When Lakai team rider Nico Hiraga isn’t on set filming for his next movie or tv show, he can still be found ripping the streets of SF or whatever epic destination he has landed in.

Lakai caught up with Nico to ask him a few questions and see what he has been up to since he landed the cover of Thrasher last month.

Whatup Nico! What have you been up to?

WUDDDDDUP. Been bigggg chillin back in SF. Wasn’t home for a sec so it’s nice being back and skating with all the buddies again and seein family.

Are you in SF right now? Where are you traveling to next?

Gotta cruise to New York end of this month but til then I’m just posted.

So you just landed the most prestigious cover in skateboarding! How does it feel to be on the front page of Thrasher?

Man lemme tell you it is fuckkkkking surreal dude.

How did it come about? Was it a total surprise or did you know you were shooting for a cover?

Was a surprise yeah I was in New York waking up to my phone just blowing up.

Whats the story behind the spot and trick idea?

Long story but I’ll go with semi short version. I went to skate it with a homie who wanted to try a trick on the set and he didn’t wanna skate it alone so I started throwing out a nollie varial heel. That wasn’t really working so I switched it up and started tryin the wall ride. Homie got over it but I kept trying. Usually you get like 10 tries at that spot but we had hella time that day. Got too dark so we just cut. I wasn’t trippin cuz I didn’t have my mind set on that trick or nothin but DanZ snapped a killer photo. Tony told me like a week later that I had to go back and do the trick and I was like “maaaan really??” He was like “have you seen the photo it’s amazing” and I was like “naw” and he said “do you want to see it?” and I was like “naw I’ll peep it after I do it.” So couple weeks go by and one day I was like fuck ok I gotta go back and do it. Tony had told me like three times after if I had gone back yet and was like naw so seein how stoked on the trick he was and all the buddies I was like alright fuck I gotta cruise back and do it. So went one day scoped it out and just started throwing it down. Took like 12 tries or something. Was fucking hyyyyped. All the buddies came and we linked after at a bar to celebrate. I’m thinkin in my head like sick probably gunna get a spread in the mag or something for it or even just one page. Turned out to be the fuckin cover. Now I get why Tony and the boys were so pushy about me goin back to do it. Hahah super rad man surreal and feelin blessed. FaceTimed mom right after too

In the cover you are skating the Stone Suede Owen. Is that your favorite shoe to skate?

Yessssssirrrrr

What makes the shoe your favorite?

White slip-ons man. They just fit best I think with my style and my skating I think. Plus shoelaces stay ripping.

For those that don’t know, how long have you been skating for Lakai?

Shitttt think since I was like 14 ??

Loyal customer man

Thanks for the catch up, Nico, we love you brotha. Congrats!

THANK YOU MY GOOOOON !!