No Jumper - Boo Johnson on Going from Skating to Modeling, Selling Out, Substance Abuse & More

Episode Date: December 9, 2022

Boo Johnson talks about skateboarding with Lil Wayne, the business behind the scenes, sponsors, his company "Apple Monkey" and more. ----- 00:00 Intro 0:05 Boo shares his admiration for T-Rell as a family man 6:12 Boo talks about his Uncle getting him and his little brother into skateboarding 14:35 Boo talks about joining "Element" with Nyjah Huston and his relationship with Lizard King 18:20 Boo breaks down what it takes to be a pro skateboarder and get sponsors 20:54 Boo on getting involved with IMG model agency and skaters hating on him for being a fashion model 28:10 Boo on the transition from “Element” to “Dirty Ghetto Kids” 34:55 Boo on becoming too old to skate and skating with Lil Wayne 38:50 Boo talks about his biggest check and having to leave some people behind 44:16 Boo on building his company “Just Have Fun” and getting into Zumiez 46:23 Boo talks about wanting to be a father and settling down 47:45 Boo talks about his company with "Apple Monkey" 49:25 Boo says that he will never stop skateboarding and explains the skate scene at Venice Beach ----- NO JUMPER PATREON http://www.patreon.com/nojumper CHECK OUT OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5te... FOLLOW US ON SNAPCHAT FOR THE LATEST NEWS & UPDATES https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_... CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE!!! http://www.nojumper.com/ SUBSCRIBE for new interviews (and more) weekly: http://bit.ly/nastymondayz  Follow us on SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ENxb4B... iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n... Follow us on Social Media: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_... http://www.twitter.com/nojumper http://www.instagram.com/nojumper https://www.facebook.com/NOJUMPEROFFI... http://www.reddit.com/r/nojumper JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/Q3XPfBm Follow Adam22: https://www.tiktok.com/@adam22 http://www.twitter.com/adam22 http://www.instagram.com/adam22 adam22hoe on Snapchat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up, man. T-Rail, and I got my boy Trevor here to co-host with me. And I got my special guest, Boo Johnson, in the building, man. Yes, sir, man. Thanks for having me, for real, man. Yes, sir, man. It was meant to happen, honestly. You are really legendary.

Nah, bro. No, you're really legendary in the culture. You're so legendary. I mean, for me, for me. I mean, I know Tony Hawk or whatever the case may be. Tony Hawk, the game, I love you to death. You know what I'm saying? Whole little shit.

Oh, skateboard here and there. They go some skaters. But one day the homie is like, nah, look at him. Because I'm into, you know, in the fashion, you know, dressing in the whole little shit. And then I see you. So I like to connect with different people, you know, that, you know, that's familiar with me. You know, like. 100%.

You coach you, bro. Yeah. definition of culture. So I look and I'm like, oh yeah, okay, let me follow skating this. Yeah. Yeah. We're bringing the spice to it, you know, and keeping it raw. Like off top, I'm 100% skateboarder, you know.

Shout to Jay Adams, but at the root of it, you know, I like expanding, you know. I'm in the streets, street wear. I'm my own artist, you know. I like just being different. different. Yeah, because I mean, I was like, man, I definitely have something to come with this, man. I can, you feel me? Like, I can fuck with it. I can see what's going on. Like, I don't robbing big. I mean, it's different. Like, it's skaters out here. Like, I'm looking at all the skate culture, period, but I need somebody to tap into, like, and you was that guy for me. Then I start going down

a rabbit hole, you feel with me? I'm like, you know, doing my whole little research on you and shit like that. And I'm like, okay, this is the guy. guy and then one day you hit me yeah like after blue and I was like well what what it is bro um my girl she you know she's cool with your lady's sister Chelsea yeah yeah and my my girl's also a fan and supporter of your lady you know sirella she's always on the corner of sirela doing her little shopping and one day my girl's like oh you know her hubby be following you know it's like oh Tiro like, oh no way, like check you all on the gram and I fucked with what you had going, you know, like you in the streets, you know, you made it out the mud and you in the studio putting on and you're also such a positive family man, bro. Like you really put your family out there. You show you show the grind and you show like the ups and downs and what it takes to be a real father figure and what you do for your families. huge, bro. A lot of people don't put their family out there or even, like, put them on game to be

a better person, you know, and I see you guys are a team couple, you know, you guys are hustling, you know, anything that goes wrong with your lady or the shop, you, you're the first man to speak up on it. Y'all niggas leaving trash on my block. Y'all niggis not supporting me. Like, y'all, y'all want to go over here, go over there. Like, you speak your word, and it's, it's real, you know, a lot of people out here don't do that, you know, they keep their family in the, in the In the tub, yeah. In the tub. And you don't do that, bro.

And I respect that as a man, you feel me? Because I haven't started my family yet, but when I do start my family, I want everyone to know who my family is and who I'm riding for at the end of the day. You know, you big, bro. You could fuck with whoever you want at the end of the day, even though your girl's popping. But, you know, men, men, we got egos. We got, we feel some type of way this and that. And we could stir right real easily, you know.

You keep in line, you stay parallel, and I respect that. You feel me? So that's how I got connected with you. I'm like, this dude is real as fuck. Like, I really appreciate that because that's some real organic shit coming from both of us. Like, I never met you. I think I met you one time. Yeah, facts, bro.

And still like, shit, what's up? I'm being fucking with you. And that's organic love, you know? And that's how it should be. Like, people are so, like, nowadays, they're so envy of people. Or like, you know, like you said, I appreciate you. saying what, you know, I seen him, went down the rabbit hole and, like, you know, you bring, I look at you and you skate, you know, that, I fuck with that. And I appreciate that for real.

Like, that's a lot of people ain't got the guts to even say that, especially in California. Everyone's so cool guy and on their own tip where they can't show organic love, dog. And it's kind of sad, but at least we, you know, at least we playing our part in being genuine. Yeah, it's fine. But, I mean, like I said, I did go down that rabbit hole. But just for me, for myself, like, I just wanted to know just a little bit more about you and, like, where you grew up at, you know, and how was it growing up, you know, out of Southern California or whatever the case may be. Like, I just want to start from the beginning, like, other than Booth Johnson. Yeah, let's go back. So I originally, you know, I was born in Lancaster, California. I grew up in a small town called to Hatchapie, California. Small little valley mountain town, you know, majority white people, you know. My pops and the Johnson's moved out there when he was younger.

Grew up out there. My dad's a gangster, so he ran that whole town. You know, my mom's a little hippie lady. Very sweet. So I was growing up, you know, I played both sides of the field. You know, my dad, he did his thing, so we didn't have to do that. So he supported me in every lane. You know, and my mom, she wanted me to do every sport, soccer, football, you name it.

You know, I was very active. kind of just living, I lived a normal childhood dream, you know, I was doing my thing. We were definitely like, I didn't grow up with money at all, but we still, like, were able to do whatever we want. My mom didn't force anything on us, you know, and that was the coolest part growing up, you know. How did you get into skateboarding? Well, I got into skateboarding from really my uncle Sean, you know.

He's like a little, he was just like a little punk. dude, you know, had like a shorties board in the back of his trunk that he blessed me and my little brothers with were messing around on that. Then we kind of just like stuck with it. You know, my little brother, Isaiah, he was really the organic shredder who really, I was playing football when he really pursued his career. Then he started traveling a little bit. He started going down south to San Diego, Simi Valley, skating on these contests called Castle Contests. And I was kind of getting a little jealous, you feel me, they were going down south.

I was like, fuck, hold on, where y'all going? Every weekend, you feel me? So I eventually, like, steered away from football around seventh, eighth grade. You know, I was like, I'm kind of like over this whole situation. Let me really focus on the skate shit and start joining my little brother. And we started doing these castle contests,

start hitting the streets, and just developing, like, my own style and meeting cool people down south. I think. Let me, let's rewind back to your dad being a gangster. Oh, yeah. In Lancaster. Yeah, no, possibly, you know, he's a G. He taught, I've learned a lot from him, you know, and he's always been a real positive dude, you know.

Like, nowadays, he stays away from all that. You know, Hood Day came up the other day and, you know, he had dinner. He had dinner plans with his new wifey and my little sister. So it's a gang in Lancaster? No, no. But, no, he's from out here in, like, Compton and Watts, not now Mafia. Oh, okay. He did his shit out here then.

He moved out towards Lancaster. He really is Tachapia P in Bakersville. He lives in Bakersville now, and he, you know, he still runs Bakersfield. He does his thing out there, but he kind of, like, stays away from all that. You know, he got his little goons and this and that. But he's more on the family family man vibes, you know, big dude, bro. Like, you see my Pops? You wouldn't even think he's my Pops, man.

Yeah. Late happy birthday to Pops, man. He just turned, I think 50. He's born in 71, so I think he, I think he'll be 51 or 52. But that's dope, though, that Pops came from that, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. And came from that area, then, you know, it didn't, where you guys grew up and he kept you away from that shit. Like, because, you know, in some of these households, you know, even like, you know, the minority households or, you know, black households.

Like, if you have one person that's come from that, you know, that upbringing, it's, it's. it still kind of like leaks on to your children and shit like that yeah 100% you kind of want following your pop's footsteps and this and that yeah he wouldn't allow that you know he wouldn't he wouldn't he wouldn't he wouldn't even let us throw up the west side when we with him you know like that wasn't a thing so um big shoutouts to him because he he you know he'll pull up to my football games he'll just want me to do my best you know he was a big time football player too man he was about get drafted to the raiders but you know he got caught up and his whole situation went to jail, this and that, and kind of, you know, chose a different path.

And he's cool with that, you know. He wouldn't take back, you know, I talk to him every day, you know, and he says, man, he'll never change anything, you know. I think God directed him in the path that chose him, and he's not mad at it. How many brothers and sisters do you got? I got a lot of brothers and sisters, honestly. Like, well, like, a lot of them are like different, different moms. You feel?

My dad's motherfucking Pam, dogs. My dad's a pet, you feel me. But like my closest family, I got, there's six of us, you feel me, in the household, you know. Oh, with mom, with your mom. Yeah, yeah, we got, we got Lavelle, we got Isaiah, we got Sophia, we got Alicia, and Lil Keele. And you were the only one that chose skateboarding? Well, it was me and Isaiah, but I'm the only one who really. took it on, you know, who really stuck with it. I had a lot of drive and a lot of passion

that I don't know what it was, man. I just, I loved it, you know, I think from playing sports so much, no one really played sports like I did. I took it pretty serious, you know, I was kind of honed into it, but like I always say, man, my coaches were always assholes telling me do this, do that, and yeah, it kind of like built my, what's that word I'm looking for, my discipline, you But at the end of the day, skateboarding, I was able to do my own thing, bro. I was able to tell myself how to kickflip, how to 180. And I had to pick my own self up and figure out what I was doing wrong and what I had to do right. Was there even like a scene out in Lancaster?

No, there's a scene in Lancaster, but my roots, yeah, my roots is to hatchapid. It was a small skate scene, bro. But we did have a sick skate park out there. The skate park was dope. And back then there was a handful of skateboarders. bro, especially big shout out to Terry LaRue. He's the filmer that filmed for this local skate shop back in Lancaster, Pharmacy Board Shop. That's the one you own now and long ago.

Exactly. That's my, that was my first sponsor, Pharmacy Board Shop. And he filmed for them. So he's seen me and my little brother and my homie Brett really doing our thing. And he would take us out to Lancaster, Bankersfield. We started skating. We start filming and actually stacking clips. You feel me? And we eventually put together a little sponsor me tape. That's when back in the day, you actually had to put together a tape to send to the sponsor to get hooked up. A couple months went by. We got something dope together, presented to the owners over at pharmacy, Jeremy and Donnie. And they're like, yo, these kids are the future, you feel me? And ever since then, we got put on. I was about 15, you know.

If the skating scene was small back then, like, who were your inspiration? Oh man, I had a handful of inspirations. Like same cast that were from the desert, like the Brian Herman's from, Brian Herman's like that was my dude who I looked up to, Leo Romero. All these dudes were from the desert. Like, you guys skated at the same part type of thing? Nah, no, they were like two hours north or like northwest for me in Victorville. But they skated for a pharmacy board shop. So that's how I was like connected to them. They skated for Baker Skateboards. That was like one of the first, Baker 3 was one of the first skate videos that I really honed into.

And I was like, oh, damn, these motherfuckers are sick. Dude had like the illest style, bro. He looked, he just looked different, you know, than Antoine Dixon. He was from out there. One of my favorite parts. Yeah, bro, like, you can't go wrong with that. That was big candy back then. So really like Brian Herman, Antoine Dixon, they just brought a whole new flavor to the game back then.

Early 2000. That's crazy that you had to make that tape and build those clips and then send them in to sponsors. And then like, was your first sponsor? Like the biggest sponsor, DGK? No, no, my DGK came down the line. Yeah, came down the line. My first sponsor was pharmacy board shop. And how long were you in the game before you get that first sponsorship?

Like a couple years? Yeah, a couple years. It takes some time. It does, bro. Like, you get, you know, a lot of people nowadays get shut down. You know, you got especially. especially these days because there's so many skateboarders and everyone's so good bro like we'll just post a clip to instagram yeah be known that's a that's the new thing now you know it's very easy but back then

it was cool because we filming with vxes you know we had little tapes that we had to take back home download the footage to the computer edit it put it back on the CD then like send it you feel me and it was a whole process but that's what made it cool that's what built my passion for it you know that following those steps like yeah i came across blood money oh yeah yeah that that was my going pro part yeah so that's when that's dgk gave me my first professional board and that's like kind of when my life took a little shift and i started elevating and changing the game a little bit you know how long did it take you to go from like pharmacy to element though because didn't you do like the future nature stuff yeah so pharmacy board shop pharmacy is a board shop

So with all skate companies, you usually get sponsored by a board shop. You know, that's like your first sponsor that hooks you up with everything, you feel me, because they carry every company in the industry. So that's like your main sponsor. Then you're able to get one shoe sponsor. You're able to get one board sponsor, one clothing sponsor, and you go from there. So I got on pharmacy, then I got on Element skateboards, you feel me? So Element, I wrote out with Element for Share Good.

like three, four years, dog. You know, I was rocking with Nigel Houston, telling me, Chase Webb, Mark Appiar, all these dope-ass OG pros that have been in the game forever, dog. Like, it was crazy. And, like, funny story, too. Like, when I go on Element, you know,

me as a young buck, Nigel Houston was... The goat, bro. He's been... He went pro when he was, what, like 11 years old. So, and he was on Element. And I was so young, I was like, oh, man, there's no way I'll get on Element. Like, they already got Nigel Houston.

He skates goofy. Like, I skate goofy. Like, there's no way I could get on Element, you know. And years later, I turned Am for Element. I'm traveling the world with Nigia. And, you know, calling my shots over there, you know, getting paid and living my dream, traveling to Paris, going here, going there. Yeah, I know at one point, skateboard was at his height.

And then it took a dip. Oh, yeah. And then, you know what I'm saying? It came back. How did you transition into that? Because I know a lot of people couldn't survive that shit. Like, I was talking to my homie, which was, you know, his name was Lizard King. Oh, yeah.

You know, Lizard? Oh, yeah, because he lived in Lizard King. Yeah. That was the Super Cribb. I was on Super 2. Like, bro, I travel the world with Lizard King. That's my young. That's so crazy because he was living back there for a minute.

I didn't even know he skate. Yeah. I spoke to this. I spoke to him every morning. Yeah. What's the deal? Every day. I didn't even know.

I didn't even know. That Super had a crib right behind Sorrella. They had like a nice little crib that they paid for so anyone that wrote for Super and Crew, they could live there. And Lizard posted there for a minute. For a minute. For a minute, dog. And he spoke to me every day.

He's such a genuine dude. Yeah, he looks crazy as fuck. He's legendary too. Dog. And they be like, hey, Lizard. Like people come take pictures of him and something. I'm like, oh, bro, you cool. Like, yeah.

And then one day I seen him on a skateboard. I'm like, what the fuck? Oh, he's wrong, bro. I was like, bro. He was like, no, bro, I really scared. I was like, oh. Yeah, he got signature this, signature that. Yeah, but he was telling me, you know, it was like, he was like, bro, it's hard.

You know, the sponsorships and shit like this, not the same. Yeah. Can't go, you know, get paid the same no more. Like, people aren't reaching out the same. So it's getting hard out here, you know. It's like the rap game, you know. Yeah. Did it affect you any?

Well, it did. You know, I've lost plenty of sponsors. You know, I got kicked off my own do. I've super went out of business. And those were big checks, you know. But in my lane, I kind of maneuvered to modeling, doing a little bit of acting. And I kind of like always been taking photos and kind of like shifting what I could pursue in life. So when situations like that did happen, if I did lose.

a sponsor you know i still got income coming through over here over there you know i'm constantly since a young buck pops taught me you always got to have different sources of income you know for a young skater though how would like what's some of the advice that you would tell them to you know i'm saying to get paid from a sponsor like what steps do you take like what do you do so get those big checks and stay in line honestly you got to just come you got to come correct you got to sit back and understand but you got different to offer these companies. Because at the end of the day, where I always tell these companies,

I know you guys are selling or making money with me or without me. But look, this is what I could do for you guys. This is what I think, I think this is the direction we could do. This is the collaboration we could do to push and elevate you guys just a little bit more. You gotta come through with the plan, you know?

Like everyone, a lot of people just reach out to companies for a check like, yo, you know, check out my video this and that but like I said earlier there's so many good skateboarders out here in this world even younger kids that are way better than me but you got to be able to come through with the plan and something different that's going to be able to elevate that company and what type of plan would you kind of have like just give them a little bit of sauce um it honestly depends it's really like your own creative ideas you know everyone's different everyone has their own creative path. And I think I just I try to think of something dope, something new,

you know, even though I feel like everything's been done, you know, but I try to just bring some new heat, new styles or new ideas to a shoe or, you know, I did a collaboration, you know, I got crazy deal with boo-hoo man, you know, and I'm designing all types of different, different clothing with them that it's relevant, but it's not in the skate industry. You know, so I'm like, look, this is what's hot over here in the fashion industry, but the skate scene hasn't seen this. So let's try, let's try to do it over here. Or what I've been bringing to the table is positivity or in health, you know. Like I always tell people, you got to stay healthy so you can't get healthy.

Or you got to feed the mind so you don't just look like an average, unconscious Joe out here. You know, I've been really honing in to myself and just what could I bring value to myself so I could bring value to other people. And I think the health tip has really motivated not only myself, but others around me, and people see that, you know? I don't know. You just said you had to have other streams of income and you, and you said you were doing

a modeling thing. I think you got signed the IMG, I think, yeah. But it's just like, did they reach out? Yeah, well, with IMG, so what happened was Madonna's photographer, Ricardo, reached out to me, and he's super tight-in with the home girl Neta that's, like, top tier at IMG. And whatever, Ricardo liked my style. He's like, yo, he's down his shoot, got out with him, caught a vibe, you know. He was feeling what he's seen, and next thing you know, he's like, yo, I think.

I think I'm going to reach, he's like, are you signed to anyone? I was like, no, I just do this for fun. And, you know, he's like, well, I love your style. Let me reach out to someone over at IMG. Two days later, I get a call from this lady Neta. And she's like, oh, I would love to sign you to IMG. Let's get the ball rolling. That's super dope, you know.

And like, super dope. I talk to so many people and they're like, bro, that's, you know, that's huge, you know. What's IMG? IMG is a model. A minor agency. Yeah, it's real big, though. But I tell people all the time, like, if you're a rapper, actor, or anything like that, like, fashion really keeps you in the game.

Yeah, it does. You, like, super tied in. Like, fashion keeps you in the game because they put you out there all the time. Yeah. You get to shoot with all these sick-ass photographers. You, like, any sick-ass spreads, like, that shit really keeps you out. Like, those fashion shows and all of that shit, like, bro, like, that put the name. Like, that's how I got in tune with you.

Like, that's what I'm saying, like, the fashion shit. Yeah, yeah. Exactly. You start, like, yes, I start getting in tune with, like, who you really were. You feel me? Like, that fashion shit really put a stamp on it. So, like, IMG, like, the gift sign of that as a skater to, like, that's some sick-ass shit. Yeah, thank you, bro.

I appreciate it. And so it's a blessing. You know, it was really a blessing in disguise. And I think just doing what I do, like I say, man, it'll, whatever you want, it's a law of attraction. If you want it, it'll eventually find you. It might take a week. It might take a month. It might take two years.

But it will eventually find you. if you put it out there. And it came back around, you know? Like, IMG, you got Whiz signed to it. You got big dog sign to it, dog, where it's like, fuck, skateboarder like me, like, let's go, man. Like, shit, I just did the coach fashion week. That was my first, like, actual fashion week pulling up, fully dressed, like,

doing good. I'm like, damn, let's go. Yeah, no, that's super dope. First class to New York, first class back home. Yeah. Compared to skateboarding, I'm over here flying fucking backclass, dog. I'm in the van with a bunch of homies. You ever get the homie, like, skaters hating on that?

Well, yeah, bro. Like, I feel like even early on when I was posting, like, cool modeling photos, you know, I got to deal with, like, fashion over early on when they were popping and doing these boo-hoo deals. Like, people would be hating, you know, but it's all good. You know, the checks are coming in, dog. Hold on, so you get slack from the other skaters? You're like, Bro,

skating. You see that and be like, kind of like, they'll hate on. Yeah, bro, I got my Stizzy deal. I was over at the Diamond

store not too long ago. I had some kid come up to me like, yo, those Stizzy commercials you're doing, you got to cut that shit out, but that shit corny. What? I'm like,

that shit corny, bro. Like, are you paying me $5 grand a month? Just a kid off the street. Yeah, some, yeah, some, I've seen them a few times,

but knowing that's like close to me, because if someone was, if he was close to me, he wouldn't have said that. He was like, bro, keep eating. Stack that bread and save that bread, you know? Hold on. So it's skater beef out here.

Well, it's just like, it's respect because skating is core, bro. It's raw, you know? It's thrasher. You want to keep. But even you got Thrasher doing LaCost collapse now, too. No, it's like, I feel like slowly jumping into the fashion. Yeah, the climate has gotten a lot more. Did the thrasher thing lose like a little credibility?

You know what I'm saying? After a while? Man, my first. The pro board was a DGK Thrasher board. Like, no one could tell me nothing, dog. Like, the owner of Thrasher is my dog. Big shout out to Tony. Like, that's why I don't, I don't, you can't take away for me.

You know, I'm in my own lane and I stay focused. And, you know, if someone has something to say, bro, that's, that's their own problem. You know, that has nothing to do with me. If you ain't paying my bills, bro, I don't want to hear no type of hating, you know. But no, you got to respect the grind. And then you know how you just, you know, moving and how you just elevating it every time. Like you said, like with the business with me and my girl. Like, and not a lot of skaters take, you know, he to like, you know what?

I'm going to start my own shit. Oh, I need my own shit. It's just focused mainly on sponsorship and who can give me the check and what can I do. Like it's nothing based on like what can I do for myself. Like you didn't know you can actually sell this shit yourself. Yeah. Like and you took, you know, a step out of it. You know, you're like, hold on.

I'm going to get out this box. A hundred percent. Even with like pharmacy, you know, I got my own pharmacy in Long Beach now. And they were my first, they were my first sponsor. Now the table's turned and they came to me. You know, I moved to Long Beach about 15 years ago. You know, that's home base. That's family over there now.

And they're like, yo, you've been in Long Beach so long. like, what do you think about opening a shop out there? I'm like, let's go. You know, say no masts. And now we got people from up north or from the north side, from the west side. And on the east side, pulling up to the shop and showing organic love because we're there for the people. We're there for the community.

And we got the city working in there, you know? Yeah, because what, tell me the feeling it gives you, like, to have your own shit and to have kids come through and, you know, to be selling this shit, the sports. You get to give advice and things like that. It's honestly. awesome, bro. It's different. I love it, you know. But that's what God put me on, on this earth for it to, like, work for what I got. And now it's time to serve and be here for the next people. You know, I got my best friend, Slinks managing the shot with Matt Allen. I got my little bro,

big gas, holding down in there, the home girl, Kay. You know, it's all community striving. When the little kids are coming here, you know, they'd be tripping. Oh, I told you, Boo Jay will be here. I told you. You know, I'm like, oh, you know, I'm like, you know, I'm not. You know, I'm. I'm always here, dog. Like, anytime you guys need something, pull up, you know. If I see little homies in there, they need help, I'm right there. You know, a lot of people in California that got a name for themselves, they're, you know, they're not touchable. They make themselves so, like, exclusive where it's like, oh, you know, like, I'm big time type vibe.

Like, you'll catch me in the city all day walking the street. I'll be stretching on the block on the floor, you know, where anyone could buy, oh, it's good, boo-J? you know and I love giving my time to whoever it is to just conversate about life advice and just being woke with what's going on you know I want to be a real genuine person and you know if all this shit was taken away from me no one could say like oh this nigga boo thought he was fucking hot shit like nah bro I've been the same ever since element days you know yeah I want to go back to those element days like what was the decision like going from element to DGK because those are like kind of too

polar opposite brands, you know what I'm saying, between, like, identity and, like, what they kind of represent. I like that you said that, man, because that was huge. Like, you know, on element, I was that urban fucking. Yeah, it's like a nature vibe. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And, like, I still carry those traits, you know.

And I think that's what DGK liked, you know. They had nothing but that real East Coast flavor, baggy pants and just OG, you know, Stevie Williams. out that was the style but when I talked to Eli Gold and Troy Morgan and Brad the top dogs they were you know they needed that you know they wanted something different like even Stevie Williams bro when I first gone when I was making that transfer Stevie's like stay on element you know Stevie was on element back in the day and he's like you know what like just stay on element like don't even stress on it but his partner he was like yo we need to conflicting

I mean, it was kind of like when he was like, you feel me? Like not really pushing it. I was like, damn. Does he really want me on the team type of shit? Yeah. But in my heart, I was like, DGK is me, bro. I come, I came from nothing, you know? Like, yeah, I got this like mellow energy and I come with like grace, but I thought this is a calling, you know?

And I made that decision, you know, I signed that contract and went to the dark side. And it's been great ever since. I'm honestly blessed. I made that decision because Element, it's weird. Element goes through these cycles where they have a fire team for like five years. Then they kick everyone off or everyone just quits. And when I was on Element, we had Evan Smith. We had Julian Davidson.

All these fucking amazing skaters, no one's on the team now, Doug. And everyone's paycheck got cut. So I'm like, oh my God, thank God. I went over to DGK, got the hottest boards, got an amazing check, getting royalties on my boards. Like, it's been amazing. I got my own creative space over there. You know, they listen to everything.

So it was a big change, but a big change for the better, honestly. At any time during that, did you face any, like, type of discrimination as far as, you know, being, like, one of the top black skaters out here? Not really, man. I feel like it'd probably be more into Hatchapie, just skating with all the white people. Yeah, but that's what it was. To go back to those days, you know, I was always in the middle.

Like, cliche to say, but not black enough for my homies or not white enough for the Tachshby people. So I'm very in the middle. I'm mutual, bro. Like, you can't catch me off guard. Yeah, my mom's white and my dad's black, but I know how to work both. tables, dog. You know, I'll sit down in the office and be the governor or I'll sit down with my niggas and talk shit, you know, shoot some dice. And skaters generally are like open arms to people.

You know what I'm saying? Like you're going to get judged for like your shoes or something before you get judged on your skin. Yeah, for sure. Or just how you skate before or how you look type shit. A hundred percent. But I don't have any enemies really in the skate industry, bro. I've never had that beef where I'm hating on someone unless someone's just talking shit on me. Like other than that, I got love for all skaters and all pros fuck with me, bro.

Like from all my dudes that I looked up to, P-Rodd, Stevie Williams, Josh K-Lis, like, Mikey Taylor, like, you name any pro, those are my dogs, man. If I was a skating, Tony Hawk, like Tony Hawk follows me on

Instagram. Oh, that's a bar. That's my dog. You feel me like, Tony Hawk. I used to play video games. I'm telling you how. And now he's calming on my stuff, watching my videos. Like, that's awesome. Bar. Like, I think I might be doing something, right.

Right. I'd like you said, the kid came up to you like, oh, you need to cut that shit out, the Stizzy shit. Like, I mean. You remember that, too? I mean. Like, so a lot of skaters are anti- shit. Like, because I'll probably be hype. Too cool.

If I was skater, I'm a hype beast off the game. Yeah. I'm wearing this. Yeah, I got Supreme Mom. I'm like, I'm the thing that's going to come with all the equipment. Thank you, bro. That's how I feel like even people hate on Supreme.

Like, it's like, I'm a fan of Supreme. Like, I'll buy Supreme shit. I'll still go in this store. I'll go London. They bless me with all types of Supreme shit. I go into the L.A. story. They, you know, they hook it up every now and then. But when you're rocking it, people want to hate when it's like,

bro, they made a name for themselves. Why be anti, though? People, because people are just, they feel like they have something, like, to say or prove. But in my heart, I'm just like, if you ain't got nothing, like, what your mama would say. If you ain't got nothing nice to say, don't say it at all. Like, if you're not bringing something to the table, shut the fuck up, dog. Yeah, because wouldn't you want to skate for Supreme? Like, if you were a skater, like.

Bro, I would love to skate for Supreme. I think it's more of just, like, keeping it in skateboarding. Like, you're, you were exposed not through skateboarding. Like, Supreme, you know what I'm saying? So it's like. That was the conversation, you know what I'm saying? It was never about like, oh, you skate, I don't want you guys. It's like keeping it like skateboarding.

Like you're a skateboard, bro. Yeah, you know, like people would be saying I'm a sellout, you know? That's why it's like, oh, you doing these sizzy videos, bro, like, what does that have to do with skateboarding? Are you doing boohoo, Boshinova? What does that have to do? Like when Nike came into the game, people were really fucking with Nike at first. People still don't fuck with it in skateboarding sometimes, you know? So what do you want me to do?

Stay poor or? Thank you, bro. It's like the skate community is so smart. And unless you're Nigel Houston or P-Rod or you're playing or you're skiing all these contests, which I don't like doing because the contest goes back to like typical sports. You're battling your best friends like, oh, I'm better than you or I got these tricks. And it's just too much pressure, you know? I'm like, I'd rather stay in the streets, lay low, use what I know I could use and stack this bread, bro.

Like you, in the skating industry, you only got a certain window. You know, you got, I'm about to be 30 next year, Doug. Like, I've been doing this shit since I was 15. Is that old in the skating industry, though? Low-key, yeah. Like, yeah, how long do you think you could jump on a skateboard for, dog? Like, that shit, I mean, where's your body down? I mean, as long as Tony Hopbow, you niggas better go.

And he got a game here. Like, duh. Man, but with that, he skates, he's straight, skates transition. So he's like, I feel like it's just a little less impact than straight skating. A little less impact. He takes way bigger slams, I would say. Yeah, because, like, he's like. Like, think about Danny Way, bro.

That motherfucker's done broke. Every bonies. You heard the Mega Ramp? Nah. At Woodward? Nah, no, too big. So at the end of the day, yeah, it's still crazy as fuck. Yeah.

Yeah. I don't know, bro. You can only escape for so long. I was just telling my boy in the parking lot. Like, fuck, man, I've been running and cycling a lot lately. You know, the other day, I did 52 miles on my bike. Went to Huntington, went over here, went over there. Made it back to Long Beach.

I'm like, 52 miles. Let's go. Next day. You know, I'll be running five to, to 15 miles just getting it in. Nah, I tell boo don't get old on this, man. Then when they come, yeah, I'll do an old thing. This thing is sitting in 52 miles on a bike.

Nah, hell no. I'll be fitted out. I'll be like, look, real cyclone. Y'all get booed right now, this thing is, this thing is, this thing is. Fuck, though. You better go out here and do some alleys. But yeah, that's what I'm saying.

I went, yesterday I went, I ran in the morning, then I went skating in the afternoon, and how sore I was after skating. I'm like, fuck, dog, like, what's next? Like, what am I going to be able to do next? So actually, you got to work out, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, actually you do have to work out. Oh, you got to maintain, bro.

You definitely do. You got to maintain the body and just make sure you have that endurance. But fuck the endurance, dog. I could go all day. But when it comes to jumping over a tent stair or over a pole a hundred times trying this trick, landing on concrete over and over. hitting your shins with your board, popping your board up,

hitting your hand. It's just a whole other feeling on the body where I go back home, I'm just like, fuck. I need the ice bath. I need it really relaxed, because my whole body's fucked, dog. So I should be a little more lenient on the way. Look, I should be a little bit more lenient on a little way.

Bro, he's, for him, because he's still doing it. Because I'm like, nigger, you need to learn a new trick. Have you ever been a skipper? Have you guys ever been to a skate park? His skate park in Miami? Yeah. What's like skating with a little money?

It's cool, bro. When I was on Mountain Dew, I skated with him like a handful of times. But he's cool, bro. He's really passionate about it. He's really scared. That's the only thing I will say. He's definitely passionate about it. He's definitely doing his thing.

And I think skateboarders really respect. Like, how long has he been skating for now? Like, a minute. A minute, dog. A minute. It's not like he just jumped in it and was like, ah, whatever. He's still doing it. That's where I give him all his respect, bro,

because this shit is not easy, dog. It takes one false move, one freak accident to roll that ankle or break that leg, slip out, hit your head for it all to be done. Because you have some major injuries. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Knees, concussion, staples. You had the MCL?

Oh, yeah. My meniscus. I had surgery on my meniscus. My ACL. I didn't fully tear my. on ACL, but grade two tear on the ACL. Knees are fucked, bro. I'm about to go to Columbia, actually, to go visit Bio Accelerator.

I'm about to get all types of cell treatment injected into my knees, my ankles. Oh, so you balling. All right, bro, big shout out to all I got to say. That shit. Where did you say you were going to get some treatment, bro? Because I don't know what. Yeah, no, no, that shit was. That shit was a big check, but big shout to Danny Way for making that happen.

What's the biggest check you ever made from skating? From skating? Fuck, bro. Probably like, I don't know. Probably like one of my board companies, like almost like 15 bands, you know? Just one check? Or like a mound dude check, you know, that was like a whole other level. How do you get a weed sponsor?

But when it comes to like fashion, I'm getting big checks, dog. Double? Double that? Triple that, dog. Triple that. For like an hour of my time. Damn. Whoever came over to that steazy shit,

nigga, fuck you. Hey, big got out to IMG, dog. Yeah. And that's what I'd be saying. It's like, I love skateboarding, you know, but at the end of the day, they just, there's not enough skateboarders out there to buy that many shoes or that many boards with my name on it that's going to be able to buy me a house, you know, or it's just not possible. So I got to be able to work my way in these other lanes to make that extra.

I definitely do commend you because of skaters like TK. Yeah. That we looked up to, you know, that, you know, unfortunately, you know, ran into problems and shit like that. Like, you know, and I know it's a lot of people out there that do that. Like, so, you know, I definitely commend you. Like, but have you had friends or skater friends? friends that, you know, unfortunately come into some of those, you know, unfortunate paths, they got to go down and it kind of fucks up their career.

Oh, yeah. And that's a sad thing, bro, in life. Like, you can work so hard for one thing to fuck up your whole career. That's all it takes, you know? That's all it takes. You only need to fuck up once. And that's why you got to stay focused, stay conscious and stay aware of what you're doing or what you're getting yourself into, really.

You ever had any moments you wanted to quit? I've had little moments, you know? Little breakdowns and dark moments where I'm just like, fuck, bro. Like even yesterday when I got back from skating, I'm like, fuck. Like I was telling my showdie, like, what's next for me? Like, yeah, there's modeling, everything. These modeling's cool. Like, skateboarding's amazing.

I probably got like five, ten more years than skateboarding, but it's like, I don't know how long my body could do this for it, you know? So, fuck. because what type of hair space you're in? Because we don't want to lose you right now. 30 is not old. Yeah, no, no, no. 30 is not old, though.

Yeah, I feel, I feel so good, bro. Like, I've been really honing into myself, like, really taking such good care of myself. You know, I've been pestitarian for, I'll be five years in January. You know, no red meat, no chicken. And even my fish, I'm, like, real light on. Like, I'm really just trying to stay lean and clear-minded, dog even today was my phone let me look on my sobrivy my sober app i'm 45 days no weed no alcohol dog

was drugs like a big thing um earlier in your career just doing skating uh yeah you know i did my handful of my my hollywood nights you know i had some really dark nights out there you know doing my doing my lines doing my i was real hooked on lean you know, Xanax. That was just the everyday thing. And that's, I, I saw my career kind of like drifting away. You know, I wasn't skating. I was just focused on girls and drugs at the end of the day.

But I was able to snap out of that real quick, you know, especially after I met my girl, you know, she kind of got me on track, but just dropping all the bullshit that really doesn't matter, you know. And I just ended up just smoking. honing in on her and my health. We both went peseteran together, and, you know, she started cooking at home. You know, I'm eating good now. I'm, like, realizing what really matters.

I'm looking at my Hollywood friends to this day doing the same shit, you know, and I'm not trying to be like that. I'm trying. A lot of people go downhill the older they get, but I'm trying to be like David Goggins and get more beasts each and every year. You know, like you said, 30s are not old. dog, dog, I got, I'm feeling strong. I could send this for a minute.

But it's just in the back of my head where I'm just like, fuck, you know, like, the body's hurt, you know? Yeah, what do I do? Yeah, let me line up some other shit just to stay woke. And that goes back to always being ahead of the game, like knowing you got to line up your domino

so you don't get stuck in that dark hole when something does go wrong, or I do get hurt, or one of my sponsors, do drop me. I'm like, well, shit, at least I was prepared and I was thinking about this already. Yeah, but I mean, you do got the store, you know, and then the kids, you still motivating the kids, like, you're still there for that. Like, I think that's probably really your calling there, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, like, I wouldn't be dwelling on, like, what's going to happen

if one of these people drop me, like, it's right in front of you to build. Like, I got, I got my own company, too, J-HF, just have fun, you know, got that LLC. And, you know, that's a slow, slow, I've been rocking with that for a minute. And it's just, it's maintaining. You know, I'm not making Duku money off of it, but it's a motto that's always with me. And my creative side is able to push that whenever I'm feeling, you know. And that's kind of my baby that hopefully one day that shit do pop. You know, I just got into Zumi stores, big shot to Zunis.

Oh, yeah, that's big. Yeah, we got a couple doors in there. A couple doors? Oh, you didn't get an all-store by yet? because they're real big on skate. They're huge, but I'm on my second line with them right now. So hopefully it catches on, you know. Yeah, because I had that Tilly's account.

I was trying to get in that Zumi's account. That Zumis is really good. It's a lot of small stores, I mean, smaller stores, but they're really, like you said, the core fans, the skaters and people are really in there. But, you know, you got that line. But the more shit you got, the more shit they go by. I know, and that's the thing.

I'm very like, I'm like, I'd be slacking. sometimes, man, because I'd be so focused on creating content for this company and this company. It's like, man, I need to really hone in on what I got pushing, but I don't want to leave all these people that have been supporting me for all these years in the dust. So, you know, I'm, you know, I'm there. I'm maintaining with it, and I'm going to continue to push it and make sure I give the people what they want at the end of the day. But even with Zoomies, back to Zoomies, bro, it's like the everyday person, like some, you know,

skating, core skaters, they don't really fuck with Zumi's, but the everyday person you could pop into Zumi's and go crazy because they got a little bit of everything. My boy Token, you know, he runs one of the stores out there and he'd be dressing fly. I mean, that's a cool star store real quick.

It's kind of like urban outfitters for me too. I was definitely in the back of Zumi's getting boards out, the fucking garbage can and shit for like 35 bucks and shit. They bring the heat, dog. Like, they know what they're doing and they got, they got, They got a dope storefronts in the count. You want kids?

Oh, yeah. I want at least two kids, bro. I want to be, you know, I grew up in a big family, so I got to be able to hold down some kids for show. So the young lady you were right now, you're thinking about having kids with her? Yeah, we will eventually, for sure. She cooked you that fish, and you said, you know.

Yeah, yeah, she cooked me on my food. I'm like, you got the key to my heart. Like, you know what, this fish crazy, man. We might as well just go ahead and get it crack. Hey, every girl is going to be crazy. That's the thing. You got to just figure out which one's going to, like, be good for you. You know, they are wild, man.

At what point of your career, did you feel like, you know what? I need to settle down. I'm doing way too much with these women, man, out here. Man, recently. I've been with my girl five years and my mind still be going every year. But you know like I always say to her man we got to each and every day we got to We got to work for each other's love you know like one day she could wake up and say I don't fuck with you You haven't been playing your part or I could wake up and like you know what? I don't like you

I'm over it but that's not where I want to go you know we got to each and every day I wake up with a new mindset and just Look at her and understand why I appreciate her and why I choose to love her and for her to be be the one I need, you know? So I think it's just a consistent work ethic for us to make that happen. When you first started skating, was moms and everybody, like, super supportive of what you had going on? Oh, yeah. Moms, moms, grandma, pops, they were there from day one, you know, no matter what we wanted to do, go for it. You know, even smoking weed for my first time. She's like, if you're going to smoke weed, you're going to smoke weed right here in my house. Did she smoke weed with you? Yeah.

Whoa. My mom was big blazing. Hey, speaking of weed, too, man. I keep it on me. You feel me? You know, I'm not smoking right now. You smoke? Yeah.

All right, cool, bro. So, yeah, I'm dropping my own shit. You feel I mean? It's powered by my boy biz's Apple Monkey. Yeah, that's for you. You smoke, right? You know what? I hate you a motherfucker.

Like, hold on, you smoke? Because they actually don't really be. I don't really deep. really don't see it, but my girl got to twist it up for me, you know what I'm saying? Okay, okay, yeah, yeah, you got to twist it up for me. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, I ain't with the... So we just got into stores, you know, it's white label, and I'm not even trying to flash my shit. I just really wanted to gift you my weed because this is some new shit I'm doing. Now, where do you, all dispensaries or where can we find it? We, we in limited dispensaries right

now. Um, Long Beach. Long Beach, Catalyst, we're going to be put in there. We in Palm Springs. But like I said, we just dropping it right now. And it's going to, you know, hopefully people fucks with it and enjoy it. We got the sweet tooth right there, then the OG gas house right there. Is there any amount of money right now that have you stop skating? Nah, I got too much passion for skating, bro. It's like, that's just what I do. Like I said, like, even though when I'm like complaining, my body this and that, it's really like, damn, I got really continue grinding and filming video parts, but

I really just would always do it for fun. You know, you'll always catch me out at the skate park, just cruising around, catching a sash. You know, that's just what it is, you know? You see, oh, geez, bro, at the skate park, just slappy curves and, you know, skating mini-ramp

and just, it's staying active, bro. I ain't gonna lie, I always been jealous of you skate niggas, man. I was like, how do you think it's grind right now on the sidewalk bro and you try to get on it once or twice you know it's kind of like doing a wheel

you can do it like at least five times and maybe do it you know like but it's not like an alley or kickflip like you can't just go out here and try like a couple times you're gonna get it. Now it's difficult it's super difficult but y'all make it look super easy and then you know you're wearing khakis man

y'all look at icy I'm like man I love skateboarding man the state parks are the world's our skate park we could pick up our board and do it anywhere, you know, NBA player, NFL, you can't just go do it, you know, you got to go to the field, you got to get a team, you got to organize everything. We, man, if you're bored and you're tired or whatever, man, you could go to the skate park late night and just get it in, break a sweat, meet up with some around the world, you know, I've been around the world and I'll pop out

and meet someone random and, oh, yeah, oh, boo-jay, you know, next thing you know, we skating some sick spot. It's a small community, but it's huge, and you could do it at any time. What about that Venice Beach scene? You fuck with that? Oh, it's Venice. I ain't hating on other locals.

That's not me, you ain't going to catch me at Venice Park. It's cool going there every now and then. Like, if I go to Venice, I'm there smoking and just chilling. I ain't about skate. Yeah, because I was too if you're about the swimming pool thing, you know what I'm saying, going in the circles.

It's all show off. It's all like, check me out. You feel me? Everyone, no, I don't, like I said, that goes back to, like, contest. I don't like eyes on me. I ain't trying to draw any attention to me. I just want to be mutual and I'm in and out type of doing. So you're still dropping parts, filming?

Well, yeah, I'm trying, you know, DJK's about drop a video. I got a couple clips in there. 2003, me and Steve Williams, we were trying to put together a little document. documentary video part together. Something mellow, but still trying to do something, you know. I'm not on no Jamie Floyd tip, but I'm, you know, obviously want to put something cool together for the, for my core fans out there that know what I'm about.

So what's next up for Boo Jay? Man, honestly just staying conscious, trying like wake up and wake up my team and just pursue what, what really matters in life. You know, I really want to be on this positive wave and be conscious of our every move. You know, I think that's what life's all about is showing love and being a unity at unity together. Like it's really tough in this world because everyone's on this, like I said earlier on this cool guy vibe where no one really wants to work

together. Everyone wants to battle each other and like not connect or not collaborate or be better and use these negative words and energy. So I don't know, man, I just want to continue doing my thing, spreading positivity, and just having fun, really. Do you think social media and kind of like the rap culture entwining with skateboarding kind of fucked it up and made people start acting like that? Nah, it's always been like that, you know, especially skating. It's very like surfing, you know, very territorial and clicky.

So it's just what it is. but for it to really work, we all just got to come together and be cool and make this money. Yeah, for real. At the end of the day, or fuck money, just do what we love so it could like stay cool.

Yeah, so before we get out of here, man, it was nice having you here. Get my boy a Boo J. Sweet tooth, man. Don't worry about nothing. Before we get out of here, Do you want to tell the people anything or where you can get Instagram, skate shop, you know what I'm saying? Shout it out. Just none of that.

Man, I just want to tell everyone, you know, continue to be you guys, man. Strive for the best and stay positive. Stay humble out here. Fuck all the bullshit, you know. Show love when you can. And, yeah, do y'all. Yes, sir. All right, y'all, you know what I'm saying?

Catch me on back on fig, you feel me? And catch my boy out of focus. It's BBC. Yes, sir. You feel me? Catch us then, man. I hope y'all like the interview, man. Appreciate you once again for coming through, man.

Yes, sir, man. I appreciate you, bro, for real, man. Yeah, all love, man. Talk that shit. I like that. All right, y'all, we go on. Peace.