Nyjah Huston
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Full name | Nyjah Imani Huston | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | [1] Davis, California, United States (U.S.) | November 30, 1994|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 145 lb (66 kg)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Country | ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Skateboarding | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Nyjah Imani Huston (born November 30, 1994) is an American professional skateboarder and was the overall champion at the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) competition series in 2012, 2014 and 2015.[3] As of May 19, 2013, Huston has won more prize money than any other skateboarder in history.[4] In 2014, Huston ranked #5 on FoxWeekly's 'Top 15 Most Influential Skateboarders of All-Time'.[5]
Early life
Huston was born in Davis, California, United States (U.S.). He was raised in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. Huston started skating when he was approximately four years of age and is "goofy"-footed (right foot is placed at the nose of the board).[6]
Huston revealed in a 2006 interview that he had been raised by his father as a strict vegan from birth up until the time of the interview.[6] In a 2012 interview, Huston stated that he had tried meat and dairy for the first time.[7] As part of his strict Rastafarian upbringing, Huston was only permitted to listen to reggae music and was unable to cut his dreadlocks.[8]
Professional skateboarding
Huston first garnered attention when he signed a sponsorship deal with the Element company and joined the skateboard team. During his debut era with the company, Huston appeared in numerous Element video productions, such as both volumes of the Elementality series, and competed in high-profile contests, such as the Dew tour and the Vans Downtown Showdown. However, Huston eventually launched his own skateboard deck company "I&I" in 2009[9] after he parted ways with Element in 2008; Huston was an amateur skateboarder at the time of his departure[10] and always skating with Arif Shafiq.
I&I was a short-lived company and operated for approximately two years with a team that consisted of Huston, Richard Jefferson, and Anthony Williams. During the period of the company's existence, a number of magazine advertisements were published and an online promotional video that featured the three team members was released. The primary aesthetic influence of the brand was Rastafarinism and the I&I logo incorporated the pan-African colors of red, yellow, and green.[9][11]
Following the closure of I&I, Huston returned to Element and released a solo video production entitled Rise & Shine in 2011—the video was available for purchase on the iTunes website and later received the "Best Video Part" award from the Transworld Skateboarding magazine. During this stage of Huston's career, the skateboarder also joined the DC Shoes company as a team rider, following a significant period of time without a shoe sponsor—an unusual occurrence for a professional skateboarder with the degree of exposure that Huston had attracted. In response to the DC Shoes announcement, Huston explained that "I think it was all a buildup of things over the past year. DC has always been my top choice for a shoe sponsor but I think it took this past year for them to see what I've accomplished and how I did in the contests and my video part and all that for it to finally come through."[12]
Following Huston's decision to skateboard for DC Shoes, other DC team riders expressed their perspectives in online promotional material produced by the shoe company. Long-term DC team rider Josh Kalis stated in the introductory video for Huston (also featuring Mike Mo Capaldi), "And then there's this other dude out there, literally buying shoes from a skate shop. He could get shoes from anybody that he wanted, but he was buying DCs." Capaldi expressed his opinion on Huston in the same video, stating his belief that Huston is "probably the best skateboarder that I've ever seen—he does everything in like two tries."[13]
After Huston's gold medal victory at the 2013 X Games Street League contest in Barcelona, Spain in mid-May, Transworld SKATEboarding magazine announced that no other skateboarder has won a greater amount of prize money.[4] On the final night of May 2013, the DC Shoes Co. held a launch event for the first signature model skate shoe of Huston's career at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California, U.S., with Pete Rock in the role of DJ. The model is named the "Nyjah Huston Signature Shoe" and the promotional advertisement features Huston executing a trick at set of stairs at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, U.S.[14]
An announcement on June 25, 2013 revealed that due to a rib injury, Huston was unable to compete in the Street League contest at the Munich X Games in late June 2013. Huston’s mother Kelle Huston reported that her son "bruised and scraped the right side of his torso" in a skateboarding accident, but an article from the Street League website stated that Huston would be fit to compete in the next contest round in July 2013 in Portland, Oregon, U.S.[15]
Huston was added to the competition lineup for the 2013 Kimberley Diamond Cup in South Africa, held from September 28 to 29. During practice, Huston was filmed performing a 270-degree "kickflip lipslide" on a rail, a trick that had never been filmed in the history of skateboarding prior to that occasion.[16][17] Huston won the Kimberley Diamond Cup and the one million rand cash prize.[18]
Sponsorship
As of October 2014, Huston is sponsored by Diamond, Supply Co.,Element, Ricta, MOB, DC Shoes, Monster Energy, Stance, Asphalt Yacht Club (AYC), CCS, and Bolds Cracker Sandwiches.[19]
Awards
Huston won the inaugural "Kentucky Unbridled Spirit Award for Action Sports" in 2006.[20]
At Transworld SKATEboarding magazine's 2012 awards event, Huston's performance was given the headline "Nyjah Huston Cleans Up at Annual Transworld Skate Awards" by the Yahoo! Sports website. Huston won three awards at the event: "Best Video Part" (for Huston's Rise & Shine video release), "New Era Readers' Choice" (the only award chosen solely by the readers of the magazine and Transworld website), and "Best Street".[21][22]
Alongside other professional skateboarders such as Ishod Wair and Brandon Westgate, Huston was nominated for Thrasher Magazine's 2013 "Skater Of The Year" (SOTY) award in December 2013. The publication summarized Huston's 2013 performance in the following manner: "If his stellar contest record, killer interviews and flood of NBDs wasn't enough, Nyjah went and dump-trucked one of the heaviest video parts of all time on us - Fade to Black."[23]
Video game appearances
Huston is a featured character in the video games Tony Hawk's Project 8,[24] Tony Hawk's Proving Ground,[25] Tony Hawk: Ride,[26] Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD,[27] and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5.[28]
Let It Flow
Together with his mother Kelle Huston, Huston founded the charity organization "Let It Flow" in 2008 with the aim of providing clean, safe, and accessible water to communities in need. Following their personal experiences in Puerto Rico, the pair started by selling reusable water bottles at a local farmers market and, as of December 2012, the organization build clean-water wells, fixes wells that are inoperable, and builds sanitation stations for people in urgent need of clean water. Let It Flow built its first sanitation station in Ethiopia.[29]
Personal life
Following his return to Element, Huston revealed that his father's controlling behavior had led to estrangement, further explaining that his father refused to return video footage of Huston's skateboarding following the separation. Huston lived with his father in Puerto Rico for a period of time and, as of 2011, owns a property in the territory.[30] As of July 2013, Huston resides in a home in Huntington Beach, California, U.S.,[31] no longer adheres to a strict Rastafarian lifestyle, and has identified hip hop as his favorite musical style to listen to.[8]
In a July 2013 interview, Huston stated that due to his interest in cars and jewelry he is not yet the owner of a home; however, he also confirmed an intention to purchase a home.[32] Huston published photographs of a newly purchased home on his Instagram profile in September 2013.[33] According to an Orange County Register report, published on June 11, 2014 (updated on June 24, 2014), Huston is living in a home valued at US$2.7 million, located in San Juan Capistrano, California, U.S.[34]
Contest history
2004
- Volcom Damn Am: 4th (street)[35]
- Volcom Damn Am: Best Trick Small Rail (street)[35]
- Volcom Damn Am: Best Trick Big Rail (street)[35]
2005
- Tampa Am: 1st (street)[35][36]
- K.R.3.A.M. AM 2005 (street): 1st[35][37]
- West 49 Canadian Open (street): 4th[35][38]
- Global Assault 2005 (street): 2nd[35]
2006
- Dew Action Sports Tour Right Guard Open, Denver (park): 2nd[35]
- Dew Action Sports Tour Panasonic Open (park): 2nd[35][39]
- Dew Tour, overall standings: 4th (park)[2]
- Dew Action Sports Tour Vans Invitational, Portland (street): 4th[35]
- X-Games 12 Street Finals: 8th[35]
- Global Assault: 2nd (street)[2][40]
- Vans Downtown Showdown: 2nd (best trick - stair)[2]
2007
2008
2009
- Maloof Money Cup Pro (street): 3rd[35]
- X Games XV: 2nd (street)[35][44]
- World Cup Skateboarding, Year End Ranking (street): 4th[2][45]
2010
- Tampa Pro: 2nd
- Maloof Money Cup 2010 OC: 2nd (street)
- Street League Skateboarding 1st Series, 1st Stop (Glendale, Arizona): 1st (street)
- Street League Skateboarding 1st Series Overall: 1st (street)[46]
- X Games XVI: 2nd place (street)
2011
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (October 2014) |
- Tampa Pro: 2nd
- Street League Skateboarding 2nd Series, 1st Stop (Seattle, WA): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding 2nd Series, 2nd Stop (Kansas City, MO): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding 2nd Series, 3rd Stop (Glendale, AZ): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding 2nd Series, 4th Stop (Newark, NJ): 2nd
- Street League Skateboarding 2nd Series Overall: 2nd place[47]
- X Games XVII: 1st place (street)[48]
2012
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (October 2014) |
- Street League Skateboarding 3rd Series, 1st Stop (Kansas City, MO): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding 3rd Series, 2nd Stop (Ontario, CA): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding 3rd Series, 3rd Stop (Glendale, AZ): 4th
- Street League Skateboarding 3rd Series, 4th Stop (New Jersey): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding 3rd Series Overall: 1st place
2013
- Tampa Pro (Tampa, FL): 2nd place[49]
- Tampa Pro (Tampa, FL): Best Trick - 1st place[50]
- X Games XIX (Foz do Iguaçú): 1st place (street)
- X Games XIX (Barcelona): 1st place (street)
- Street League Skateboarding (Kansas City): 1st place[51]
- X Games XIX (Los Angeles): 1st place (street)
- Kimberley Diamond Cup (South Africa): 1st place (street)[18]
2014
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (October 2014) |
- Tampa Pro (Tampa, FL): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding Pro Open (Los Angeles): 1st
- X Games Austin 2014 Monster Energy Men's Skateboard Street: 1st
- Street League Skateboarding (Chicago): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding (Los Angeles): 1st
- Street League Skateboarding Super Crown World Championship (New Jersey): 1st
2015
- Tampa Pro (Tampa, FL): 2nd
- Street League Pro Open (Barcelona): 1st
- X Games Skateboard Street (Austin): Gold
- Street League Skateboarding (Los Angeles): 2nd
- Street League Skateboarding (Newark): 2nd
Videography
- Element Kids: Tricks (2005)
- Element: Elementality Volume 1 (2005)
- Element: Brent Atchley Pro Debut Video (2006)
- Globe: The Global Assault (2006)
- Element: Elementality Volume 2 (2006)
- eS: eSpecial (2007)
- Element: This Is My Element (2007)
- Silver: Silver In Barcelona (2008)
- Thrasher: Double Rock (2009)
- Element: Rise & Shine (2011)[52]
- Rap Video by The Game (featuring Chris Brown, Tyga, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne): Celebration (2012)[53]
•Cameo in Chris Brown ft Tyga's "Show Me"(2014)
- DC Shoes: Nyjah - Fade to Black (2014)
References
- ^ Nyjah Huston (29 November 2012). "Nyjah Huston's Campaign for Charity". Indiegogo. Indiegogo, Inc. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Nyjah Huston Pro Skater". ESPN Action Sports. ESPN Internet Ventures. 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ StreetLeague.com (26 August 2012). "Nyjah Huston is the 2012 Street League Champion! Full Results". StreetLeague.com. Street League, Inc. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- ^ a b TWS (19 May 2013). "NYJAH HUSTON WINS STREET LEAGUE BARCELONA". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
- ^ Joey Betancourt (8 May 2014). "Top 15 Most Influential Skateboarders Of All-Time". Sports Fox. Fox Weekly. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Nyjah Huston Answers Your Questions!". éS. éS. 14 September 2006. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ RIDEChannel (26 January 2012). "Nyjah Huston & David Loy Talk Street Racing & Street League: Weekend Buzz ep. 3". YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ^ a b Officialbeatsbydrdre (8 December 2012). "Nyjah Houston On Discovering Music" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
- ^ a b "I&I Skateboards". Skately. Skately, LLC. 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ Ruben 'Studdard' Najera (8 December 2008). "Nyjah Huston Off Element". 5ones. 5ones. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ TheFluidSkater (5 February 2010). "I&I Skateboards Team" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ Chris Nieratko (13 January 2012). "Nyjah Huston discusses move to DC". ESPN Action Sports. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ DCshoesFILM (31 December 2011). "DC SHOES: REDISCOVER DC - TEAM 2012" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ DCshoesFILM (31 May 2013). "DC SHOES: NYJAH HUSTON SIGNATURE SHOE - WITH IMPACT G TECHNOLOGY" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- ^ "BREAKING NEWS: NYJAH INJURED". Street League Skateboarding. Street League Skateboarding. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ TWS (25 September 2013). "NYJAH, SILAS ADDED TO KIMBERLEY DIAMOND CUP SOUTH AFRICA". TransWorld Skateboarding. GrindMedia, Inc. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ Blair Alley (27 September 2013). "NYJAH'S 270 KICKFLIP LIPSLIDE IN SOUTH AFRICA". TransWorld Skateboarding. GrindMedia, Inc. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ a b Blair Alley (29 September 2013). "Congrats Nyjah, Felipe, and Louie!". TransWorld Skateboarding. GrindMedia, Inc. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ "Sponsors". Nyjah. Nyjah Huston. 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "NYJAH'S UNBRIDLED SPIRIT". AST Dew Tour. Dew Tour. 2006. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ Killeen Gonzalez (17 February 2012). "Nyjah Huston Cleans Up at Annual TransWorld Skate Awards". Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! - ABC News Network. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ Blair Alley (17 February 2012). "14th Annual TransWorld SKATEboarding Awards Presented By New Era, Winners Announced". Transworld Skateboarding. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "The Top 5 SOTY Finalists - VOTE!". Thrasher Magazine. High Speed Productions. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
- ^ "Nyjah Huston 0:00" (Video upload). IGN. IGN Entertainment, Inc. 9 October 2006. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ BroadbandGames (19 February 2011). "Tony Hawk's Proving Ground Teaser". Dailymotion. Dailymotion. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ TheFluidskater (8 April 2010). "Nyjah Huston: Tony Hawk Ride Interview" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD - Nyjah Huston Gameplay" (Video upload). Gamereactor UK. Gamez Publishing A/S. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5".
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|url=
(help) - ^ Rob Brink (6 December 2012). "Nyjah Huston's 'Let It Flow'". ESPN X Games. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ Chris Nieratko (2011). "Nyjah Huston Interview". Chris Nieratko. chrisnieratko.com. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
- ^ Ride Channel (10 July 2013). "Pat "Sinner" Pasquale - Gary Rogers, LE, Scott Kane - Free Lunch (Part 1 of 2)" (Video upload). Ride Channel on YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ^ Ride Channel (17 July 2013). "Nyjah Huston - Jake Phelps, AYC, Favorite Girl Skater, Chase Webb, and More!" (Video upload). Ride Channel on YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ^ Nyjah Huston (4 September 2013). "Loving the backyard of the new place! #blessed🙏". Nyjah Huston on Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ MEGHANN M. CUNIFF (24 June 2014). "Skateboard star Nyjah Huston's noisy parties irk San Juan neighbors". Orange County Register. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Nyjah Huston Skater Profile". Skatepark of Tampa. Skatepark of Tampa. 25 October 2004. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ WhosSexier (17 October 2010). "Nyjah Huston Tampa Am 2005" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ Rob Meronek (17 July 2005). "K.R.3.A.M. AM IN PUERTO RICO - NYJAH HUSTON WINS". SPoT Skate Shop. Skatepark of Tampa. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ simplejules (19 April 2007). "West49 Canadian Open 2005 - Toronto" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ TheFluidSkater (8 April 2010). "Nyjah Huston - Dew Tour 2006 Panosonic Open (INTERVIEW)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ TheFluidskater (28 February 2010). "Nyjah Huston Global Assault Finals 2006" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ Hatch86filmer (16 September 2007). "éS Game of SKATE 07' Finals (Chris Cole, Nyjah Huston, Mike Mo)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ joboloba (11 October 2007). "nyjah gvr regular vs goofy" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "Nyjah Huston 2008 Maloof Money Cup Highlights" (Video upload). AlliSports. Alli, Alliance of Action Sports, LLC. 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ wojtekmullen (3 August 2009). "Summer X Games 15: Skate Street 2nd Nyjah Huston" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ "2009 Pro World Street Points Race". World Cup Skateboarding. World Cup Skateboarding. 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
- ^ http://streetleague.com/blog/2010/08/30/nyjah-huston-beats-out-a-five-way-battle-on-the-final-trick-in-stop-one-of-the-street-league-dc-pro-tour-fueled-by-monster-energy/[dead link] [dead link]
- ^ http://streetleague.com/blog/2011/08/28/malto-stops-huston%E2%80%99s-winning-streak-and-becomes-2011-street-league-champion/[dead link] [dead link]
- ^ Colin Bane (31 July 2011). "HUSTON WINS SKATEBOARD STREET". ESPN X Games. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
- ^ EXPNVM (24 March 2013). "tampa pro 2013 nyjah huston 2nd place winning runs and highlights" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ "TAMPA PRO 2013 BEST TRICK" (Video upload). TransWorld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ TWS (9 June 2013). "NYJAH HUSTON WINS STREET LEAGUE KANSAS CITY". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ "Nyjah Huston skate videos". Skatevideosite.com. Skatevideosite.com. 2005–2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ The Game. "Celebration". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved 21 December 2014.