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First sponsorship?
My first sponsorship was through Intensity Skates, which was a
shop out of College Park, Maryland, and that was cool. Then I had
gotten into contests more and realized that skating could take you
further. I went to a contest in Ocean City, Maryland, that was real-
ly big and the cats from New York were there. They had a family
sort of team going on that was really cool. A couple a months
down the line we were talking and they remembered me, took me
in and helped me so much. Bruno and Rodney, I love those guys
forever and I'm always down. The team was Chris Pastres, Mike
Kepper, Felix Arguelles, Coco Santiago, Barker Barrett, Billy Wald-
man and me. Those days were rad.
How did you get hooked up with SMA?
Natas, Micke Reyes, Jim Thiebaud, Alan Petersen and Julien
Stranger came out east on a tour and I got to skate with them at
a demo, and I guess that they got happy. We got involved and
started talking. At the time Shut was going through some shit and
was still trying to pull through, but it seemed like they weren't
really going to have it together. Natas had offered me something
much greater and at that time he was such a big influence to me
in skateboarding, I was so overwhelmed by the offer that it was an
immature decision on my part because I left the family which had
such faith in me. It was a hard decision in my life.
What happened with SMA?
Natas began to have troubles with Santa Cruz and all of that.
Then I began skating for Life Skateboards. That was cool, working
with Ron Allen and Mike Ternasky. After we did the video, things
started going downhill and falling through. Mike Ternasky then
gave me a great offer to skate with another sick team, Plan B. I
was overwhelmed again because those kids were in the house!
How did Girl Skateboards emerge?
Things began to happen at Plan B that the kids didn't like and
they felt that they could do better for themselves. Rick Howard
and Mike Carroll are getting a little older and wiser and felt at
need for a change. They thought up the ideas of what they could
do better for us, got some riders together and we all agreed as a
team. And that's what we have now-Girl Skateboards.
How's it going for you guys?
Really good so far, and I believe it will continue to do so. Now
things seem more true and from the heart. That's what we want
from the team. Being straight up front with each other, giving your
input and ideas and possibly working with it.
What happened to your Don King afro?
I guess it got more and more out of control and
longer as I was skating. It didn't want to flow as
much or stay up as high, so I had to slick it back and
keep it under control.
Is that how you got the name Boy King?
Yeah. Boy King Man Child, that was Bruno's and
Rodney's idea.
What's up with the artwork that you often draw
on your griptape?
It's just me. It's personal satisfaction being able to
write on something that is close to me and right
there below my feet rather than just going wherever
and hitting up this or that, I can just contain it within
myself on be stoked on it. I was directly influenced
by Mark, Natas, Lance and those guys.
THOUGH T S
AND
BELIEFS
How come you chose to move to San Francisco?
Well, first of all, for the skating. I believe that for
street skating it is the best place period. 'Cause you
have your hills, you have your blocks and you have
everything that a street skater could ask for here.
Also, the City is really nice and easy to get around in.
You know-transportation. It's the closest thing to
Back East for me to relate to.
Knowing that you're a vegetarian, are you
environmentally conscious as well?
Yes for myself basically but I don't go out of
my way to express my views on someone else. I
don't really like to speak upon it, at least not at
this point of my life.
What makes you stoked to be alive?
Skating because that makes you free and gets
you away from the bullshit. I'm thankful to have
a beautiful son named Julien who keeps me
thriving. He's three years old now and I don't get
to see him as much as I would like to, but whan
do, I just see a reflection of myself. Sometimes it
makes me sad. He's incredible, I'm really happy
that he came into my life.
You've been known to speak your mind to
even the largest of foes. Do you feel that you
intimidate people?
No, because I don't try and do a lot of over
thinking. I don't try to think for others so why
would they fear me? I mean they shouldn't;
there's nothing to fear. I'm only human. But if
someone is pushing me to be pissed off, I'm
going to let them know about it.
What pisses you off?
Untruthfulness, ignorance, evilness and just
straight-up bullshit.
a
type of music it may be. I prefer
to listen to hip-hop and jazz, but
usually if the music feels right,
can get into anything.
How do you describe yourself?
Silly and very clowny at times
Sometimes serious. I'm a very
caring person; I like to care about
a lot of things. People say that
shouldn't, but that's just myself.
Mostly, I'm just full of life.
SKATEBOARDING
IN THE NINETIES
We spoke briefly on your move
to SF. What is your opinion on
all the recent skaters who have
moved here and the resulting
rise in skate harassment?
Well, to me, the more the bet
ter but I can't say that for some
one who has lived and skated
here all of their life. I feel if you're
going to come here to skate-
board then come to skate. If your
just comin' here to hang out and
check out the scene then there's
none of that, it's not accepted.
How do you feel about all the
cops and guards downtown?
They're just doing their jobs,
and nowadays the majority of
them that encounter skateboarders are more
polite. They're not as gnarly as they used to be,
lot of 'em come up to skaters with their heads
on and say, "Yo, you guys come back later when
I'm not on duty, chill out and leave." They don't
bug out. If they feel that I shouldn't be there
then that's their job to say that.
Favorite place to skate at?
I seriously don't really have a
favorite. The spots that I do enjoy to
skate are Landsdowne skatepark in
Maryland and Pulaski park in DC.
Skating at Fort Miley, the hills and all
over SF is the bomb, that's the place
to skate period. Everywhere. I like to
skate everywhere truthfully.
Where has skating taken you?
All over the United States; proba-
bly every major town in every state.
I've been to Japan, Europe, Canada
and that's about it.
Who influences your skating?
There's so many past and present.
Natas Kaupas, Christian Hosoi, Mark
Gonzales, Sal Barbier, Ray Barbee,
Lavar McBride, Danny Way, Mike
Carroll, Rick Howard, Colin McKay,
What is your opinion of the present violence Jovontae Turner, Julien Stranger,
in the world today?
It all boils down to the fact that we got to get
this shit under control or we're just going to be
extinct. I don't believe in taking another person's
life, but then again if someone close to me had
their life taken, I would have to think about that.
What sort of music are you down with?
I like all sorts. I like to listen to hands that are
really into themselves and into their music. If I
receive that, it reflects on me no matter what
Randy Colvin and Rick Ibaseta.
That's just a good handful, but it's
hard to say since there's so many.
Do you enjoy competition?
Do you feel that a lot of sponsored skaters
take things for granted?
I feel that if a person is going to get spon-
sored, then everything should be laid out to
them up front before they begin to deal with the
from each other. A lot of kids are getting on
company so both people know what is expected
teams because they can get free stuff. They're
not really stoked on the company so therefore I
think that they should wait until their skills are up
to par for a team to be interested in them. If
they really want to be on that team then they
should fully support and represent that compa
ny. That's what sponsorship is about, promoting
only your sponsor.
Define what it takes to become a pro skater.
First of all, when the time comes to turn pro, I
think it should be that your sponsor looks to you
and asks you to turn pro. It shouldn't be the
other way around like you often see today. They
should feel that you have something that they
want to work further with. It has to do with your
sponsor being able to have faith in you and see-
ing if you're there for the long haul. Really
though, you just got to put out and skateboard,
and the rest all comes along with it.
Is there a lot of pressure involved?
Yes there is. This is true. I'd like to say it is isn't
but it is. You see the little kids out there skating
and they're skating well, and at times you may
not be and you think to yourself, "Whoa, what's
going on?" It runs through your head, "What do
the masses think?" It hurts you sometimes to
worry about that.
How often do you set up a new board?
I like to ride my boards for at least a couple of
weeks, but that's just me. I like my boards more
flexible and mushy.
(continued on page 88)
Yes I do. When you really think Centerspread: With springs for legs, Sheff gets fat. At Napa skatepark
about it everyone has a competitive
side. It's in us, even though people (inset), the switch flip was all she wrote. This spread: A high and
try to hide or shy away from it. So mighty frontside tailslide (opposite top) comes to pass. This sequence of
yeah, competition is nice; it only the no-comply (opposite bottom) was locked in the vaults for five years
keeps us striving to better ourselves. and recently saw the light of day. Sheff (above) says, "See you later."
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