Luis Tolentino is definitely on the forefront of the new generation coming up out of NYC. His style is raw power and he's got one of the highest ollies in the game right now. Luis' list of sponsors is impressive considering the fact that he hasn't put out a part in a major video yet. It's a safe bet that Luis will continue to do big things in skating, check out the interview below for a little background on this up-and-coming ripper.

Keir: Luis, where do you reside and who are you representing? 

Luis: Aight, I'm from New York and I skate for SHUT, Famous, DVS, Thunder, Spitfire, and Rockstar Bearings. 

Keir: How did you end up getting into skating? 

Luis: It was because I saw Huf skate by me and do a high ass ollie in the city by Supreme and just keep it moving like nothing happened. I'm not too sure if it was him, but I have a strong feeling that it was.

Keir: Thats real crazy. What was the first board you ended up getting? 

Luis: My first real name brand board was an Element Featherlight.  I remember it was black and red and the nose had a leaf or something chilling on it. I got it because it said it was mad light.  It was way better then the nonsense I was skating on before haha.  I got it through my friend, I guess he saw how much I was obsessed with skating and told his dad to buy me a board for my birthday. Gotta find him and thank him!

Keir: What was the first skate video you ever saw?  

Luis: The first video I ever saw was Shorty's Fulfill The Dream.  I didn't even know there was a such a thing as skateboard videos or none of that. I just remember Steve Olson bugging out, looking crazy.  I also thought to myself "ahh shit that's ill, they skate baggy too!"

Keir: Can you remember the first time you skated in NYC?  

Luis: The first time I skated in my home sweet NYC I felt like I was so free.  I was already crazy with all this energy and when I found out I could skate all over the city and bug out while I was on my skateboard, I knew this was what I wanted to do for as long as I could.  It was crazy cause I was used to just riding my bike around and leaving it outside of stores and wondering if it was going to get stolen.  With a skateboard, all you got to do is pop it up, and you're in anything mad quick. 

Keir: Was your first sponsor 5boro?    

Luis: Yeah that was my first sponsor.  I got on them with the help of my homie Rodney Torres.  I'm sure you guys know who he is.  He was always looking out filming me and little by little I made a footy tape with him. I didn't even know what a footy tape was till Rodney put me on.  I knew Steve Rodriguez from before and I always thought he was the man.  When I found out I was going be on the 5 I was mother F'n hyped!!  It was so fun skating with them.  A funny memory was when I went on tour with them.  At the time, Brandon Westgate was on the team.  I had so much energy, so imagine me in a van, stuck there, trying to be civil and shit.  I kept asking questions and making weird sounds for no reason.  One thing I remember was when I asked Brandon what he would do if Steven Segal kicked him in his face.  He just was like, "I hope I fucking die so I wouldn't have to listen to you," mad relaxed, haha.   That shit was mad funny!  I learned so much from them too though, they are just raw street skaters.  I'm hyped that was my first sponsor.

Keir: So you went from 5boro to SHUT, what was that like? 

Luis: I got on SHUT through my other homie Alex Corporan. I'm honored to ride for SHUT because it's a legendary NYC company.  Its crazy that it started in 1986, the year I was born.  Also, the office was located on Mott Street, where I first lived when I was a newborn "BABE-I" like how Rodney Smith says it haha.

Keir: Now what about Famous? 

Luis: I got on Famous through Felix.  He was like, "you want to make moves, or do you wanna stay in Queens?" Skating for Famous was definetly a good move.  I get to meet all these people and celebreties.  Felix is mad funny, everytime I meet someone that I've always wanted to meet he'll be like "think this would happen if you stayed in Queens?" or "What are your boys thinking right now?"

Keir: Where have you traveled for skateboarding so far? 

Luis: So far I've skated in Puerto Rico and Barcelona.  They were both really good experiences but my favorite was Barcelona.  It was like skate heaven out there.  It was real healthy too, a healthy place made for skateboarding, sounds perfect to me.

Keir: Speaking of being healthy, how many high ollie contests have you entered?  

Luis: Damn I don't even know how many.  I don't even keep count, I think like four.  To be honest I don't really train for high ollie contest.  I just always love doing ollies, so maybe that's my training, but I'm not really on a mission everyday trying to put on ankle weights or something like that. I heard that sit ups help so I've been doing those.  Maybe I should get on a mission to get my pop higher right?  Or maybe stock up on some plantains!

Keir: What was it like doing the 45 inch ollie at the roof contest?

Luis: Damn I don't know man, it was crazy.  I never ollied something that high.  Or I never really measured myself, but that was such a good feeling when I rode away.  I know people say the bar was bent or whatever but I was just doing ollies having a good time and people were calling it a world record. I guess we will decide in the future with a straighter nice bar for Guiness... 

Keir: Can't wait to see that.  So what skaters have been your favorite to see skate in person? 

Luis: Damn in person I would have to say Daewon Song, he's a magician or some shit.  I was skating with Reda one day in Cali, and this nigga Daewon rolled up in a Navigator.  I'll never forget that day cause I asked Reda where he (Daewon) worked at?  Reda was like "he just skates you fucking Puerto Rican!" I'm Dominican by the way, he's mad annoying with that.  It's like me calling his Italian life, Irish or Russian.

Keir: Besides ollies, what else are you working on in skating? 

Luis: I'm just working on getting my switch tricks up haha, gotta get my mirror effect on.

Keir: Ok cool, anybody you want to thank? 

Luis: I would like to thank, my mom, my dad, Dominican Republic, Rodney Torres, Steve Rodriguez, Alex Corporan, Felix, Travis Barker, Rodney Smith, Eli Gesner, Harry Jumanji, Peter Bici, Kevin, Adam Shatz, Greg Carroll, Eric Koston, Steve Berra, Robert Lim, Falla, Pro Skate Shop and Queens Skatepark.  Thanks to everyone who supports me and shows love, it helps a lot to keep the fire going.  R.I.P. Che, R.I.P. Lil Chris, R.I.P. Harold, R.I.P. Nicky.