Brandon Novak for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

Brandon Novak is a professional skateboarder, author and television personality who became known through his appearances in the CKY videos, Viva La Bam and the Jackass franchise.

A childhood friend of Bam Margera, Novak was once considered a skateboarding prodigy and was sponsored at a young age before addiction derailed his career. Despite years of struggles with heroin addiction, homelessness and repeated attempts at recovery, he ultimately rebuilt his life, becoming a bestselling author, recovery advocate and public speaker. He is regarded as one of the most remarkable redemption stories to emerge from the CKY and Jackass era, using his experiences to help others overcome addiction and rebuild their lives.

Interview now live for Living Proof New York Members, via our website.
http://livingproofnewyork.com

April and Phil Margera for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

April and Phil Margera are the parents of Bam Margera. They became beloved figures through their appearances in the CKY videos and Viva La Bam and became an essential part of the CKY, Viva La Bam and Jackass legacy.

Interview now live for Living Proof New York Members, via our website.
http://livingproofnewyork.com

Bam Margera for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

Bam Margera is a professional skateboarder and cultural icon whose work helped bridge the worlds of skateboarding, independent filmmaking and mainstream entertainment.

Emerging from West Chester during the 1990s, Margera first gained recognition as a pro skateboarder riding for companies including Fairman's Skate Shop, Toy Machine Skateboards, Speed Metal Bearings, Electric Sunglasses and Adio Footwear before becoming one of the most recognizable professional riders for Element Skateboards, a relationship that would define much of his skateboarding career.

His ability to transform skateboarding culture into mainstream entertainment was unmatched for his time. As the driving force behind the CKY video series, he helped pioneer a new style of independent filmmaking that blended skateboarding, pranks, stunts and documentary storytelling, laying the foundation for what would become Jackass. Through projects including Jackass, Viva La Bam and Bam's Unholy Union, he became one of the defining figures of the early 2000s, introducing millions of people to skateboarding and the lifestyle that surrounded it.

Interview now live for Living Proof New York Members, via our website
http://livingproofnewyork.com

KR / Craig Costello for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

KR / Craig Costello is an artist, retired graffiti writer and founder of KRINK. Having spent time painting graffiti in a pivotal era of both New York and San Francisco, KR upheld the long standing tradition of shoplifting materials to make your own markers and ink. His approach to graffiti played with scale; very large/legible 'KR's' done with paint-rollers in high-profile areas, along with street-level tags done with his home-made ink and markers. The spirit of innovation within KRINK has led to tools like the sprayer, dauber, fire-extinguisher, specialized spray paint, as well as classics including KRINK's chrome ink and the k-60 mop. His approach to graffiti and tool making has globally influenced the way graffiti is done today.

He has released a book titled “ON A MISSION”, a photo book chronicling Craig’s early years immersed in San Francisco’s graffiti scene

Available now for members of Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

Shyne for Living Proof Radio. Full interview now on Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

Shyne is a rapper, politician, and former member of Bad Boy Records who emerged from Brooklyn’s East Flatbush neighborhood during the late 1990s. Born in Belize City before relocating to New York as a child, Shyne was discovered freestyling in a barbershop and quickly became one of the most prominent new artists associated with Sean Combs and the Bad Boy Records era.

Shyne became internationally known following the 1999 Club New York shooting incident involving Sean Combs and Jennifer Lopez, which resulted in multiple injuries and ultimately led to his conviction on assault and weapons charges in 2001. Sentenced to ten years in prison, Shyne underwent a major personal transformation while incarcerated. 

Following his release from prison in 2009, Shyne was deported to Belize, where he later immersed himself in religious study in Jerusalem before returning to Belizean public life. In 2013, he was appointed Belize Music and Goodwill Ambassador to support the country’s music industry. Shyne later transitioned into politics, winning election to the Belize House of Representatives in 2020 as a member of the center-right United Democratic Party. He subsequently served as Leader of the Opposition and leader of the United Democratic Party, marking one of the most dramatic transformations in contemporary hip-hop history.

Available now for members of Living Proof. http://livingproofnewyork.com

MexikoDro for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

MexikoDro is an artist from Atlanta, Georgia who played a key role in the development of plugg music; an offshoot of trap that took hold in the mid-2010s influencing a generation of emerging artists.

His early life was marked by personal hardship which nearly pulled him away from music. A turning point in 2019 pushed him to rethink his path. Since then, he’s focused on recording and producing.

From making beats at a young age using FL Studio and beat boxing around the house, his work took part in Playboi Carti's early rise, with collaborations like “Broke Boi” and “Plug,” and extended to artists such as Drake and Kodak Black. He is widely revered as a key figure in the evolution of Atlanta’s contemporary music.

Available now for members of Living Proof http://livingproofnewyork.com

Beagle for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on the Living Proof Patreon. http://patreon.com/livingproofnewyork

Beagle is an iconic skate filmer whose work helped define an era of street skateboarding through videos that documented the personalities and lifestyle in unprecedented ways. 

Closely associated with Baker Skateboards and Shake Junt, Beagle became one of the central figures behind some of the most influential skate videos of the 21st century.

Videos like Baker 3 and Chicken Bone Nowison documented the reality of chaos and spontaneity involved with street skating. With an all-star crew including Ellington, Spanky, Herman, Dixon, Greco and Reynolds; Beagle was able to capture the crews hijinx in a way that permanently changed the way people viewed skateboarding. 

Available now for members of the Living Proof Patreon.

Drea De Matteo for Living Proof Radio.  Full episode on the Living Proof Patreon.
http://patreon.com/livingproofnewyork

Drea De Matteo, who portrayed Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos, delivered one of the series’ most quietly devastating performances. Introduced as the girlfriend of Christopher Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, Adriana gradually emerged as one of the show’s emotional centers. Her openness and moral uncertainty stood in uneasy relief against the violence and code bound masculinity that defined the world around her. 

De Matteo approached the role with a rare warmth and precision, allowing Adriana’s fear, loyalty, and hope to surface without sentimentality. As her arc darkened, the character became a lens through which the series examined devotion and betrayal, revealing the personal cost exacted by life inside organized crime. Adriana’s fate remains among the show’s most tragic turns, not because it was shocking, but because it felt inevitable. The following conversation took place over two decades after the series’ release.

Interview: Wes Knoll

Available now for members of the Living Proof Patreon.

Ari Marcopoulos for Living Proof Radio. Full episode on the Living Proof Patreon.
http://patreon.com/livingproofnewyork

Ari Marcopoulos is a photographer and filmmaker whose work has documented the evolution of underground scenes since the early 1980s. Moving to New York City, he began working as Andy Warhol's assistant, printing black-and-white photographs. His life in New York exposed him to a wide network of artists, including Irving Penn, who taught him the discipline of fashion and still-life photography. 

Early on, Marcopoulos captured vital years in rap music, skateboarding, and youth movements. His photographs of the New York skateboarding scene serve as a memory of an unrivaled time period of both New York and skate-history. With a multi-faceted approach, his work spans the Judokas of Japan, The Mardi Gras Indians, The Beastie Boys, amongst many others. 

Available now for members of the Living Proof Patreon.

Stevie Williams for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on the Living Proof Patreon. http://patreon.com/livingproofnewyork

Stevie Williams is one of the most influential street skateboarders of his generation. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he came up skating at the legendary LOVE Park, officially known as John F. Kennedy Plaza. There, he helped establish Philadelphia as a global destination for street skating, with LOVE Park’s signature granite ledges, open plaza, and the fountain gap becoming a proving ground for some of the most progressive East Coast skating of the 1990s.  

At 14, Williams left Philly for San Francisco, one of skateboarding’s epicenters at the time, where he immersed himself in the city and filmed at iconic spots such as EMB (Justin Herman Plaza) and Pier 7, appearing in videos for Chocolate, TransWorld, FTC videos, and more.

In 2002, he founded Dirty Ghetto Kids (DGK), turning a phrase tied to his Philadelphia upbringing into a brand. Over the years, DGK has released several full-length projects and grown into one of skateboarding’s most recognizable brands.

Full podcast episode on the Living Proof Patreon.

Mike Carroll for Living Proof Radio. Full podcast episode now on the Living Proof Patreon.  http://patreon.com/livingproofnewyork 

Mike Carroll is an influential skateboarder and a pioneer of modern day street skating. Coming up in the San Francisco scene of the late 80s / early 90s, he became a regular at Embarcadero Plaza during the spots hey-day. His approach to skateboarding and the brands he built had an immense impact on an entire generation's view of what skateboarding is. Thrasher Magazine recognized Carroll as the 1994 Skater Of The Year. 

Carroll co-founded the legendary Girl Skateboards alongside Rick Howard, Megan Baltimore, and Spike Jonze in 1993. Girl would quickly become a leading name in the industry, releasing several renowned videos, including Goldfish, Mouse, Yeah Right, and Pretty Sweet. These videos raised the bar, introducing a new level of creativity and artistic direction in skateboarding videos.

In 1999 Carroll and Rick Howard launched Lakai Footwear. Lakai was part of a generation of skater-owned companies that shaped the industry before the entrance of corporate brands. Lakai released Fully Flared in 2007, one of the most influential skateboarding videos of all time that featured an all-star roster from Eric Koston, Guy Mariano, Alex Olson and more. Although Lakai would eventually change hands, its legacy will always be tied to the vision of Caroll and Howard.

Today Carroll continues his leadership at Girl and Crailtap, remaining closely involved in the brands direction and commitment.