I really respect Manny Santiago’s hustle. He came out of a small town near Boston and got discovered through putting out some solid parts in independent videos. Now, he’s fully hooked up and traveling the world. On top of that, he’s a nice kid with undeniable skills; so I’m sure we will be seeing a lot more of Manny in the future.

48 Blocks: You're originally from Puerto Rico, but grew up in the Boston area - give us a brief history of how you got into skating?

Manny: Well moving from Puerto Rico at four, I didn't want to be anything but like my dad and work on cars. Then just randomly the town built some small cement park and I found it - so sick. Two weeks later my new white Adidas Shell Toes got ruined cause it’s all I had for shoes. I was going to school all dirty!

48 Blocks: The first time I remember seeing you was in that Kayo contest years ago - how was it winning that and did the exposure help further your career?

Manny: I just sent them my raw footy to see what they thought, then they edited it and put it up as a contest. I didn't even know, someone else told me.

48 Blocks: You had a break-out part in Thanks Camera 2. How did you get involved with that?

Manny: My homie Justin Hogan decided to make little local videos, starting with Video Hype, then Break The Law, then Nor'easter. Then after that he started Thanks Camera - we came out with a video every year. It was so  much fun skating with the homies.

48 Blocks: After that, you got hooked up with a solid list of sponsors. Give us your official list and tell us how that happened for you.

Manny: I started getting Globe and Almost TM Flow for a bit, but that slowly died till I didn't get anything. Then I started getting Shorty’s, Thunder, Spitfire, and DC. Benny over at Shorty’s is the man he always looked out. Then Shorty’s slowly died - that's when I approached Tony Vitello and gave him a video. I met him through Dave Bachinsky. As that was starting to take off I met Felix a couple times then the next thing you know he started to hook it up with Famous. I always wish someone would approach me about stuff, but nah I always sent out footy and what not.

48 Blocks: Right now, there's a Famous video in the works - how far along is that and what can we expect?

Manny: Its going, we been on a couple trips and have many more planned. We’re going to Europe next month, so I'm pretty hyped on that. It’s gonna be sick, no one’s gonna expect it to be good but the squad is amazing so just wait and see!

48 Blocks: Have you gotten to chill much with Travis Barker? Any celebrity party stories that you can share?

Manny: Yeah, he's a super cool laid-back guy. Other than any Famous held party where it’s free bottles all night, V.I.P, and all the girls you want there was this one time in Vegas at a Famous party - Mike Tyson was walking around. Luis kept buggin’ him for a photo but he didn't even turn around and all of a sudden he stopped turned and looked at Luis, took the photo, and just kept it moving!

48 Blocks: It seems like you've been traveling back and fourth between Cali and the East a lot lately - where are you spending most of your time these days and what trips have you been on so far in 2009?

Manny: Either LA or SF is where I'm at besides being home in Mass. Yeah a couple of Famous trips, we did an East Coast tour from MIA to Boston - it was sick. Also a couple Think trips to film for the video. We went to Vegas and Oregon.

48 Blocks:  You are one of the skaters that's really embraced the blogosphere - you even started your own blog and keep it updated. What made you decide to start that?

Manny: Tony at Street Corner suggested it, so they made it for me and I took it over. I don't want an updated once a week blog - that's pointless. You know,  I feel like I got to keep the little kids or whoever is interested in skating posted on what’s going on.

48 Blocks: Other than the Famous video, what other projects do you currently have in the works?

Manny: The Street Corner Video and the SHAPE video, so I got a lot of work ahead. Three videos before the end of the year, it’s gonna be tough!

48 Blocks:  Who are some skaters that get you hyped right now?

Manny: Everyone really, I'm just a fan of skating almost like a little kid, but kids from my town are killing it - John Coyne and Serge Murphy. It’s crazy how good they are and they’re stuck here, but you'll see in the new Thanks Camera, which rumor has it is going to be the final one!

48 Blocks: Other than skating, what else takes up your time these days - what else are you into?

Manny: My blog!!! Nah, just chillin with the homies, photoshop, and taking photos. Other than that just STRAIGHT LURKING.

48 Blocks:  Do you have any good stories from staying at Shafter House aka Goto's Ghetto.

Manny: Oh yeah, so many! But I got a good Goto one: one day Dan Zavaslsky was over eating a burrito, so Goto took his motocycle and hid it in the garage so when Dan tried leaving he thought his bike got stolen and he was freaking out! Me and Goto were cracking up - GOOD ONE GOTO!

48 Blocks: If you weren't involved in skating, what do you think you'd being doing right now?

Manny: Honestly I don't know, probably welding I did it for awhile.

48 Blocks: What's a typical day in the life of Manny Santiago?

Manny: Get up, drink some coffee, watch some Law and Order, then go update the blog and make a couple calls. Head over to Hadley and meet up with everyone. Probably end up going somewhere to skate, not land anything I try - haha. End up back at Hadley at night - drink a lil’ beer while shredding. Kick it with everyone, then the same thing the next day. Sometimes I get LUCKY! If you know what I mean – hahaha.

48 Blocks: Obviously Felix holds it down hard for Famous, what's one thing that you've learned from him?

Manny: To just skate and let that do the talking, also that your life is in your hands and you choose what you wanna do. He is seriously the man, I look up to him a lot. I don't think he knows, but he will now!

48 Blocks: Any last words or shout outs to wrap this up?

Manny: I'm not gonna do the million name shout out, but I just wanna thank everyone who's there and down for me and you guys for hooking it up with this interview. I also wanna thank skateboarding for taking me to places I would have never imagined going.