The Reigning King of BMX, Nigel Sylvester, at Afro-punk Festival 2010

The Reigning King of BMX, Nigel Sylvester, at Afro-punk Festival 2010

Exclusive Photos Barron Claiborne

Words Whitney Summer Boyd

(Nigel Sylvester posing with the crown worn by Biggie Smalls, NYC, 2010)

When we spoke to Nigel, he was in California getting ready to film a commercial with Nike and briefly spoke to us about the 2010 Afro-punk Festival's skate competition, Battle for The Streets (in which he will be one of the judges alongside Edwin Delarosa).

So what are you looking to the most at the Afro-punk festival this year?

Well, I'm just going to take it in fully. I've never been to the Afro-punk festival and I keep hearing about how I would like it. I'm just going to sit back and take it all in.

Well, you won't just be sitting back, I have to see you live and in action for real. You have to be like the tough judge during the Battle of the Streets skate competition.

Ha. Yea, I'm going to be doing the judging too. Seeing what comes out. It's like, Afro-punk brings something different to the community. You see it all the time in the streets, but seeing everyone together should be cool.

What else are you working on now, aside from keeping up with your competitions.

Well, I co-own a shop in Queens called Format with my partners Nigel Sparks and Jason Hall and just living life.

I just saw your recent video with the Gatorade campaign following your life as a pro BMX rider. What role did you play in putting the video together?

Whoa, what didn't I do. I helped produce it, write it. I wanted it to capture my life and what we really do on a day to day basis. It's the first one of a three series video campaign. One will be released each week, every Thursday, until the end of June. At the end of June, all the videos will be released and it will make more senses to the viewer.

Gatorade Go All Day the night episode - More BMX Videos

For more information on the 2010 Afro-punk Festival's, Battle for the Streets, and your chance to win $5,000 and enter the ESPN games, click here.

Schedule of Competition Events:
Fri. June 25, Skatepark Sign-up and Open Session: 5pm-9pm

Sat. June 26, UrbanX Battle For The Streets Skate Contest:
Skate Open Practice: 12 Noon-1pm
Contest 1. ANKLE BREAKER
Contest 2 & 3. MANNY/LEDGE SET UP
Contest 4. QUARTERPIPE/GAP SET UP
Contest 5. CONCAVE LEDGE ON GROUND
Pro Demos/Best Trick: 4pm-5pm.

Sun. June 27, UrbanX Battle For The Streets BMX Contest:
BMX Contest Registration, 9am-11:30am
BMX Open Practice: 12 Noon-1pm
180 Long Jump, Bunnyhop Best Trick, and Best Trick Street Jams: 1pm-4pm
Pro Demos/Box Jump Best Trick: 4pm-5pm.


More info about the Afro-punk Festival + tickets: http://www.afropunk.com/page/afropunk-10-nyc