Skateboarding has evolved significantly, with music and fashion playing pivotal roles in its expansion and mainstream appeal. The influence of hip-hop, punk rock, and electronic music has helped shape the rebellious and creative spirit of the skating community, making it more inclusive and diverse. Streetwear brands and collaborations with high-end fashion labels have brought skating aesthetics into the mainstream, further legitimizing the culture. As a result, younger generations are finding new ways to express themselves through skating, merging it with their unique styles and musical tastes. This fusion of music, fashion, and skating is creating a vibrant, evolving culture that continues to resonate with and inspire the next generation.
Skating is a fearless practice that can be a gateway for many Black practitioners and innovators. Through the daily rigor and tough skin that inevitably grows with skating (and surely falling at least once on the concrete) the sport builds strong minds and a community of people who don’t succumb to the act of failure but instead find inspiration from it. We owe a big debt to the Black skaters who paved the way.
Let's explore some of the famous African American skateboarders who have left an indelible mark on the sport.
A Brief History Of Skateboarding - How it started & the people products that got us here?
Pioneers of Skateboarding
In the 1970s, modern street skating began taking form in the schoolyards of West Los Angeles. While getting out to the surf was difficult, dudes like Clyde and Marty Grimes brought the style to the streets.
Marty Grimes
Known as the first black pro skateboarder, Marty Grimes started riding in the early 1970s in a rough area of Midtown, Los Angeles, California. In this environment, it was mainly skateboarding that helped him stay out of gangs. Emulating surfing on any surface that resembled a wave, Marty joined the EZ Ryder team and, by way of Jay Adams, eventually made it onto Z-Flex.
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He got a “Who’s Hot?” in Skateboarder written by Jay’s mom, and regularly sessioned legendary banked schoolyards like Bellagio and Revere, as well as pools like the original Key Hole (which was discovered by his brother Clyde) and the famous Dog Bowl. Marty’s sister Angela drew the panther graphics on his Z-Flex pro model deck. More recently, Marty launched Hoodwood Skateboards, some of which are handmade by him and some manufactured by Watson Laminates.
Around the same time, Tony Corley was fortunate to have a letter published in Surfer magazine. He was looking to see if any other black surfers wanted to meet up. Amazingly a few answered the call, and in 1974 he started the Black Surfers Association.
In 1986 Stephanie Person had a Thunder ad in Thrasher. Stephanie was the first professional black woman skater. Stephanie contributed articles, organized contests, skated street and vert, and did a demo at a 49er’s game. She found inspiration in Don Hillsman, the first black person to do a 540.
In the first mag I had, Clyde Singleton had a photo feature of a fakie front crook that I’ll never forget. When I spoke to Clyde, he also said he drew inspiration from Steadham. Linking the lineage, the new Magenta pro, Jameel Douglas, grew up looking up to Clyde. Jameel contributes tech manual and ledge lines to San Fransico’s downhill culture, but his early influences came from street-grabbers, Emeric Pratt and Darrell Stanton.
We cannot talk about black history in skating without talking about ‘Reem. Nearly everybody mentioned Kareem in one way or another. His legacy as a skater, entrepreneur, and video game character is a testament to black excellence.
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Some of our favorite Kareem moments:
- The pager check
- The switch hardflip over the table
- The tre flip 5-0 on the table
- The 411 Day in the Life
One of the most enigmatic moments in skateboarding was the “Ghetto Bird” at the Radlands contest. THPS was revolutionary for skating as a whole, but having Kareem up in there changed the game for black folks everywhere. He made it cool and acceptable for black people to start skating.
Brandon Turner was a enormous influence on me. As he was known at the time, Lil B was a lot closer to my age and looked cool as hell in that TSA gear. Brandon says his first favorite black skater was Jeron Wilson. Jeron was also a li’l dude when he came out swinging in the friend's section of Virtual Reality.
Speaking of youngsters, how cool was it to see Jordan Powell in the Emerica video? He put it down with the switch frontside flip heard ‘round the world.
Every generation has that group of “big brothers/cousins/uncles I never met (laughs),” says Jabari Pendleton, the St. Louis and San Francisco luminary. Be it in mags, videos, or video games, we all found our sources of inspiration.
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Witnessing it in person or not, we can all appreciate the meaningful moments in skateboarding that black skaters gave us:
- Keenan Milton’s switch flip over the table
- Ray Barbee in Ban This
- The rise of Stevie Williams
- Antwuan in Baker 3
- Samaria’s Thrasher cover
Modern Influences
In the early aughts, innovative Black artists took over the skateboard scene with their creative contributions to the blog era. Pharrell Williams, formerly known as Skateboard P, developed N*E*R*D and then the popular skateboard brands Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream and BAPE. Shortly after, the Los Angeles-based misfit collective OddFuture (Tyler the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Syd) ushered in a new, younger wave of skaters who were more crude and authentically themselves - take it or leave it.
Other Black skateboarders recognized include Stevie Williams, Lupe Fiasco, Kareem Campbell and Bastien Salabanza. These skaters inspire young African Americans to be daring and cool, and some, like Kennedy, are able to branch out and take advantage of opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Houston’s Lamar H.S. Keenan Forever. Jon Humphries 2001
Terry Kennedy
There is nothing quite like being shot in the jaw to raise one’s profile. In the case of Terry Kennedy, it helped raise the profile of skateboarding in general and Black skateboarders in particular. In June 2005 Kennedy was shot twice while leaving a party in Long Beach, Calif. One shot was to the jaw, the other to a forearm. The assailant has never been found, and it is unknown if Kennedy was a target or just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
From there, Kennedy was chosen for the prestigious Pharrell Ice Cream skating team. “(Hip-hop producer) Pharrell (Williams) has always been a big fan of skateboarding, so I guess it only made sense for him to put a team together. He put his brother on the team and started asking people around, I wanna get a couple more Black male skaters…and my name happened to come up.
Social media makes it easy to link up, reach out, and learn about other scenes and skaters.
I was born in 1986. It would be another 12 years until I learned who Gershon Mosley or Ray Barbee was.
“I started skating shortly after getting hooked on the first Tony Hawk video game, and I grew up in an almost entirely white suburb,” says Hopps pro, Keith Denley. “Seeing him in the roster of characters was inspiring cause it was confirmation that other black skaters actually existed.”
Around the age of 25, I started feeling old. The next generation at Denver Park had all my lines and then some. Growing up in Denver, I didn’t see a ton of black people, but there was a good amount to look up to in the skate scene. It was uplifting to see the next generations were full of young black folks. I felt a lot of pride seeing my guy Faheem Allah big-time modeling and rolling around with the Hopps crew. He grew up in a new generation looking up to cats like Ishod, Jamal Smith, and Chima. But I know those wallies came straight from Denver park.
“The black skater I would like to honor this month, most importantly, is Jahmal Williams, owner of Hopps skateboarding,” says Allah. “Through his skating and legacy, he has shown us how any skater can have an insane take on all terrain.”
“The first black skater that inspired me was Tre Williams,” says Powell. “Known him since I was a jit.” But, both Jordan and Tre draw inspiration from The Champ.
“One of my favorite tricks by a black skater would be Ishod Wair’s nollie frontside flip crook around the C ledge in his “Back on my BS” part,” says Williams, Primitive and New Balance rider.
These dudes are the new generation of black excellence, but the future is in Washington D.C. at Freedom Plaza.
“I would like to honor my daughters who are both black skaters,” says Darren Harper, fakie heelflip icon and switch master of the Pulaski tall ledge. “Demi and Dakota, a.k.a Tink.”
“When I first started skating, all I saw were black skaters," says Smith. “I moved back to SF in 89, and I was skating by myself in my neighborhood when Karl Watson, Lavar and Marcus McBride, Pat Washington, and some others came to the curbs I was at and started killing it.”
Smith’s early days also included time on ATM Click and 60/40; the first team to feature an entire roster of people of color.
“I’d like to honor all the black skaters that do it for the love. That’ll never get recognition, but still, get out there and beat the block up. Your validity is just as important as the biggest name pro. We all started this for the same reason. Never forget that. Never stop chasing that feeling.” -Jabari Pendleton
I want to honor and thank all skaters who inspired and contributed to this newsletter. Shout out to Jonathan Lane too.
Cordano Russell
In the skateboarding world, Cordano Russell stands out as a true original. At 6-foot-3-inches tall and 230 pounds of solid muscle, the 19-year-old skateboarder glides effortlessly across concrete and rails. A Canadian native, Russell was born in London, Ontario, a city about the size of Minneapolis, Minnesota. By age 8, the precocious skater was already dreaming big and convincing his parents to uproot the family and move to Carlsbad, California - home of some of the world’s best skateboarders.
That leap of faith paid off as Russell quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the hyper-competitive SoCal skate scene. Competing in his first contest at the San Diego AM SLAM series, he nabbed an impressive third-place finish. As he continued to progress, Russell’s unique physicality began to set him apart from his peers. Where most street skaters carry a lean, wiry frame, Russell’s muscular build allows him to generate tremendous pop and power. The only downside - Russell burns through boards as fast as a sick person burns through tissues - cracking several boards in a week.
Russell is a devout Christian, incorporating his faith into his skateboarding. You won’t hear any four-letter words flying from Russell's mouth after a hard slam - instead, he's more likely to exclaim, “Chicken nuggets!” or “Oh heck!” And when Russell turns on his music playlists, you’ll find Christian hip-hop or rap artists, such as Lecrae, a rapper and singer third solo album, Rebel, became the first Christian hip-hop album to reach No. Russell's faith has been a cornerstone of his identity from an early age, nurtured by his parents and reinforced through Christian schooling and youth groups. That inspiration extends beyond just his skateboarding prowess.
Russell excelled both academically and athletically throughout high school. With his combination of size, strength and athleticism, Russell seemed destined for gridiron greatness. Several former NFL players who had observed him in action were convinced he had what it took to go pro. That singular focus on skateboarding has paid major dividends as Russell has rocketed up the competitive ranks over the past year. It’s a position that seemed unfathomable to Russell just a short time ago.
He’s been crisscrossing the globe to compete in Olympic qualifying events, fine-tuning his contest runs while battling jet lag and unfamiliar terrain. But, even as the spotlight on Russell continues to grow brighter, he remains grounded in his faith and committed to using his platform to inspire others. “It’s really fun because you get to see them grow and improve,” Russell says, of his coaching experience. “I also get to be this big brother figure. That desire to be a positive role model extends to Russell’s future academic pursuits as well.
In Fall 2025, USD expects to welcome him as an incoming member of the Class of 2029. For now, though, Russell’s primary focus remains on progressing his skating and chasing that Olympic dream. A true student of the sport, Russell is constantly scanning his surroundings for potential skate spots, mentally cataloging every rail and gap for future sessions.
For skateboarding fans around the world, the opportunity to witness Cordano Russell’s continued evolution promises to be nothing short of electrifying.
“I give it all to the Lord, truly,” Russell says, reflecting on his journey thus far.
“So many people are interested and are a bit nervous to start skateboarding, so the Olympics sheddding light on skateboarding will make things much more comforting for people to join,” she says.
King has been a strong voice and advocate for supporting unhoused skaters by getting them into safer communities and environments where they can thrive. She has donated over 1,000 boards to skaters worldwide: “Skateboarding is there for everybody, and we will always be the oddballs.
Skating culture has evolved significantly, with music and fashion playing pivotal roles in its expansion and mainstream appeal. The influence of hip-hop, punk rock, and electronic music has helped to shape the rebellious and creative spirit of the skating community, making it more inclusive and diverse. Streetwear brands and collaborations with high-end fashion labels have brought skating aesthetics into the mainstream, further legitimizing the culture. As a result, younger generations are finding new ways to express themselves through skating, merging it with their unique styles and musical tastes. This fusion of music, fashion, and skating is creating a vibrant, evolving culture that continues to resonate with and inspire the next generation.
Fashion and musical creatives Dashawn Jordan and Mateo Berry both started skating in middle school.
Jordan started competing full-time young and earned endorsements from Nike and more. He is a musician who still skates and co-owns a skating shop in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mateo Berry began pushing on the pavement with his board when he was 12, now years later, Berry has become a creative consultant, fashion designer, and visual artist who has had his pieces worn by many major artists and is adding to modern skate culture through design.
Skating is a fearless practice that can be a gateway for many Black practitioners and innovators. Through the daily rigor and tough skin that inevitably grows with skating (and surely falling at least once on the concrete) the sport builds strong minds and a community of people who don’t succumb to the act of failure but instead find inspiration from it.
