How would you describe what you do?
I'm a storyteller, a seeker, an instrument, a sponge. I recognise patterns that are right in front of us. At some point, I take my hands off the wheel and trust in divine providence. I tend to arrive at stories that most of us don't see any value in bringing to life.
Why do you do it?
In service of god and humanity.
Who or what inspires you?
My father.
What creative work got you excited when you were a teenager, and how does it align with what you're into now?
Skateboarding was my first love really. And the truth is, she is still with me to this day. Our relationship has changed a lot over the years, but I guess the repetitiveness of it is in line with what I do today. When you're a kid, you spend hours on end alone somewhere learning to jump on your skateboard. It's the same with storytelling. You show up and you don't mind looking stupid while doing it. Face yourself and what's right in front of you, regardless of how you feel about it. When I first found skateboarding as a kid, there was no holding back. I allowed myself to become one with it. Both my inner world and my outer world were filled with this thing that I deeply loved and wanted to keep exploring.
That's all I did. That's all my mates did. And I never questioned it. Even if my board broke and I couldn't afford a new one, I never worried about where that next board would come from. And yet it all worked out.
How would you describe your experience of working with Palace Skateboards?
It's like a childhood friend that you slowly grew apart from. He's got a big beautiful family now and you know he's doing great things in the world because the people around you tell you about him. I smile inside every time. When we reunite, everything is natural and well. Hopefully, he can still do a switch heel from time to time.
What were your thoughts on Palace prior to working with them?
I will never forget the first time I saw Chewy Cannon skating down Shoreditch High Street when I first moved to London.
What are you currently working on?
On a collaboration with Nike, on the Penny Hardaway shoe. We are adding trucks and wheels. Basically turning it into roller skates.
Favourite restaurant?
SoulFood, Peckham High Street.
Tens of thousands of real human Wallpaper* print edition readers are out there: what is your message to them?
I understand.
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