Danny Supa could be a poster boy for New York’s golden era. He’s a native of the Bronx, and came up under the tutelage of Vinny Ponte and Ryan Hickey. By the time he reached his teens, he was already skating for Zoo York. His part in Mixtape is still one of the most beloved of its era.

Like many of his contemporaries, Supa got to experience the extreme highs and lows that accompanied the skate lifestyle during those wonder years. His crowing achievement is probably being a part of the original Nike SB roster, and getting a signature Dunk colorway that is still one of the most coveted of all time.

He also earned serious coin from his other sponsors, which included Red Bull and Stussy before signing the equivalent of a 360 deal with Zoo around the time that it moved under the lucrative Ecko umbrella.

But with the money came the partying. Supa admittedly lost some years in the bottle, and burned a few bridges along the way. That journey took him from New York to Los Angeles and back while he bounced around from Zoo to Stereo, and later Boulevard before ultimately finding himself without a board with his name on it.

When his pro journey ended, Supa took up residency as an employee at the New York Diamond store; where he worked up until recently. Ready to make a change, he walked way from the world of retail to start a skate school, and pass on his decades of experience to the next generation.

Lee Smith gets an insider’s perspective on all of this and more in Episode 16 of Mission Statement.