Stevie Williams

Williams grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (US), and started skateboarding at the age of eleven.[3] It was during the period when Williams began skateboarding that the term "dirty ghetto kids" first emerged, as the title was applied to Williams and his friends.[4] At the age of fourteen, Williams left Philadelphia to hitchhike to California, US.[5]

At the age of 12 years, Williams and his group of friends met Jeff Pang, a skater who was with the Element brand at the time. Williams asked Pang how he could become an Element team member and subsequently filmed a video part for the 1994 Element video Fine Artists Vol. 1, in which he was named "Lil' Stevie". Williams's part was filmed entirely in Philadelphia.[6]

After appearing in the 1999 Zoo York promotional video, Heads, Williams joined both the Chocolate Skateboards team and the DC Shoes team during the same year. Williams filmed a full part that appeared in the 1999 Chocolate Tour video and released a signature model shoe with DC in 2000.[7][8]

Williams appeared in the 2003 DC Shoes video The DC Video prior to commencing his own company with the assistance of his business partner, Eli Soto, who had collaborated with Williams on the Gold Wheels brand.[9] The pair eventually formed the distribution company Kayo Corp with Troy Morgan, and released the first Kayo promotional video in 2004.[10][11] Following the 13-minute promotional video, Kayo then released It's Official in 2006, in which the four key brands of the company were introduced in video form: DGK, Organika, Expedition and Gold.[12]

Williams received sponsorship from Casio's G-Shock brand around 2009[13] and has released two signature watches with the company. In a 2012 promotional video Williams explained his decision to represent G-Shock: "The reason I identify with G-Shock? The toughness, the street credibility, the colorways, the ethics, and the legacy is, is definitely what I would want to be in my brain when I think of G-Shock—complements everything I've done in my career."[14] Williams represented the G-Shock brand in January 2013, visiting Berlin, Germany as an ambassador during the brand's thirtieth anniversary celebration, whereby it opened a "pop-up" store in the European city.[15]

Following the demise of the DGK-Reebok partnership, Williams was without a shoe sponsor for a prolonged period—he released a guest shoe model with the ALife brand during this period[16] —and was eventually signed by the Supra brand in early 2011.[17] Williams released his first signature shoe, entitled the "S1W", for Supra in mid-2012, with an accompanying video.[18][19]

Alongside professional skateboarders Arto Saari, Brandon Biebel, and Tony Alva, Williams completed a photo and video shoot for Playboy that was shot in 2013 by Irish photographer Tony Kelly.[20] The shoot is entitled "Playboy Poolside" and features the four subjects skateboarding in and around an empty swimming pool.[21]

Williams collaborated with Supra on the "Estaban" signature shoe model that will be released in July 2014. Williams explained in a June 25, 2014 interview: "This is without a doubt my most style-driven and innovative design since my first pro shoe ... Growing up, I’d always wear three-quarter length mid tops. They’re the most stylish to me. The way they looked when I skated, with my jeans, when I was hanging out, they always looked the best."[22]

In 2006, Williams opened the skate shop L&K Limited in Oceanside, California, US, together with Nick Lockman,[42] and in 2008, he opened the skate shop Sk8tique in Atlanta, Georgia, US. In the press release for the launch of the Atlanta store, Sk8tique was described as a "skate boutique [that] offers a fusion between the urban and skating communities and gear provided by DGK, The Kayo Corp and other select brands".[3] Williams founded the clothing brand Asphalt Yacht Club (AYC) in 2013 and it was launched in July 2013 with a team that includes Stefan Janoski and Nyjah Huston.[38]

In 2023, Williams launched SK8PES, an NFT project described as "Pioneering urban anime and web3 lifestyle | by @steviewilliams_". The project is scheduled to mint summer of 2023. Several top collabs with other Web3 projects, including with YogaPetz have been setup SK8PES. See Official Twitter account for SK8PES with links to Stevie Williams

Through the "Save A Heart, Save A Mind" organization that she founded, Williams' mother, Susan Williams, has held charity events at skate parks in California, US.[43][44] The DGK website explains, "Susan holds events to help the disadvantaged youth and young adults in the Los Angeles area."[45] In 2011, Susan Williams held an event at a North Hollywood skate park[46] and in 2012, the organization visited Pedlow Park in southern California's Encino area.[47]

The DGK team was also involved in the launch of the Next Up Foundation's (a (c)3 Non-Profit, Charitable Organization of California) program at the "Boys and Girls" club of Long Beach, California, US. DGK team members, Derrick Wilson, Dane Vaughn, Marcus McBride, Matty "Schmatty" Chaffin, and Lenny Rivas, assisted the foundation—"a resource for kids and teens in underserved communities providing guidance through action sports activities, supplying athletic equipment, mentoring and supervision—on January 22, 2013.[48][49]

On October 5, 2012, Williams' company, DGK, launched the "Free Fabes" campaign to raise legal fees for close friend and former professional skateboarder, Fabian Alomar. A member of the now-defunct brand, Menace, Alomar was arrested and detained on a drug possession charge and faces a lengthy sentence due to California's "3-strike" legislation. Williams appeared in a video segment, alongside Alomar, to promote the campaign.[50] An unseen video part from Alomar, filmed during the height of his career, was published on the internet as part of the campaign.[51]

Williams is a featured character in multiple video games including: Evolution Skateboarding, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland,[52] Tony Hawk's Project 8,[53] Tony Hawk's Proving Ground,[54] Tony Hawk: Ride,[55] and Tony Hawk: Shred.[56] He was also a hidden character for the game NFL Street 2, where he was the captain of his own team, "Team Reebok" with his signature DGK Logo. His position on the game was a wide receiver. Stevie appeared in MTV Sports: Skateboarding Featuring Andy Macdonald.

On February 23, 2021, X Games Premiered [57] "BEING STEVIE WILLIAMS" a Video Chronicle about his journey from the streets of Philadelphia to successful entrepreneur and icon.

• Official DGK Skateboards website
• Stevie Williams at IMDb
• Stevie Williams interview
• Stevie Williams First part in the Element Fine artist vol1 (1994)