LOS ANGELES, CA/Professional street skateboarder Stevie Williams has gone from a dirty ghetto kid to building a leading skate board brand pronounced DGK with the motto “from nothing to something.” That very foundation has served as the kick off to a multi-facet brand empire Williams is developing, he’s far from done and ambitious to obtain the best. The world renown skateboarder, has created a brand strong enough to foster collaborations with G-Shock, New Era, Venture Trucks, Gold Wheels, 9Five Eyewear and prepping for his next venture.
“I don’t really pump and promote the words Dirty Ghetto Kids but I do promote DGK. Like the message is not so much about Dirty Ghetto Kids being that I’m now grown and I have kids of my own. I’m not out there promoting a message of staying dirty and ghetto. It’s more of a message encouraging you to “take adversity head on” it’s challenging and above all defy adversity. It’s more of an inspirational company than derogatory.”
No stranger to business ventures, the Philly-native got his first endorsement deal in 2004 as the first professional skateboarder to be sponsored by Reebok. With building size billboards placed directly in the middle of New York Times Square and a short two years later, an enterprising Williams went from being the token black skater used as a marketing tool to owner of his own clothing and accessories line, DGK which made its first million that year. That same year he opened a skate shop, L&K limited in Oceanside, California with Nick Lockman. In 2008 he opened the skate shop Sk8tique in Atlanta, Georgia. That same year he was featured on a Topps playing card. Just this year Williams expanded the vision of DGK by incorporating beauty imagery granting vixen Vanessa Veasley the first to be captured on the back his brand skateboard.
The Life Style Executive even collects fans via the gaming industry in the eight pas editions of Tony Hawk’s computer and video game series. In terms of broadcast coverage Williams has appeared on the BET show “The Game” and featured in several videos including Oscar Winning group, Three 6 Mafia “Side 2 Side.”
Recently the 30 year-old shredder inked a deal with Supra Footwear to release three color waves of a signature Stevie Williams shoe, set for release in Fall 2012 accompanied by a nationwide tour. Although G-Shock often collaborates with other companies, skate brands aren’t as typical. The DGK Casio G-Shock GX56DGK is a stand along purple watch branded as the Stevie Williams Edition. “Without even realizing my gift for identifying trends and setting new one’s, these companies find value in my opinion which continuously affords me to serve as Brand Ambassadors for the best of them,” says Williams. G-Shock recently shot and produced a brand new commercial featuring Williams see here:
He also opened his own private skate complex and showroom in Atlanta, under Phipps Plaza Mall, the upscale mall in the state of Georgia, rightfully named Da Playground. “Da Playground basically glorifies everything that we stand for from the show room to the skateboarding to the graffiti to the people that hang out, to the website. It’s about something that’s gone move us all forward and not take us back because we really don’t deal with takers too much. It’s all about giving back, you gotta give back. It’s like one of those teams of like, it’s like a brotherhood. With us it’s not so much about skateboarding. It’s our synergy the things that we relate to, where we come from, the jokes we have, what we stand for and we are a unit outside of everybody else. That’s why we keep it so tight,” says Williams.
Even more recent, he signed to internationally acclaimed manager, Chaka Zula known for making great strides with Rapper/Actor Ludacris. “My choice of being in business with Stevie Williams is simple. Having been in this game for years and being associated with iconic cultural brands and people. I feel that the people I choose to work with should also be that. Stevie has his culture in a headlock he breathes his lifestyle everyday in watching his passion when he skates or speaks on taking the skate lifestyle further it’s contagious. I want to help him setup a great system for the skate culture that will come after him. Watch his moves u will be amazed,” says Chaka Zula.From Footwear to eyewear, the gaming industry to signature watches, vixens and a renewed vision, Stevie Williams is the new Life Style poster child with a master plan.
