Thrasher Magazine

First off, you guys are pretty young. What are your names and how old are you?
I’m Roman and I’m 13.
I’m Cedric and I’m 15.

And where are you from?
Roman: We’re from Ocean City, Maryland.

The hair screams Staab but the move is pure Mountain. Roman, fastplant over the ladder    Photo: Rhino

What is the skate scene like there?
Cedric: It’s super sick. It’s kinda all connected.
R: Everyone at the park knows each other.
C: It’s kinda like a big family.

Where do you guys live now?
C: Westminster, California.

How did a couple of brothers, neither old enough to drive, manage to move out West to try and make it in skating?
C: So, two years ago my friends were gonna drive across the country and were down to take me along. My dad said it was cool and I was gonna go.
R: Then our mom stepped up and didn’t want Cedric, who was 13 at the time, going on a trip without parental supervision. So she told our dad, “You’re not doing anything. Why don’t you take them?” So we came out here on a two-week vacation. My dad drove our RV out with me and Cedric. He hurt his back out here and didn’t want to drive back, so he asked us if we just wanted to stay.

Sounds like a Gilligan’s Island scenario. How long have you been out here living in the RV?
R: Almost two years.

Who’s all living in there?
R: Me, Cedric, my mom, my dad and our 
three dogs.

Cedric with a Grosso-approved slobplant off the slide    Photo: Rhino

Three dogs? Does it ever seem crowded?
C: Yeah, it does.

You guys are always out skating, though, never just hanging out inside taking up space. What do you guys do if it rains?
R: We either go to our friend Bobby’s house and play Black Ops III or go to Vans Combi.

Before you got sponsored, who was your favorite skater?
C: I’m gonna say John John Rosemond.
R: I like Ben Raybourn and Jimmy Wilkins.

Cedric, backside crailslide, no pad nannies in sight    Photo: Hammeke

And now who’s your favorite?
R: Chris Cope. He’s really sick.
C: Grant Taylor.

Who do you guys skate with?
C: I like to skate with Robbie Russo, Ronnie Sandoval…
R: Oscar Navarro, Peter Hewitt, Daniel Vargas and Nora.

Do you always both go on the sessions?
C: Usually it’s both of us but sometimes it’s just me.

When you live in an RV, it’s nice to get out and stretch your legs from time to time. Roman, one-footed eggplant    Photo: Hammeke

Is it weird if you guys aren’t both on the session?
R: Kinda.

Which one of you got noticed first?
R: I got on Powell first. But around that time Cedric got on Furnace.

Cedric, Antihero is a pretty tough company to get on. How did you get them to start sending you boards?
C: Well, Grosso saw me skate at Combi and he heard how much I like Antihero so he called me over. Then he asked me, “So do you wanna get boards from Antihero?” I replied, “Fuck yeah I do!” I have no idea how he knew who I was or any of that.

Well, Grosso is smart like that. He knows what’s going on. I know Wes Lott drives you guys around. Does he pick you up every day?
C: Yeah, pretty much every day.


How did you guys meet him?
C: This is a funny story: the first time I skated Vans park in HB, I didn’t have pads on. Wes works there so he told me to put pads on. 
I was super bummed on him. I was, like, “Oh my God! This guy’s making me wear pads.” But then he came over to where I was skating and we started hanging out.
R: Then I met him. Cedric was going skating with him before I was. Cedric was skating with Wes at Vans and I was skating with the younger guys. But then Cedric was going and skating pools with him and I wanted to go.

So the park pad nanny ended up being you guys’ chauffeur.
R: That’s a creative way of putting it.

How long did you guys know him before you knew he’d been on the cover of Thrasher?
C: I think he told us the first time we met him.

Bombs away! Cedric pulls the ‘chute on a classic Indy, straight up, straight down!     Photo: Hammeke

Did you believe him or think it was a crock of shit?
R: Crock of shit.

That was the August 2001 cover. Were either of you even born then?
C: I was but Roman wasn’t.

How much do you think Wes weighs?
C: Oh, fuck. I’m gonna say 200 pounds. He probably weighs 200.
R: Yeah, I’m gonna say 200.

New kid, old trick. Roman pays homage to the ‘80s with a Good Buddy        Photo: Hammeke

Is it surprising that a guy that big could back lip a handrail?
R: Yeah, actually it is.

Is that why you didn’t believe him?
C: Yeah.
R: It’s crazy because when he skates now he’s so stiff. It’s kinda funny.
C: He’s getting better. He’s loosening up a bit.

Do you ever tell him to loosen up when he’s filming you guys?
R: Ha! Yeah.

Lester invented fastplant varials. But Roman probably already knows that    Sequence: Rhino

What other companies hook you up, Roman?
R: Welcome, Bones wheels, Independent, Bronson give us bearings—I’m trying to remember them all. Vans, Furnace skate shop, RVCA and this burger spot called Grinders.

Yeah, what’s up with Grinders? Can you get me hooked up?
R: The burgers are so good. We can get you some burgers.

I’m down! Cedric who all hooks you up?
C: Antihero, Spitfire, Jessup and the rest is all the same as Roman: Indy, Bronson, Vans, Furnace, RVCA and Grinders.

Modern lein grab, over the onion at WSVT by Cedric     Photo: Hammeke

Your dad commented on one of my Instagram posts about the Channel Street fundraiser saying he’s got amps, guitars and a band. What kinda music does he play?
R: Punk rock.
C: He plays all kinds of rock. Like, he’ll play anything from the Rolling Stones to weird hippy music to Black Flag.
R: And he rides a chopper.

So what’s it like being raised by a punker? Does he ever sit down and tell you guys to do your homework?
C: No, he’s the complete opposite.
R: That’s my mom. Mom is more pushy about the homework stuff.

So if you’re trying to go to the punk show, you got a ride no problem.
R: Yeah, our dad would want to go too.

Does he ever ask you guys what shows are coming up?
C: He usually tells us what shows are coming up.


Are there any tricks that Cedric can do and you can’t or vice versa?
R: He can do more disaster tricks than me. He’s got frontside slob plants and fastplants.
C: I can do inverts but not frontside ones or eggplants.
R: He can do longer grinds.
C: I think I can do longer grinds but he can do higher airs.

Roman, you won 5,000 dollars at the Diamond Halloween Hellride. What did you do with all that cash?
R: First thing we did was go eat at McDonald’s and that was on the car ride home. Then when we got home I gave my mom and dad 1,000 dollars and bought them new phones. And I bought a PS4 with Black Ops III which I’m playing right now.
C: That’s pretty much it.

Do you have any of it left? Did you give any to your brother? Why didn’t you buy him a car so he could drive you around?
R: That’s pretty much what’s gonna happen to the rest of it. The rest of the money is gonna go to his car. That’s what my mom says. It’s gonna be my car but he drives it.
C: Nah, I’m gonna get my own car.

Stale the board by Cedric     Photo: Rhino

Gonna have a chauffeur!
R: Yeah, the rest of the money is gonna go to his car.

When are you gonna get a car, Cedric?
C: Soon. I wanna get some sort of truck. Either a Tacoma or a Silverado.

Do you have a license?
C: I have a permit. But I get my license in three months.

Does Wes let you drive his car?
R: He actually has. Like one of the first times Cedric drove was in Wes’ car.
C: Yeah, the first time I drove on the streets was in his car.

Judo kick! Nice one Roman-san      Photo: Rhino

What else are you guys doing? Any projects.
C: Pretty much filming with Wes.
R: I’m filming with Wes for the Welcome video.

Last words?
C: Shout out to all the Ocean City people.
R: Yeah, shout out to all the guys at Ocean Bowl skatepark.

Square corner booster. Phillips woulda got a kick out of Roman, that's for sure    Photo: Hammeke