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Known as the first black pro skateboarder, Marty Grimes started riding in the early 1970s in a rough area of Midtown, Los Angeles, California. In this environment, it was mainly skateboarding that helped him stay out of gangs. Emulating surfing on any surface that resembled a wave, Marty joined the EZ Ryder team and, by way of Jay Adams, eventually made it onto Z-Flex. He got a “Who’s Hot?” in Skateboarder written by Jay’s mom, and regularly sessioned legendary banked schoolyards like Bellagio and Revere, as well as pools like the original Key Hole (which was discovered by his brother Clyde) and the famous Dog Bowl. Marty’s sister Angela drew the panther graphics on his Z-Flex pro model deck. More recently, Marty launched Hoodwood Skateboards, some of which are handmade by him and some manufactured by Watson Laminates. Marty works in the props department in Hollywood, and lives with his wife, Mary, sons Raith and Hollis, and daughter, Eliana.
