The California native has become one of the most recognizable faces in skateboarding, known for his fluid style, technical prowess, and a presence that feels at once laid-back and undeniable. He’s a recent New York transplant, having moved here just two years ago. “I was done with LA. I’ve been there my whole life and kind of seen everything skating-wise. It was getting boring,” he says. Here, the energy feels different: more spontaneous, more raw. He likes that he can skate a spot in the morning and be at an event or a party by night. “Out here, you never really know what the day’s gonna turn into,” he says. “That’s what makes it fun.”

Kader would sometimes DM these videos to William Strobeck, founder of Violet Skateboards and lead filmmaker for Supreme, who started to take notice. Strobeck describes Kader’s skating style as “elegant.”

“He’s a natural,” Strobeck adds. It almost “looks like he’s playing soccer.”

Kader skates goofy-footed, with a naturally loose, almost elastic flow. He has a knack for making heavy tricks — like switch frontside flips and backside 360s — feel unforced, threading them into lines with an intuitive sense of rhythm and style. There’s a rare balance in his skating: power without stiffness, precision without overthinking. It’s the kind of control that sets him apart from his peers. He didn’t necessarily mean to build a brand; he just showed up and let the board speak for itself.

“When I first saw him in the street, his style was sort of nonchalant, no stress,” says Mark Gonzales, an industry legend known as “Gonz” and Kader’s teammate at adidas. “Even when he would do tricks, it looked pretty effortless.” 

Beyond his graceful style, what makes Kader stand out is the way people talk about him. Skaters and collaborators alike describe him as generous and grounded — someone whose presence has a way of lifting the vibe. “The way that he holds himself is distinct,” Strobeck says. “There’s something about him that magnetizes you.” 

Earlier that morning, before hitting Tompkins, we met for iced coffee and pancakes at Cafe Mogador in Manhattan, Kader’s favorite spot. Strobeck was there, as were two of Kader’s “homies from London.” Dressed in scuffed adidas Superstars and a loose-fitting Supreme tee, Kader emanated a quiet sort of swagger. Or maybe he was just hungover from partying until 3 a.m.

We spent the day winding through the city, stopping first at Tompkins, then heading to a nearby hole-in-the-wall for lunch and a celebratory Aperol spritz. Over hours of skating, talking, and a spliff or two, I got a glimpse into the life of someone who has quickly accelerated to the top of the skate world. “Right now, life is a lot of ups and downs,” he says. “Growing up fast just really makes you think: ‘How are these next few years gonna be?’” 

If Kader’s whole come-up feels compressed, it’s because he just hasn’t been alive for that long. He first picked up a board around age seven or eight, inspired by YouTube videos and the older kids skating near his hometown of Encino. His mom’s personal trainer gave Kader and his brother a board to share. Eventually, his grandma bought him his own: “some SpongeBob board from CVS that I would just fling around and kind of fuck up.”  

A slew of sponsorships followed: Emerica, Vans, Nike, and Supreme, the latter with Strobeck’s endorsement. Kader “came to New York and I met up with him, and he was just so goofy and fun,” Strobeck says. “I was like, ‘I think this is a good additive to what we’re doing.’”

Kader also ended up leaving Baker for Strobeck’s Violet in 2023; the chance to help shape something new was too good to pass up. “I didn’t know that he was going to pull the trigger and do it, and then he did,” Strobeck says. “It was such a statement to me that he was down.” 

In 2021, Kader inked a deal with adidas Skateboarding — a partnership that has yielded three signature shoes, including a Samba ADV released in 2024 that pays homage to Kader’s Ivorian heritage. “The whole team” at adidas “is gang right now,” Kader says. “Everyone welcomed me with open arms.” 

The adidas relationship had the added benefit of elevating Kader’s profile beyond skating circles, landing him global ads and invites to Paris Fashion Week, which he attended in June. Kader doesn’t have any major fashion influences himself; he dresses for comfort and ease of movement and describes his style as “just wearing everything.” Still, he lights up at the mention of Virgil Abloh, whom he credits with making it possible for skaters to play a role in high fashion without having to change who they are. 

Abloh’s work at Off-White™ and Louis Vuitton blurred the lines between streetwear, luxury, and skate culture in a way that felt personal to Kader, who came of age watching those worlds start to merge. For him, Abloh wasn’t just a designer — he was proof that a skater with style and vision could belong anywhere. “He pretty much showed everyone that it’s not corny to be a skater and a model,” Kader says. “Before him, there was a lot of stigma around doing stuff like that.” 

Abloh helped pave the way for Kader’s generation, which moves fluidly between streetwear and sport without compromising either. Now, “a lot of these fashion brands are trying to make skateboards and be involved in the culture as much as possible,” Kader says, “and it’s sick.” 

Plus, it’s not easy to make a living. As Kader puts it: “Collect your bread.” 

Paris isn’t the only overseas trip that Kader’s new recognition has afforded him. In just a few years he’s visited places like Marseille, Tokyo, Berlin, and Milan, often for filming or brand trips. “I like seeing new spots. It’s cool to not know what it is and just go and try it,” he says. He was especially impressed by Vienna, Austria. “There was a lot of shit that was untouched, and there’s a good skate culture,” he says. It’s the kind of place that caught him off guard and earned a spot on his mental list of cities to return to.

Joining him on many of those trips is Tristan Warren, his longtime filmer and close friend. The two have developed a natural rhythm that’s become central to the look and feel of Kader’s videos. “He’s one of my favorite skaters, and it never feels forced when I’m filming him,” Warren says.

They’ve been traveling together for the past three months, quietly stacking footage for a new vlog-style project that they describe as more personal than anything they’ve done before. Filmed across multiple cities and edited like a skate video, the project captures behind-the-scenes moments that reflect Kader’s growth. “The videos are new and fresh, days-in-the-life overlaid with good music and skating,” Warren says. “We’re gonna keep making more of these for his YouTube and then his upcoming part” in Violet’s next video. 

As for what’s next, Kader shrugs. He’s been making beats at home, messing around with DJing as a side hobby, and plans to keep putting out clips — nothing too calculated. It’s a predictable answer from someone who seems unfazed by the spotlight, despite standing at its center. He’s taking it day by day, skating, creating, and “progressively getting better.” 

Years later, Reynolds sees how much of an impact Kader has on younger skaters. “They treat him like a star,” he says, “but he’s super nice to people he meets and talks to everyone normal.” What excites Reynolds most, though, is what Kader represents. “He brings it back to how it was in the ’90s, when people were more free to work at their own pace. And he brings some excitement, not always knowing what his next move is.”