Photos by Daniel Elyamen.
Interview by Joel Meinholz.
What do you think’s up with the Miami skate scene right now?
It’s cool. My crew is small.
It’s been interesting getting to know you guys, you and your crew. How is it when you see heads from out of town coming in skating everything?
I like it, I like to see them skate the spots we skate. They’ll skate it differently. That’s how it is when you go out of town. When you come from out of town you look at spots differently. I grew up looking at all the spots so it’s like nothing new to me.
So you’re saying you like the energy of people coming from out of town? It inspires you?
Yeah, I especially like to skate with the homies from New York. I’m hyped when Barco pulls up, all the Bronze dudes and shit.
How’d you get hooked up with those cats?
Danny Dipalo, that’s who I stay with when I’m in New York. His roommates were Dick Rizzo and Buggy, so I started skating with them boys. That’s how I started skating with Bronze.
What year was that?
Probably 2018.
When did you start growing more? I saw footage of you and you looked like a little shorty.
When was my growth spurt? In 2019 I shot up like four or five inches. I was like ‘what the fuck?’
Did it help with your pop?
Hell yeah, when I got taller it opened up so many spots. A lot of shit started looking easier. Things that looked tall to me back then look easier.
How’d you get into skating?
When I was a jit I was always outside and I had a skateboard in my garage. I started skating around, that’s what I used to get around as my transportation. Once a year passed by I met Elijah and started skating with him. I started skating with Elijah when I was nine.
Did you watch skate videos?
I’d just go on YouTube and search up ‘best of skateboarding’ or some shit. I think the first skate video I seen was Stay Gold. Stay Gold B-Sides was what I liked to watch.
What cities do you like skating? You were just on a trip to Puerto Rico, where else do you like to go?
I just like Miami, that’s the only city I like to skate.
You don’t like New York? Not even when you’re with your crew?
It’s cool but I don’t even like skating New York that much. I like Miami more.
When you asked me before what my favorite city to skate was, I said whatever crew I’m with. What’s your favorite crew?
Our crew, Andrew.
Who’s that?
Elijah, Josh, Buss Out, Drew, Joel. Our crew is small as fuck. Small ass crew.
What about Nick?
I like skating with Nick a lot because I like skating around the bends a lot.
How did you first meet Nick?
I first met Nick at Lot 11 I think in 2015. He came up to me, he’d seen me skate, and was like ‘yo I’m about to start a skate shop. I want you to skate for it’ and I was like ‘ight, for sure.’ He took me out skating one time and then I didn’t skate with him for like three months after until he came back around and I started skating with him again.
He’s done a lot for the city, shout out to Nick.
Hell yeah.
Is there any old shit from Miami that sticks out to you?
Yeah, I can’t even lie, Danny Fuenzalida’s MIA part. That’s honestly one of the best parts from Miami, easily.
What about before that?
I like watching old footage of you, that gets me hyped. I like watching footage of people I know personally. I don’t like watching people that I don’t know because I don’t even know how they are. Like I might not like them. But if I meet you and I like you, I’ll probably like your footage. That’s how it goes.
What are your favorite spots in Miami right now to skate?
I’ll just say Civic Center. We brought that back. Also, I’m never mad at Ghetto Banks.
So your boy Daniel has some questions. What inspired you to buy Carti buffs?
Art Basil was coming up. You know how it is.
What’d you wear them to?
I wore them to this big dinner we had. That’s where I really brought them out. I like those glasses though, I look good in them.
Do you go out in Miami a lot? You guys never really go out.
Nah, we do. We go out to Peach Fuzz every Friday. Every Monday I go to E11EVEN. It’s a strip club. The homie lets me in so every Monday I’m there from like 11pm to 2am probably.
Table service? How much money have you dropped there before?
I don’t really get table service, I just go in there to do my thing. One time I dropped $400.
What do you like outside of skating?
I don’t know. I just try to make money and chill.
What makes you the happiest in life?
Knowing my mom is good. As long as she’s happy I’m happy.
Are you trying to take out Elijah?
Yeah, for sure.
Talk your shit. You see him get a clip, do you think ‘nah I can do it better’?
That’s just how it is. I’m trying to keep up with Elijah.
What’s up with this new Andrew video?
This Andrew video is supposed to come out in December 2022.
Who will have parts?
Me and Elijah will have a part. Everyone, we’re all gonna have a part. It’s gonna be good.
What’s up with this Adidas thing right now? You getting hooked up?
Yeah, I’m about to skate some shell toes.
What’s a good looking flip trick?
Best flip trick? Nollie frontside flip.
Who has the best one?
Probably Ishod.
How’d you get on Quasi?
I can’t lie, Dick Rizzo and Josh Wilson and them boys put me on Quasi. I’m forever grateful.
Last words?
I need to thank Nick. He put me on. He put Miami on the map. Also Daniel, Peter, Matt, Chad Bowers, Nate Alton, Paul. Shout out to my homies Dza, Press, Fellah too, that’s my big homie. He was showing me how to move, putting me on game when I was a jit. Thank you.
