Jiro Platt
We still aren’t sure where Jiro came from. On a trip to NYC with Nora, he appeared out of the urban ether and blew us away.
The dude rips. And we mean, absolutely. Rips. Which makes sense when you think about it. Growing up in New York City, it isn’t uncommon to develop a sort of singular focus. Hone your skills. Develop the most impressive flick and calf muscles humanly possible. But again, we aren’t exactly sure where he came from. He’s from the city, but where is he from really? If you told us he was spawned in a secret government lab and designed for kickflipping, we’d believe you.
Who are you?
Jiro Platt.
What do you do?
Skateboard.
How long have you been doing that?
10 years.
What is your favorite song right now and why?
Probably “Locusts” by BLP Kosher because I saw him sing it live and I like the beat. It just goes hard.
If you weren’t skating, what would you be doing?
Not sure—honestly I do like riding bikes, and playing guitar, so maybe something that has to do with those things.
Some slang you catch yourself saying?
Cap, steez, jit, buggin. There’s gotta be more I can’t think of right now.
What do you do outside of skating and how does that thing influence or affect your skating?
I like to do wheelies on a bike, and sometimes play guitar. I’m always skating though. I don’t think those influence my skating too much to be honest.
The best/worst thing about the skating industry?
Honestly I don’t know!
Something you’re proud of?
My parts that I have put out and the clips I am stacking.
“I fell a couple times in this bowl and ended up fracturing bones in both my hands, but besides that I’m not very sure safe to say I have pretty good slams all the time. ”
Something anyone can do today to make the world a better place?
I know a lot of people mindlessly litter, which can be fixed by just waiting for a trash bin. So people can throw out their trash, and tell their friends and family they love them.
What do you want for the year ahead?
Get good clips, get a part out, get better at transition skating and street skating, go to CPH Open, and be with my friends.
What would your ideal day be?
Wake up, eat breakfast, get school done—or not if I’m done with school. Ideally, I don’t want to do school, so if no school I would like to chill and get ready for the day, make plans to skate if I haven’t already, eat lunch, have a great day of skating, and then hang out with my friends and maybe ride bikes. Depends on the day but I eat dinner before or after going biking or hanging out with friends.
Do you have a nickname and what’s the story behind it?
I don’t really, but my family calls me G because it’s what the first half of my name sounds like.
What was the worst slam you’ve had in the last month?
Well, a bit more than a month ago I fell a couple times in this bowl and ended up fracturing bones in both my hands, but besides that I’m not very sure safe to say I have pretty good slams all the time.
What is a trick that has eluded you?
I would say front crook and back overcrook/nosegrinds on rails, they are both the same type of grind but it’s hard for me to figure out. I’m not very good at regular crooks on rails either.
What would you say is the best and worst thing about skating in New York City?
Best thing is cruising to every spot on your board when the streets are nice, worst thing is cruising to every spot when the streets aren’t nice.
If you could have any trick locked down what would it be?
This is a hard one because there are so many tricks I would want to have on lock but I definitely don’t want to say something unrealistic. I would say be able to back nose blunt on anything rails ledges transition etc, or have airs—backside and frontside—like Grant Taylor locked down.
Dream sponsor, skating or non-skating?
This is a hard one because there are so many possibilities because it doesn’t have to be realistic, but it would be crazy to be sponsored by a car company like Porsche or something crazy like that, or Apple.
What do you think of people who sand down their griptape?
[Laughs] I always sand the very edge of the grip, but if you sand the whole thing your grip must come way too grippy.
What obstacle or spot is someone most likely to find you skating at?
I skate in so many different places in NYC so it is hard to say anything besides the streets of New York. If not in the streets I do go to a lot of parks, but I have been going to Chelsea a lot lately, so I would say that’s where someone is most likely to find me skating, even though it might not be too likely.