A Conversation With Kader And Elissa

Legendary skater and Gnarhunters owner, Elissa Steamer, hit up CCS Team rider Kader Sylla for a quick interview. The conversation covers a range of topics and interests that go well beyond skateboarding’s purview. While we're on the subject of CCS Team riders, be sure to check out our new CCS apparel.

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Elissa: Hello?Kader: Yeah.

Elissa: Are you excited?Kader: Yeah, I'm kind of bored right now.

Elissa: What do you want to talk about? What's weighing heavy on your mind lately?Kader: Grant Taylor and Rowan.

Elissa: You want to talk about Grant Taylor? I was gonna ask you who your favorite skater was and you said it was Grant Taylor. Is that a fact?Kader: Yes.

Elissa: Your favorite of all time?Kader: Yeah, probably. I have, like, three: Rowan, Grant and Nick Boserio.

Elissa: Oh. Kader: Yeah, those the sickest.

Elissa:: Who are you hanging out with right now?Kader: Just with some friends in North Carolina.

Elissa: You're in North Carolina? Are you with Mike?Kader: No. No, uh-uh.

Elissa: Who are you with?Kader: I'm with my friends Dalton, Aaron, Ethan, Eli, Brian, Toby, and Jake.

Elissa: Jake? So you just went on a trip with John and all the spitfire guys. Kader: Yeah.

Elissa: How was that?Kader: Really fun. Sick.

Elissa: Take me through the tail drop.Kader: Oh my god, okay. That, was like, I don't know. I was like, It was getting taller and taller, and scary. Oh my god. It was getting scarier.

Kader: It was like ... the stairs height is like, kinda tall. Like, not really too tall, but like sixteen feet high. And then, it was, it just got crazier, and like, less people started trying. And then, like, I didn't know it was high and then they were like, "Can you do one more level?" And I was like, "Yeah, I can try." The last one came and then all of the lights went off and everyone was yelling.

Elissa: Did you feel like a king?Kader: What?

Elissa: Did you feel like a king?Kader: No.

Elissa: You looked like a king.Kader: It was just a tail drop.

Elissa: It was just a gnarly tail drop. Kader: I don't know.

Kader: If everyone weighed less they could have done it.

Elissa: Are you skipping school right now?Kader: No, I'm homeschooled now.

Elissa: Oh, okay. Cool. How's that?Kader: Definitely better now that I can go on more trips and stuff. Like here.

Elissa: John told me you're obsessed with video games. Kader: Yeah.

Elissa: Is that a fact?Kader: I just recently started getting obsessed with them just because of this one game called Fortnite. It's so fun. You get to play with your friends and stuff. So that's cool.

Elissa: Do you miss going to public school?Kader: Not at all. I didn't like public school at all. I like go on more trips and it’s just easier now. And I do more work. It’s just a lot, way easier.

Elissa: What do you think about Brett Kavanaugh being appointed as Supreme Court Judge?Kader: Who?

Kader: I don't know what that is.

Elissa: I feel you. Where are you from? You're from, like, North Hollywood or something?Kader: Like, more north of there like, from the Valley.

Elissa: The Valley. Kader: Like, Woodland Hills that area.

Elissa: Oh, okay.

Elissa: What's your dream session?Kader: Like an eight-foot vert ramp, with like tall coping that doesn't stick out and grinds perfect. With like Grant, Rowan, Nick Boserio, Andrew, basically everyone on Baker, and a whole bunch of people and barbecue ... on the beach or something during the day when there's no one there.

Elissa: Are you and Stella good friends?Kader: Yeah.

Elissa: Cool. How long have you known her for?Kader: Looks like, basically as long as I've known Andrew.

Elissa: Okay. Anything else you want to talk about?Kader: I don't know.

Elissa: Let's talk about ... I mean, what weighs heavy on the mind of Kader?Kader: School.

Elissa: School?Kader: Yeah, It's easier doing home school but it's harder to get yourself to do it.

Elissa: Right, because you're like, your own teacher kinda, right?Kader: Yeah. So it's like, a lot different but it's, like, I don't know, it's kinda easier to learn on your own...

Elissa: Yeah?Kader: Yeah.

Elissa: What is your dream occupation other than a professional skateboarder, of course?Kader: Maybe, like, I don't know ... Something big.

Elissa: What music do you listen to?Kader: Everything. Like rock, or rap. Everything.

Elissa: What kind of rap do you listen to?Kader: Like, do you know who Big L is?

Elissa: Big L, yeah, of course. Kader: I like this band called, they're called The Mercy Devils. They're cool. They're not rap, though. I like them a lot.

Elissa: Cool.Kader: Yeah. That's like, the main two things that I listen to.

Elissa: Do you like gambling?Kader: Gambling? Yeah, like dice? Yeah, dice is fun. I was playing dice the other day with a lot of people, but then I got mugged.

Elissa: Do you ever lose all your money?Kader: Yeah, I lost like five bucks. That didn't even matter. It actually did kind of matter, but whatever.

Elissa: Was that your lunch money?Kader: Yeah.

Elissa: What is your favorite television show?Kader: Probably my name is earl. With Jason Lee.

Elissa: Do you know your skateboard history lessons? Kader: No. Well barely.

Elissa: Do you know about Jason Lee?Kader: He's a pro skateboarder. Stereo Skateboards. Wasn't he in Blind Video Days?

Elissa: Exactly.Kader: I know that stuff, but not really the history.

Elissa: What would you like people to know about you that they don't already know?Kader: ... I like tranny?Kader: Maybe a few don't know that. I don't know.

Elissa: Other than just normal fears, what kind of fears other than like skateboarding what kind of fears do you have?Kader: Fears, probably like. I have a lot. I really hate spiders, but if one lands on me, a small or medium sized one I'll kill it, but if it's like something sketchy I will like freak out.

Elissa: Spiders, arachnophobia.Kader: I didn't even know that. Arachnophobia.

Elissa: Is there anybody you want to meet that you haven't met yet?Kader: Maybe like Lance Mountain, because I've seen him once but I didn't say hi--I was too scared. It was at Bob's.

Elissa: That was a crowded day at Bob's.Kader: I always thought maybe if he walked past me I would be like "hi, I'm a skater." But he was across and I was like "no, I can't go." Maybe next time.

Elissa: Is there anything else you want to talk about?Kader: Not really.

Elissa: It's only a page interview. We probably covered the basics by now don't you think?Kader: Yeah it's cool, whatever.

Elissa: If there's anything you could tell your 10 year old self that your 15 year old self knows. What would it be?Kader: Not to do, or to do?

Elissa: Both. One of each.Kader: My ten year old self to do ... start skating tranny earlier. Then not to do, play video games a lot.

Elissa: That's great advice for yourself. What do you think is the best piece of advice you've been given thus far?Kader: Don't do drugs or drink.

Elissa: Ah, you're a smart boy. Kader you're gonna go far. I love you, I'll talk to you soon.Kader: Thanks. I'll see you later.

Elissa: Okay bye.Kader: Bye.