WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.040 I've seen your name, I've seen your video reels, I've 2 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:06.639 seen you've been skating all around town. What have you 3 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:08.839 been up to? How did you get on those wheels? 4 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:11.199 And it's just something you've always done? Is it something 5 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:14.119 that you've just kind of like a hobby. Is it 6 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:17.519 like introducing like that whole inner child back where it's 7 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:21.440 like having fun a little bit of everything right now? Yeah, 8 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:22.199 like right now? 9 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:26.519 Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know that, Yeah, that inner child. 10 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:31.600 You know what I'm saying, And just wanted to do 11 00:00:31.640 --> 00:00:34.159 this shit forever, you know what I mean. That's like, 12 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:35.200 what's what I'm wanting. 13 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:37.359 So take us back to you said you want to 14 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.159 do this shit forever? Like where did that dream? The 15 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:43.119 aspirations of just doing what truly you identify with and 16 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:44.000 makes you happy. 17 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:45.759 Good question. 18 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:52.200 When I first started skating, my homie told me that. Well, 19 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:54.439 when I first started skating, we was watching this video 20 00:00:54.600 --> 00:00:57.920 like skate videos and shit, right, and they were skating 21 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:00.759 in London and I'm like, oh shit in London, like 22 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:04.319 and my man was like, yeah, you could become a 23 00:01:04.359 --> 00:01:08.599 professional skateboarder and travel around the world and get paid. 24 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:11.760 And I'm like, oh shit, Like I'm ten years old. 25 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:14.280 So I'm like, were you like, oh, is that something 26 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:16.200 that you didn't think that it was like obtainable? What 27 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:18.280 do you think that like? Or like do you think like, oh, 28 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:20.280 you're full of shit? Like because nowadays it's like so 29 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:21.640 many different ways to make money. 30 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:26.599 Yeah, well, I'm ten years old. There's no social media, there's. 31 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:30.120 No like what is it thrasher of the magazines. 32 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:32.760 Where this is a VHS tape in my house with 33 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:33.280 my friends. 34 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:34.200 Okay, you know what I mean. 35 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.760 And I'm not really into skating, but I like the 36 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:39.120 way it looks, you know what I mean, I can 37 00:01:39.239 --> 00:01:43.159 skateboard look cool. Like. So when he told me that, 38 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:45.400 I'm like, well, shit, how do you get sponsored? You know, 39 00:01:45.480 --> 00:01:48.159 because if you can get paid to ride a skateboard 40 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:51.159 because the shit looked fun, and then you could travel 41 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:54.480 the world, then why not you know. In my mind, 42 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:55.760 I'm like, that's what I want to do. 43 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:56.239 Yeah. 44 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:59.159 So he said, basically, you just got to learn all 45 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:02.280 the tricks and then you get scouted. 46 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:06.159 Okay, then you can get sponsored. This is me you know, 47 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:08.560 at ten, at ten Okay, So. 48 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:11.960 In my mind it was game on, like, you know, 49 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:14.960 so by twelve I got sponsored. 50 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:16.680 You know, it was your first sponsor. 51 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:19.560 It was this company called Underworld Element. 52 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:22.479 Okay, yeah, and it was how is that feeling the 53 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:24.759 first time of knowing that at ten you watched this 54 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:28.360 VH video VHS video and then you actually put into 55 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:31.199 action what you set out to do. 56 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:34.840 You said, how it feel? Yeah, that shit felt amazing. 57 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:38.560 I felt. I felt. I felt like if I could 58 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:44.319 travel the world riding a skateboard and getting paid, there. 59 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:45.039 Was nothing else. 60 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:45.759 You made it. 61 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:48.599 Well, I mean not even well, yeah, I made it. 62 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:52.199 I made it. You know, I made myself happy. All right. 63 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:55.639 That's a goal inside the skateboard and turning pro. But 64 00:02:56.159 --> 00:03:00.680 the experience is traveling around the world, the friend and 65 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:05.159 the networking different languages, like you know, I learned so much. 66 00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:09.280 Yeah that that Yeah, this hobby. You know that everybody thought, 67 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:12.159 you know, skateboarding ain't gonna take you nowhere anyway. 68 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:15.360 Nobody will think for your parents like uh no, go 69 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:17.400 do something else like they were in theirs. 70 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:22.800 Yeah, everybody back then, you talking about like nineteen ninety two, 71 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:26.280 ninety three. You know what I'm saying, like black motherfucker 72 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:29.759 on skateboard going places in life like this shit don't 73 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:34.120 even make no sense. But I felt like I had 74 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:38.800 the ability in the in the skateboarding skills to just 75 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:41.479 travel around the world and skate once. 76 00:03:41.319 --> 00:03:42.599 You know, like the circuit or whatever. 77 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:47.159 So you know, that became my purpose, okay, you know, 78 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:52.080 and then being pro I think, like my obligation became 79 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:58.039 like to to show showcase like what inner city kids 80 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:02.000 are capable of doing if they follow the right path 81 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:02.680 type shit. 82 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:05.039 Right, I love that, Like, so you're being a role 83 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:06.680 model not even knowing and. 84 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:09.400 Shout out to my dad because he told me that 85 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:12.879 it was my obligation at a time that I. 86 00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:14.680 Wasn't really aware of knowing what that meant. 87 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:19.319 Yeah, I'm happy I'm making money, Like, but. 88 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:21.160 It's a whole other thing. I feel like it's important 89 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:22.920 to like to touch on those things as like the 90 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:25.120 happiness of like because it's like people are like, oh, 91 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:26.560 you should always do what you love, you know what 92 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:28.519 I mean. Some people don't always do that and always 93 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:31.600 stick with it because of the trials and tribulations of 94 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:34.639 like the hard work. And sometimes people see other people 95 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:36.680 have and be like, oh, that's easy, Oh that's whatever. 96 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:39.839 But at ten years old, it's like you just all 97 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:42.120 you wanted to do was have fun. If skating, wanted to. 98 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:44.560 It made you feel free, made you feel you know, 99 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:46.639 all these things that you could have, you know, and 100 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:48.920 the money, the traveling and like what that could do 101 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:51.160 for your family, for you and you know what I mean, 102 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:53.399 it's it's a game changer, you know. And then staying 103 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.199 with that and the happiness, would you say you're still 104 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:58.079 currently happy and what you with what you do? 105 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.399 Yeah, So going back to the first question, the reason 106 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:06.240 why it's more like a kid feeling for me now 107 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:11.040 is because like I can super identify my purpose and 108 00:05:11.319 --> 00:05:16.480 and and live that. Okay, because because initially when I 109 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:19.199 had the thought of, like I wanted to do this forever, 110 00:05:20.680 --> 00:05:23.040 like now I can actually do it forever. 111 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:24.120 Like you know what I'm saying. 112 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:26.399 Yeah, like I've been through all of the trials and 113 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:29.560 shit like that. Yeah, that's hard in itself, you know 114 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:32.079 what I mean. But coming out of that and then 115 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:35.920 being able to like understand like what the purpose is, 116 00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:39.519 your purpose is, and then live in that and then 117 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:42.079 being true in that, that's that's pretty late. 118 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:43.800 Like that that is I mean, for sure, it's one 119 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:45.959 of those things I feel like not enough people reach 120 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:48.560 that earlier on. I feel like some people get it 121 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:50.759 to a point where it's like, maybe not too late, 122 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:53.199 because it's always you know, it's your own destination of 123 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:55.160 what we go through in our own journey and the 124 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.279 timeframe of how things go, you know, kind of play out. 125 00:05:57.639 --> 00:05:59.879 But I feel like it's it's really cool to capture 126 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:02.959 them those things at an early moment, because then you 127 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:05.879 enjoy it more. You like see things in a different 128 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.319 light where it's like, you know, even with myself, I 129 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.079 was in the adult entertainment business for now it's like 130 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:14.360 fifteen years. But in that time, I not that I 131 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:17.600 wasn't seeing what was around me, but I didn't enjoy 132 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:20.720 it as much that I have the last ten years, 133 00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:22.160 five to seven years, you know what I mean, where 134 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:24.600 I was just like, wait, you know, time flies, you know, 135 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:27.600 I've traveled everywhere. You meet people, and then you realize 136 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:30.480 it just the consecutive years just keep going and you're like, well, damn, 137 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:32.600 I've been in here for fifteen years, but it doesn't 138 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.279 feel like it because I'm still having fun in different aspects. 139 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:38.319 Were you involved in the culture now, it's not even about. 140 00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:40.319 Like and it encompasses everything, like you said, once you 141 00:06:40.360 --> 00:06:42.040 know the game and once you know the people and 142 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:47.639 the networking. It's very easy to do, and your body 143 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.439 of work kind of still be relevant in what today's 144 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:53.319 terms in that world is because you have the knowledge, 145 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:55.639 you have the name, you have the brand recognition, you 146 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:57.279 have all of those things that you put in the 147 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:59.519 work to do that. Even at ten years old you 148 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:01.800 may not have known, but it was building and putting 149 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:03.759 all those tools in your belt. Like, Okay, now I 150 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:06.319 got this. You know, I traveled, I got my first sponsorship. 151 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:07.920 Now what's next? Like, how do you you know? 152 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:13.079 It's been a long road, fun road, the journey experiencing 153 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:13.920 all of that type of shit. 154 00:07:13.959 --> 00:07:15.680 But how long have you been skating? 155 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:21.920 I've been skating for thirty two years. 156 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:23.879 Has there ever been a time where you took a 157 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:27.319 break because something happened or you just needed to reset 158 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:29.279 to like brought you back to it? 159 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:31.920 Always always been in and out of skating, Okay, you 160 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:35.839 know what I'm saying, Like skating is is is a 161 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:40.000 mental thing, right, and it's also physical and then it's 162 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:47.160 also like like a passion is ninety percent of the 163 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:47.680 whole thing. 164 00:07:47.879 --> 00:07:49.000 Okay, I can see that. 165 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:53.720 So sometimes you lose passion. Sometimes you you have more 166 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:55.040 passion than you had before. 167 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:56.879 Like it's finding that balance. 168 00:07:56.920 --> 00:08:00.480 Well, for me, it's finding a balance when I'm comfortable 169 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:05.920 enough to actually like you know, want to do it 170 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:07.040 and falling. 171 00:08:06.920 --> 00:08:07.839 Back in love with it. 172 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:10.120 And and like that's where I'm at now, Like, so 173 00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:15.000 me understanding my purpose, me falling back in love with skateboardings, 174 00:08:15.160 --> 00:08:19.040 falling back in love with the actual culture and seeing 175 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:24.000 like my imprint that I made on the culture. And 176 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:29.360 then how these generations after me like look to me 177 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:33.399 as as as somewhat of like an influencer to to 178 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:36.120 help them, you know, navigate through. 179 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:37.120 That their adversity. 180 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.679 And it's not the influencer like the social media influencer, 181 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:44.080 but it's more like the role model influencer. 182 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:47.039 Obligation within skateboarding and with your brand and. 183 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.039 Culture just the culture period. 184 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:52.200 Okay, you know what I'm saying, Like outside of the business, 185 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.159 outside of the money, outside of the fame and all 186 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:59.639 that shit, it's more so about like what can you 187 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:02.759 actually do on the skateboard and how far can you 188 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:07.639 take it right? And initially that's how people will kids 189 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:11.799 get into skateboarding, and then it'll suck twenty thirty years 190 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:12.480 of your life up. 191 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:16.519 You do know what I'm saying, because you it's all 192 00:09:16.679 --> 00:09:17.480 natural intention. 193 00:09:17.639 --> 00:09:22.559 It's more progression too, you know, and manifesting these things 194 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:25.759 that you want to learn. But then sometimes the results 195 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:27.559 or the payout don't add up for all of the 196 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:28.159 years that. 197 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:28.639 You put in. 198 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:30.519 Okay, I can see that. 199 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:34.360 So you can lose passion, you know, you can lose 200 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:38.240 passion when the finances ain't adding up. 201 00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:39.399 You know. 202 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:43.919 So everybody don't become a Stevie Williams. Everybody don't become 203 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:47.360 a Tony Hawk. Everybody don't become a Nigi Houston and 204 00:09:47.399 --> 00:09:49.720 so forth, and all of that type of shit. But 205 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:52.399 that's in every industry, that's in every culture. You do 206 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:56.879 what I'm saying, So, how do you find yourself in 207 00:09:57.000 --> 00:10:00.360 something that you're so passionate about, that you love so much, 208 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:05.279 that you're really good at, but it doesn't financially satisfy 209 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:06.799 you as you get older? 210 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:07.360 You know? 211 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:09.360 So do you have what are some tools that you 212 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:11.840 kind of use to kind of keep yourself in check, 213 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.000 keep yourself in line with what you know, what you 214 00:10:14.120 --> 00:10:17.440 were had your purpose being. Is there some techniques that 215 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:19.320 you can give maybe some people out there to give 216 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:20.960 advice to kind of kick you still grounded? 217 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:24.600 Yeah, I could give you some of my advice, but 218 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:26.960 of course shit might not work, you feel me, because 219 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:28.000 I lived a different life. 220 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:32.240 So I'm gonna and include you on a piece of 221 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:32.840 my journey. 222 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:37.440 So at fifteen years old, I ran away from Philadelphia 223 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:42.120 and hitchhike to San Francisco to become a professional skateboarder 224 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:45.440 because in Philadelphia that just probably wasn't going to be 225 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:48.240 possible for a little black kid like me. 226 00:10:49.639 --> 00:10:53.159 So I took it upon myself to go. 227 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:56.000 Nationwide and buy yourself so well, no. 228 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:58.799 Not solo, but I left Philly by myself, linked up 229 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:02.200 with my man Jimmy, and then me and him hitch 230 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:04.600 rides and we found a guy. 231 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:06.279 And how was that experience? 232 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:06.559 Was it? 233 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:09.200 Were you scared? Were you thrilled? Were you just because 234 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:10.480 of the excitement. 235 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:13.679 Because she's crazy what she was at that time. But 236 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:15.600 I knew that something that I was doing. 237 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:18.480 Was just so just you were supposed to do it. 238 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:21.279 Left, Yeah, that I knew I had to do this 239 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:25.759 to become who ultimately knew I was destined to become. 240 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:29.080 Not knowing that, you know, there was a possibility that 241 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:32.080 I couldn't become that, But in my mind, like I 242 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:35.519 want to be this person. Yeah, so nothing can stop me. 243 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.000 I'm going to do it. So along the way, you 244 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:42.840 know what I mean, I enjoyed some things. I've learnt 245 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:43.559 a lot of things. 246 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:47.200 What are some of those things you enjoyed, Stevie. 247 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:50.840 I'm fifteen years old. Was skateboarding because. 248 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.320 It's it's different, because it's like it's one of those 249 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.679 things is like, what's fascinates me about that? Starting to 250 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:57.440 her to interrupt you like your moment, But it was 251 00:11:57.480 --> 00:11:59.559 one of those things like at fifteen as a male 252 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:02.559 and even as a female would be total two totally 253 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:06.480 different experiences because of just a lot of reasons. So 254 00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:09.320 it's like, and I think that it's cool to see 255 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.360 the also thing of like the non fear of because 256 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:14.559 fear is what puts it gets our in our own way. 257 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:15.840 And it's like, you know what I mean. So if 258 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:18.039 you already had the intentions to set out, you are 259 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:19.919 always going to make it to San Francisco. It didn't 260 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:21.679 matter how connection is going to. 261 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:22.600 Take you regardless. 262 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:25.480 For sure, if you if you have the right intentions, 263 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:29.000 you believe in the higher power other than yourself, and 264 00:12:29.080 --> 00:12:33.639 you have a goal that you want to set yourself 265 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:36.919 out for that you know in your soul that you 266 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:40.440 can achieve. There should be nothing that could stop you. 267 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:41.600 For sure. 268 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.440 What I'm saying, I don't really give a fuck what 269 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:46.159 it is. I left school, I left my family, I 270 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:49.600 left all my friends, I left my city. But my 271 00:12:49.799 --> 00:12:52.960 soul was telling me, like, yo, you need to do this. 272 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:55.720 So I did it. You know I had the heart 273 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:56.039 to do. 274 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:56.440 That, right. 275 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:01.080 So so going back to the question is like, if 276 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:05.039 you haven't really experienced these really in depth trials and 277 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:08.720 tribulations and learning how to maneuver through this shit and 278 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.399 have a great outcome, because it's all about the choices 279 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:16.120 you make, and and and sometimes people make fucked up 280 00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:19.120 choices and that them choices can take you back. 281 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:21.759 You feel me, I've made made some. 282 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:24.120 Bad choices and nobody's perfect, like you know what I'm saying, 283 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:26.399 But I knew that at the end of the day, 284 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:30.600 like I wanted to be somebody. I wanted to be 285 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:33.200 somebody that was respected. I wanted to be somebody that 286 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:37.159 was that that somebody could look up to, because because 287 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:39.279 at that time, I was definitely nobody that you could 288 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:44.559 look up to. I'm a young street motherfucker doing doing 289 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:46.399 whatever it takes to survive. You do know what I'm saying. 290 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:49.440 I'm on the street, I'm homeless. There was no house 291 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:51.240 I could stay at when I got to San Francisco. 292 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:52.399 There was no family. 293 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:55.480 There was just a bunch of niggas that I met 294 00:13:55.960 --> 00:13:58.519 when I got there that I knew from watching on 295 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:01.639 video and my skate board in my town and in 296 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:05.639 my heart. So that right there, you know what I'm saying, 297 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:09.039 that could take you. That could take you places for sure. 298 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:13.000 And I think a lot of people get conditioned with 299 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:17.720 the circumstances around them that that don't allow their passion 300 00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:22.279 to like flurry. Because you got people saying this, you 301 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:23.559 got well. 302 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:26.480 It takes strength to do anything by yourself because everybody 303 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:29.080 wants you know, and in the community is important. Community 304 00:14:29.159 --> 00:14:31.480 having people and surrounding yourself with those people is important. 305 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:34.320 But the thing is is also too sometimes we just 306 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:35.919 don't have that, you know what I mean. We don't 307 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:38.320 have the cheerleader. We don't you know. Sometimes our parents 308 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:41.200 aren't evolved. If it's because they aren't there, it's because 309 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:43.799 they're working or whatever. Everybody's story is a little bit different, 310 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:45.360 you know what I mean. And I feel like that's 311 00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:49.080 what's cool about the heart and the desire and the 312 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:52.200 wanting to keep going and not really knowing what was 313 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.799 going to happen in San Francisco, but knowing that if 314 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:57.159 you didn't try, you would be hurting yourself more in 315 00:14:57.159 --> 00:14:59.720 Philly then at least trying. 316 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.320 Too though, because I got in trouble, you know what 317 00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:05.840 I'm saying, and you know, to fast forward through like 318 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:08.720 the story or whatever, Like my mom had to come 319 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:11.519 and get me from San Francisco, you know, and. 320 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:13.759 How mad was your mom? 321 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:15.360 She wasn't really that mad. 322 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.360 It's more like my mom always been supportive after like 323 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.759 she knew that she couldn't even stop me, So shout 324 00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:23.320 out to her too, because she's a strong woman. She 325 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:28.960 raised a crazy little dude, but she uh. When we 326 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:34.240 got home back to Philadelphia, I couldn't swallow the fact that, 327 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:37.759 like I was stuck in Philly because I knew that 328 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:40.279 my opportunity. Not saying that I didn't love my city 329 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:41.840 because I love, but just. 330 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:44.480 What you were doing wasn't gonna just wasn't flourish there. 331 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:49.879 Philadelphia wasn't the place for skateboarding at that time, just 332 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:53.000 at just at that particular time nineteen ninety three, ninety. 333 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:55.039 Four ninety five until you made a name for it. 334 00:15:55.480 --> 00:16:00.159 Yeah, but my mom felt the effects of how it 335 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:02.960 made me feel, and she let me go back out there. 336 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:04.039 She told me. 337 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.200 Write choices though, Yeah, like I don't want, I don't 338 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:11.000 need no shit, I don't I locked. 339 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:12.679 The fuck up because you're trying to ride this fucking 340 00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:13.639 dumb ass skateboard. 341 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:14.159 You feel me. 342 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:16.759 So those type of things always set in my mind 343 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:18.559 of like, all right, well, not that I have to 344 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:20.879 make it and MINDI it really wasn't even about being 345 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:21.799 rich and famous. 346 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.639 I just wanted to be a pro. 347 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:25.600 Skater doing something you're passionate about. 348 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:30.960 The respect from the industry is enough when people can 349 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:34.840 can can label you a pro right, you feel. 350 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:38.360 Me like, that's just that's just what it is. It's dope. 351 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:39.279 It's a great feeling. 352 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.919 But to take it to the level where I'm at now, 353 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:45.279 or the level that I've took it along my career 354 00:16:46.120 --> 00:16:48.320 where I'm at now, I'm more I'm more so like damn, 355 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:51.960 reflecting on the things that I've done, the choices that 356 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:56.799 I've made, the people that I helped careers as well 357 00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:59.840 after me like personally and ship like that under under 358 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:03.120 my brand DGK and then the success of DGK as 359 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:07.440 well from you know, people doubting that too. It's just 360 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:09.759 it's just a lot for me to soak in and 361 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:13.720 be like, damn, I want I want to keep skating. 362 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:16.640 Like now, it's not even about anything else other than 363 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.400 like can I do this whatever type shit? 364 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:19.079 Feel me? 365 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:20.359 Because because it is. 366 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:21.240 It's a great feeling. 367 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:23.920 You you know, you've in you know, encumbered everything that 368 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:25.279 it is, you know what I mean. And I think 369 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:29.759 that that's really fascinating to see somebody knowing that you 370 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:31.720 had this passion, knowing where it was, you know, not 371 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:33.720 knowing where it was going to go, but knowing that 372 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:35.319 you were always going to do it at some point 373 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:39.000 if it was successful because you were just riding along whatever. 374 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.319 It's like, you know again, that goes back to the 375 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:43.000 inner child of like just making you feel free. But 376 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:45.960 now you've made it a business. You've made it where 377 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:48.440 you're helping people, You've made it where you've opened doors 378 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:50.279 for other people, you know what I mean, And that 379 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:53.000 I think is really success. That's what it's success. And 380 00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:56.359 the definition for myself was because you don't just take 381 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:00.400 it for yourself and selfishly you're spreading your knowledge your 382 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:04.279 wealth in other ways of like making it easier of 383 00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:06.799 a road maybe that you've had, and because you saw 384 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:10.119 what that was for other kids, other you know, skateboarders 385 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:12.079 and things like that, to kind of help them along 386 00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:12.400 the way. 387 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:15.880 Absolutely, and and and to go back to some type 388 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:19.079 of advice for what I've learned now, it's more like 389 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:23.720 it's just like I was just telling my mom this 390 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:30.039 the other day, like whatever you're doing, like like wherever 391 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:36.559 you're at, be happy with that, right, and then fall in. 392 00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:39.680 Love with that because that's that's where it's at. 393 00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:42.359 Though telling it, and it shows that's where it's at. 394 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:43.839 And it shows. 395 00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:49.720 Because the chase is vicious and when you cross the 396 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:55.920 finish line, Nigga's over. So the journey, the experience, it's 397 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:57.079 dope stop. 398 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:58.559 And smell of roses. It's always funny because like when 399 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:00.039 you get older, it's one of those things like you 400 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:02.119 hear all these cliche things and you're like, but damn it, 401 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:05.680