Nyjah Imani Huston is an American professional skateboarder. With numerous sponsorships and competition prize winnings, Huston is one of the highest-paid skateboarders in the world. The heavily-tattooed skateboarder won gold medals at the SLS Super Crown World Championship in 2014, and from 2017 to 2019, and has secured 14 gold medals at the X Games since 2011. Huston began skating at seven years old with his first sponsor and dedicates his free time to his charity, "Let It Flow," which provides clean water and sanitation to communities in need. Over his career, he has earned 14 medals in World Championships, including 8 golds and 6 silvers, competing in multiple years from 2013 to 2023.
Huston is widely regarded as one of the greatest skateboarders and the top contest street skateboarder of all time, with numerous accolades including gold medals at the SLS Super Crown World Championship and 14 X Games gold medals since 2011. Signed with Element Skateboards at a young age, he launched his own skateboard deck company, I&I, and has collaborated with major brands like Nike SB and DC Shoes.
Nyjah Huston Tattoos
Nyjah Huston has over 200 tattoos, each with its own story and significance. His first tattoo, "Skate and Destroy," was done at age 18 at the Tampa Pro skate contest. His most recent tattoo is a ferret on a skateboard, inspired by a friend's obsession with ferrets. Huston's "fried leg" is dedicated to random tattoos like a Jason mask, pineapple, Grim Reaper, lion skull, and a waffle.
Notable meaningful tattoos include a lion on his stomach, representing his pride and identity linked to his childhood dreads, and a butterfly skull on his knee. His hand tattoos feature a chick and a wolf, while his neck tattoo, designed with Thomas Hooper, includes a triangle with an eye and an eagle. His tattoos range from fun designs like a dinosaur raptor on a skateboard and butterflies to darker themes like a tombstone saying "See you soon."
Huston also has a symmetrical back tattoo extending from his shoulder blades, done by his friend Karai. Huston prefers black and gray tattoos for their aesthetic on his skin tone but includes some color, such as green on specific designs. Despite the variety, Huston treasures the art and stories behind each tattoo and plans to continue getting more until he runs out of space.
Nyjah Huston's Early Life
Huston was born in Davis, California, and raised in a strict Rastafarian lifestyle by his father, Adeyemi. As vegans, Huston and his siblings were homeschooled by their mother, Kelle. His father, a skateboarder, introduced Nyjah to skateboarding at age five. Adeyemi was controlling, requiring Nyjah to skate daily. In 2004, his parents bought an indoor skate park in Woodland for Huston to practice.
In 2006, the family moved to Puerto Rico, causing issues with Huston's sponsor, Element Skateboards. After his parents separated, Nyjah stayed with his father until his mother gained full custody, and he returned to California. From 2010 to 2020, Huston consistently finished in the top two at the Street Skateboarding World Championships, winning six gold and four silver medals.
Nyjah Huston's Professional Skateboarding Career
Huston initially gained attention with a sponsorship deal from Element Skateboards, appearing in numerous Element video productions and competing in major contests. In 2009, he launched his own skateboard deck company, I&I, but returned to Element in 2011, releasing a solo video, "Rise & Shine." He joined DC Shoes, launching his first signature model skate shoe in 2013. Despite a rib injury in mid-2013, Huston continued to compete and win, including the Kimberley Diamond Cup in South Africa.
Huston qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in the Street Skateboarding discipline for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the first year skateboarding was included in the Olympics. His success in the street classification at the X Games, with 12 gold medals since 2011, has contributed to his wealth, with a net worth of $12 million as of 2022.
FAQs
Nyjah Huston started skateboarding at the age of five, heavily influenced by his father who was passionate about the sport.
Nyjah Huston stands at 5'10" and is 29 years old.
Nyjah Huston devotes his free time to his charity, "Let It Flow," a nonprofit organization that provides clean water and sanitation to communities in need around the world.
Nyjah Huston competed in the Men's Street Skateboarding event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he finished in 7th place.
Nyjah Huston has won 14 medals in the World Championships, including 8 golds and 6 silvers. He has won multiple gold medals at the SLS Super Crown World Championship and 14 X Games gold medals since 2011.