Back in 2019, I spoke with Leimert Park legend Six Sev about following in Nipsey Hussle’s footsteps by lifting up and amplifying young entrepreneurs from the Crenshaw District. The bustling neighborhood is filled with some of the best LA has to offer, from brands and art to music and dining. And it’s young Black entrepreneurs driving the boom in the local economy.

One of the brands Sev sang the praises of was Crenshaw Skate Club, run by one of streetwear’s rising stars, 17-year-old Tobey McIntosh. I had met Tobey before, back when Ben Hundreds introduced us at the pop-up The Hundreds had with Bricks & Wood. Ben told me he had met this amazing kid a couple of years back at a restaurant and been following his come-up ever since.

Tobey has grown up in streetwear culture, soaking up game from those that came before him and using that knowledge to finely tune his own work and adjust the brand’s trajectory. And the sky’s the limit for Tobey and Crenshaw Skate Club. Founded in 2017, Tobey has gained a ton of traction in just a few short years, going from handing out stickers to spread the word to having superstar fans like Bieber do it for him.

Community comes first for Tobey and Crenshaw Skate Club, and it’s been one of the biggest reasons for their success so far. Putting people ahead of product is something that has been a pillar at The Hundreds and the same values run through Tobey, who consistently uses his platform to positively impact his community.

As we shine a light on young Black entrepreneurs making noise in the streetwear space, people like Tobey are impossible to ignore. The future Stanford student (Class of 2025!) is poised for greatness and has the opportunity to inspire countless kids who dream of making a difference with their designs.

We caught up with Tobey to find out how he got started, where he’s going, and how streetwear can better support its Black creators.

How has Black culture influenced streetwear and the booming industry around it?
I think Black culture is what makes streetwear “cool” in a sense. Think about it, what would these streetwear brands be if Black people never wore their clothes? Also, think about how much streetwear is influenced by Black culture. Without the implementation of Black culture, streetwear would look completely different.

Do you feel a responsibility to blaze a trail and open doors for the kids from your community that come up after you?
Definitely. Something I noticed since I was young was the lack of positive mentorship within my neighborhood. I knew that I could change that by achieving certain accomplishments. I could show kids who grew up in the same neighborhood as me that they could do it too. I respect and understand that home situations may be different but I feel there is an opportunity to channel positive energy to such circumstances to achieve great outcomes.  This is where a great mentor could be helpful and something that I’d love to be for the kids within my neighborhood. Based on what I hear throughout my neighborhood, many kids think the only way they can make it out is through sports or music, but I want to show kids that they should not limit themselves and expand their views on what they could do in their life. If I can inspire just one kid that they can be an entrepreneur, then all the hard work I put into my brand is worth it.

If anyone ever has any questions or needs any advice about anything, my DMs are always open. I love answering y’all questions and helping however I can.

What challenges did you face last year, personally and as a brand? How did you overcome it? Were there any surprising positives that came out of 2020 for you or your brand?
Last year, I did not see many challenges with my brand, and 2020 was actually my most successful year ever. I feel like the outcome of your 2020 is what you made it. Obviously, 2020 was a rough year filled with tragedy, but also it could be used as a year of growth. Being stuck in the house allowed me to perfect my craft and work on the brand. Even before quarantine, I was focused on work, but 2020 allowed there to be absolutely no distractions. 

Personally, I did face some challenges such as my grandmother passing away. That was tough. But I know I am making her proud and will continue to do so. 

In 2020, I was accepted into Stanford. That was my dream college ever since I was a kid. Ever since first grade, I would tell everyone I was gonna go to Stanford, and it’s so crazy now that it’s a reality. Speaking of college, another benefit of the 2020 quarantine, I was able to spend more time with my family before heading off to college this year. 

What’s the biggest thing you learned last year that you’re keeping top-of-mind this year?
The biggest thing I learned from last year is not to sink into negativity and let that deter you from your goals. In 2020 there was so much negativity to sink into and you could fall into a slump. But I saw that sitting around and being negative is the least productive thing you could do. You just have to keep going and let the negativity fuel your passion.  

How can streetwear lift up, amplify, and support the black creators within our space who make it all possible — not just during Black History Month but consistently?
Personally, I think big streetwear brands can support Black creators by being mentors to them and doing collaborations with them. I know on my journey, the advice I have gotten from streetwear owners such as Zac FTP, Anwar Carrots, Kacey Lynch, and Ben Hundreds has really helped me. Back in 2017, I was at this sushi place and I saw a guy with Undefeated Air Max 97’s so I walked up to him and I told him I liked his shoes and started a conversation with him. At that time, I used to go out with 50 stickers with my website and Instagram on them and wouldn’t go back home until I gave them all away to people. It turns out that the person I gave it to was Ben Hundreds and he DM’ed me on Instagram and asked me if I wanted to come through to the office. Visiting The Hundreds office really changed my perspective and showed me what was possible for me if I kept working hard. Ben also gave me so much great advice and I sat down and told him about where I saw my brand going in the future. This was really cool of him because he didn’t have to do what he did and it really meant a lot to me.

How does your brand tell and represent the Crenshaw story? What do you love about where you are from?
When I was younger, I would look at skate magazines and I rarely ever saw people who looked like me and my friends who skated. I feel like inner-city skaters are so underrepresented in the skate community. So I wanted to grow CSC and highlight skaters from Crenshaw to show people that we skate too. Also, I want to represent the Crenshaw story through the product shots. All the photos for CSC are taken in the neighborhood and the models are my homies. I have never been a fan of studio photos with white backgrounds and paid models. It works for some people, but I like the content for my brand to tell a story and be natural.  

One thing I love about where I am from is that it’s like one big community that tries to uplift each other instead of trying to compete with each other. Look at what is going on in Leimert Park right now and all the dope stuff going on over there with Neighbors Skate Shop and Harun Coffee. Shoutout to Tre and Cleon from Neighbors. They are like my big brothers and have really helped me with all the CSC content.