Aight so we are back with this ULTIMATE interview shit again and it couldn’t get more exclusive/ultimate/official than this… Shout out to Mike for being down and answering the q’s! Thanks!
THE MIKE ESCAMILLA INTERVIEW…
1. (From Eman) How is it hanging out with the man, the myth, the legend,
aka Tony Hawk? And is he even really down for bmx?
Mike said:Everyone makes such a big deal over me being friends with and working
with Tony, ive known Tony for about 10 or 12 years so to me he’s just
Tony. And yes he is down with bmx, he includes them in all his tours and
has giving so many bike riders opportunities in the past decade.
Sometimes its embarrassing listening to some bike riders/or companies
talk about him in a negative way. If they only took the time to educate
themselves on the topic maybe they could see the positives to so much
that goes on over at THI (Tony Hawk inc.) that contributes to positive
things for bmx.
Mike & Tony Hawk…
2. (From Boy) Your in commercials, tv shoes, movies etc. when you find
out you just landed a gig do you jump on your couch like tom cruise n’
shit? meanin’ do you celebrate or how do you take it?
Mike said:Ha, no these days I really don’t get that excited or try not to. I’ve
had so many things promised to me over the years ive learned not to
assume its happening till you see it on the screen. I’ve shot things
that have never aired, had things drop out the day of and so on. For me
its just cool to get to do things that I wouldn’t get to do on a regular
basis so whether im riding my bike, getting shot, going through windows
or trying to act. emphasis on TRYING..ha, I’m just stoked to be
working and doing something I enjoy. I think other people take it more
serious then I do, and make it a bigger deal
On set…
3. (From Eman) What is the weirdest thing you have ever signed an
autograph on?
Mike said:Aw man I have no idea, I once got pulled over and after the cop saw my
license he knew who I was and I got out of the ticket, I signed a
picture for him and he let me off. that was pretty funny, I once signed
a kid’s leg in Germany and he went directly to the tattoo shop to get it
inked on. weird.
4. (From Nate Moroshan) Why is it that people either love you or hate you?
By the way I love you! No homo.
Mike said:You Fag. Ha, ya not sure if I can answer that, I know a lot of people
have a ridiculous view of me, be it that they believe everything they
read or hear. I never really fit in anywhere or didn’t fit in either.
I’ve just done what I wanted regardless of what I thought people thought
was cool or not. And oddly enough people have a real problem with that.
Seems like a lot of pro’s or people spend a lot of time trying to make
kids like them or following the latest trends to fit in. ive been riding
so long im past worrying about keeping everyone happy about what my bike
looks like or how im riding. I’ve always tried to help anyone out who
asked me for anything so that’s all I can do. I think the people who im
friends with are all the people who I really actually know and are smart
enough to not assume ignorant shit they hear on the internet. Also I
have a dry sense of humor, which sometimes is only funny to me..hahha
and I call it like I see it so…
5. (From Boy) we’ve all heard stories of your departure with both Etnies
shoes and Redline bikes. I’ve heard some good and some bad but what’s
the real story with them? fuck’um or kool? (real talk)
Mike said:wow that’s a lot to write so im going to try and do the short version,
while reading this remember this is only my point of view on the
situation and im sure theirs is different. ok Redline first, quick
history. When Redline first offered me a deal, they offered me the
entire freestyle budget, which would have been way more money then ive
ever made from a company. I said I would do it if I could take a pay cut
and split it 4 ways and get a real team. Not just take a paycheck and
ride for a company that’s not serious about the program. So we sponsored
Rich Hirsh and Dustin guenther, we also spent a portion of the budget on
travel. We redesigned all the bikes and the new Redline was born. At the
first interbike approximately 9 months after signing us up I was told
that redline had there highest prebook for bikes ever. Never could Gork
admit this was due to the new freestyle program, he always attributed it
to the race team. To get to the point everyone at redline was awesome
including the owner chuck, a real stand up guy. At the end of my 2-year
contract I was told everything was cool, we wanted to hire a TM so we
started talking to Fuzzy, which was awesome. January passed and still no
contract, finally in late February Gork said he felt we had done nothing
for the program at all in 2 years and they were going to Just decide to
sponsor Fuzzy and do a new program (ultimately a program Gork felt he
could control more) do to the 3 of us constantly shooting down his bad
ideas(see Redline before we started to get a idea of his ideas). So in
march I was left high and dry without a sponsor. Rich had quit a few
months earlier and Dustin quit a month later. Fuzzy took over the team
being the first time a white guy took a job from a Mexican hahahha
and he is doing a great job. there has never been a issue between
Fuzzy and me ever it wasn’t about him I set it up for him to get the
job, He’s awesome. He felt bad I said don’t worry about it. So ya that’s
how that went down. Ok Etnies.
Basically we had been growing apart the last year, I wasn’t stoked on
the product and felt things could be much better, the team is pretty
much Austin and a few others so I didn’t really fit in anymore and that
was fine. In the end Povah informed me that they weren’t going to renew
my contract. He told me months in advance, which was awesome. Povah
rules. After months of trying to contact the Etnies brand manager it
never happened. Just wanted to say thanks. Finally after the press
release came out I got Phone calls and emails from the 2 main people at
Sole Tech. 2 people which ive known for half my life. I got to say
thanks and they also expressed their gratitude. In the end those 2
people are the only ones that mattered to me in the split. After that I
felt at peace with the split. All good.
6. (From Eman) You’ve done several stunts on and off your bike for
example, riding on fire, flipping’ of a double peg, 3 and flip on the
mega ramp, and all types of other shit. What is next on your to-do
list?
Mike said:Nothing really, been trying to film for a demolition edit which
hopefully will be out soon. I want to try some lip tricks on the mega
quarter but who knows if ill get the chance. I’ve had a bunch of random
edits out lately over on shredordie.com but it’s just been stuff from
mellow trips. I haven’t really felt like I had anything to offer filming
wise so I felt no reason to film. Lately have been motivated to film
some stuff that I was stoked on so hopefully I can get something
together I like soon. Seems like now a days there are so many amazing
web edits that come out, the kids are so talented but to me they are all
starting to blend together because there all the same stuff, amazing but
the same kind of stuff. Which it’s a bummer to see so many talented
riders not using their imagination and just reproducing a different
version of the last edit out. I get stoked to see something different
know and then.
RIDEbmx cover August 02′…
Big 3…
7. (From Eman) What’s up with your $20,000 Samurai sword? Have you ever
sliced and diced with it?
Mike said:I have no Idea what you’re talking about? What asshole would buy a 20000
dollars sword, I have one that Dan Hubbard got me on tour like 12 years
ago but I bet it cost maybe 75 bucks from a truck stop. One time I came
home from a trip and my sword had blood all over the blade, apparently
there had been a party at my house while I was gone and someone got
crazy, one of my friends went into my room and grabbed the sword,
apparently he held it to the guys neck and it cut him abit.
8. (From Ed Subias) What’s more scary, jumping over a helicopter with its
deadly slicing blades or riding after being set on fire like a
California hillside or fear of crashing on the Activision jet with Tony
Hawk?
Mike said:d. none of the above. sorry
9. (From Ed Subias) Do you prefer big o’ balloon titties like Biz or
naturals? Or do you like a nice curvy ghetto booty like the hood rats
have or flat Asian ass?
Mike said:Just depends on what I had the night before.
“Reach for the skyyyyy…”
10. (From Boy) When and if the Internet kids talk shit on you, how do
you take the bad Internet critics ? Does it motivate you? Or does it
make you cry like Young Buck?
Mike said:That one took awhile to realize. Do I get bummed? do I not? There were
times I let it get the best of me then I started realizing why am I
getting upset about stuff that’s not true, written by kids that weren’t
even alive when I started riding..hahah. now a days most kids are pretty
clueless about bmx if it didn’t happen in the last 2 years. The only
times I get bummed or motivated are when I read it and im like “shit
their right” ahaha.. It’s hard to take it serious when the stuff said on
the internet usually contradicts itself on a daily basis. If kids
actually knew the truth about the people they hate or the people they
love, they would come out with a different opinion on both ends.
11. (From Boy) Since you travel everywhere where would you say has the
best looking girls? and shit where are the worst looking girls? (real
talk)
Mike said:I would have to say Helsinki ,Finland or Tallinn ,Estonia had some very
beautiful girls. Bahamas had the worst maybe…
Rooftop in Rome…
Mike in ??
Scuba Mike “under the sea” somewhere in Fiji i think…
12. (From Eman) Like Boy said on the previous question, you’ve traveled
all over the world riding and doing other shit but what has been the
craziest place you’ve visited and why?
Mike said:Serbia I think, but that’s just because we were in a super poor country
tattered with rubble and wreckage from past wars and bombings driving in
a car race around the world surrounded by the most expensive cars on the
planet.
13. (From Boy) Since your a celebrity n’ all is there any chick
celebrity’s that you’ve smashed on? (smash = fuck) and if there’s none
who would u like to sleep with/smash on? like Kat Von D., Kim Kardashian
or how bout that lil bitch Tila Tequila?
Mike said:Hahahaha What is this TMZ… there have been a few but as far as a
celebrity that I want to “smash” Kats my friend so no, Kim is hot but
seems like a pain in the ass, and Tila Tequilla has a massive head. Plus
my girlfriend is over my shoulder watching me type this and if I want to
do any “smashing” in the near future I better leave it at that.
14. (From Boy) Yo Mike when I spoke wit you on the phone you said to ask
you anything.. So I said fuck it! What’s up man you don’t believe in the
saying “say no to crack” or like a crack head once said, “crack is wack,
crack is cheap” haha every time I see you your ass/crack is hanging out
your pants! (No homo) what’s up you don’t believe in belts? or is it
just to blend in with white people? Haha not being racist but fuck it I
said it lol
Mike said:Man I try to keep that thing in but fuck it always its out. Shit I know
its bad, belts don’t help, I could be wearing overalls and it would
still make an appearance I will work on it man.
15. (From Eman & Boy) How did you get all those sweet nicknames you got
like “Rooftop”, “Flame Boy”, “Mexican”, “Roof Top-Ramen”, “Crack Kills”,
“The OJ Simpson of BMX”, “Roof-Topless Escamilla”, “The Mexican Ryan
Secrest” etc.
Mike said:hahahaha wow..the last one is awesome! thank you for making me laugh
“Flame On!”
16. (From Eman) Thanks for this exclusive interview Mike! Any shout
outs, thanks?
Mike said:Just to Eman and Boy… I used to be Mexican once too… good
interview
welcome…
some of the indoor street/park section…
more street/park…
Boy, me, & Nate. Barney was too busy signing autographs while this pic was taken.
happy Afredo with his newly done sleeve…
Fredo outdoor cement Hplant…
Fredo truck D… 
had to do it for Boy…
brought the camy out took it inside and started stackin’ clips…
Nate superman that hoe!
box jumping Boy… aka casing hard and getting no air! haha
Nate table…
Nate invert…
Nate mid-bail…
Fredo lookback…
Barney polejam Tboggan…
Barney polejam 180…
Barney blurry pic polejam Tdown…
and we out! helmet time is over… for now at least…
