Now that Primo’s Nice Try has wrapped up, what projects have you been working on?
I’ve been lagging lately, but I’ve been working on Scrap-o-Licious Dos, an Osiris edit, and a Cardinal edit – hopefully all out soon! I’ma try to stay busy this year and put out more shit.
Do you have any big trips in the works?
New York for sure as soon as the weather clears up. Hopefully sooner than later; aroun April. Shit, I hope Spain again soon! Maybe lil’ trips here and there with da homies.
How are things after you got hurt in Canada? Any other bad crashes lately?
Yeah, that Canada fall sucked! I still have nightmares from it, haha. I’ve been good up until about a month ago. I got fucked up! I pretty much dove off a seven or eight foot wall onto my head, hands, and shoulders, haha. My head hit first and my body scorpioned over me and I got up gasping for air. I thought I was cool, just a lil’ pain that would go away in a day… wrong! I had to go to the hospital two days later because I had some shit like a bruised or swollen kidney and possibly broken ribs. It wasn’t that bad I guess. It could have been worse.
What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions a strip club?
Dayyyummmm! Haha, oh let’s do this! The fun zone!
Are there any riders out there that you want to see more of?
Kids are crazy these days. Everything is usually so good. I always enjoy Garrett Reynolds, Nathan Williams, Jamie Bestwick, and Harry Main, but a few riders I’m really feeling right now are the underdogs like Bobby Simmons, Mike Mastroni, Lil D, Shane Weston, Fakie Master, Ratkid, Matty Long, and my boy Chris Brown.
Tell us about your favorite shoes.
Hahaha, buy them motherfuckers! Haha, nah, yo, they’re good. I love Chino Mids, and it’s even better now that they got ‘em in like a million colors. Go buy Osiris. They’ll get you lots of ho’s! Haha.
How are things with your other sponsors?
Things are going good with Primo and Cardinal. Scrap-o-Licious Dos coming soon from Primo, Cardinal frames are available now! Go cop one or two and don’t forget to keep your eyes open for my signature bars coming out real soon. Holla!
Have you learned to speak any Spanish since your last trip to Barcelona?
Hahaha, nah, I haven’t learned anything. I’ve been lagging to buy the Spanish for Dummies book that I said I was going to get.
You’re always joking around, but moving to a serious note, will you tell us about what happened to your dad?
On July 29, 2009 my world was flipped upside down. I got a phone call at 8 AM to hear my mom crying and saying, “They got Dad, Boy! They got Dad! He’s in the hospital!” My mom told me cops came knocking at the door and told her they found him at 5 AM, left for dead, and the family should rush to the hospital because things look bad. I was thinking, “Damn, they roughed him up good!” but nah. It was way worse. When we got to the hospital the doctor told us the extensive injuries he had. He was barely breathing and they told us to prepare ourselves for the worst because he had extreme swelling of his head and he was stabbed above his left eyebrow with a blunt object. The first time I saw him in the hospital, doctors were rushing him past us to his bed and I just broke down in tears. His face was unrecognizable. He was still all bloody and his head was three times the size it normally was, to say the least. I could hear him grunting and making noise. He was in pain.
It was a long time before we found out what actually happened and we still don’t know everything. Cops found him left for dead in the projects where we lived. He was on his way to work at 3 AM and he was jumped by five gangsters. When I looked at my dad in the hospital bed all I could think was the worst to whoever was responsible. I won’t say much, but the streets have a way of sorting these things out. There are rules in the streets, and if you don’t believe that then you’re not from the streets. You don’t fuck with an old, non-active gangster if he doesn’t fuck with you.
There’s no reason to exaggerate anything with this story because trust me, I wish it didn’t happen. My dad supported my family to the fullest. When something like this happens to a poor family like mine its like chickens with their heads cut off. Since this all wen down I’ve been paying three cell phone bills, two insurance bills, and my mom’s rent. My dad’s still alive. He can’t talk or walk, but he’s aware of everything around him and has his full memory back. He’ll never be the same, but he’s a strong man. So yeah, Life goes on. We can’t change what happen, but I ask myself everyday if my dad would be proud with what I’m doing with my family. I’ma do my fuckin’ thing, so we’ll see. Period.
Any thanks?
Yeah, man. I’d like to thank everyone who supports my riding. This update is for you! I’d also like to thank all of my sponsors for showing me so much support during the time all this bullshit happened. My girl and her friends, my family and all of my homies, and last but not least, thanks to my dad for being one of the few who supported me riding a bike.
Shout outs?
I’d like to give a shout out to Eman! I’ll turn into a transformer before I turn on E. Glenn PP Milligan, Cardinal Bikes, Primo, and Osiris Shoes! Everyone, fuck it! Robbie! Hope all goes well for him and Cult. Shout out to Nick over at Fit! Everyone at Animal who hooked me up in da past. Shout out to Ralphy Lifeee and Longstory! Fernando over in Spain, all the websites that post my shit, and to every real motha fucka ’cause it seems like fake is da new trend and everyone is in style! If I missed ya, sorry. Shouts to ya! Get well soon, Pops! Peace! Holla!
Photos by Ed Subias
