 2016 American Express ad. However, it was filmed in a soap shop, so O’Neal wasn’t far away.

And while Lamar’s choice of halftime performer has been somewhat controversial due to his ongoing feud with Drake — and fans of Lil Wayne who claim he should perform at the game because it’s in his hometown — O’Neal believes he made the right choice.

“Whoever the halftime performer is, it’s someone who is very respected and loved,” he notes.

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But before the “Not Like Us” rapper lights up the stage at Caesar’s Superdome on Sunday, Feb. 9, O’Neal is excited to kick things off in New Orleans with Shaq’s Fun House.

“Man, I was happy when the Super Bowl came to the Big Easy. My party — without a doubt, there’s no doubt in my mind — is going to be the No. 1 party,” he says of the all-inclusive event. “Leave your wallet at home!”

DJ Irie, Flavor Flav. and Shaquille

DJ Irie, Flavor Flav. and Shaquille.

Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty

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“And because I’m human and I love New Orleans, no matter what type of tickets you get, all tickets include a six-hour open bar. We want you to drink responsibly and have fun.”

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Tickets go on sale January 17 for $199.

O’Neal’s Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies, which he likes to eat right before going on stage, will be a partner at the event. Additional partners include Carnival Cruise Line, Pepsi, BeatBox Beverages, Anheuser-Busch and Verizon.

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Source: HIS Education

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