For the past several months, I’ve been doing my bestest to not post about Jereme Rogers, purely because I didn’t want to believe that skateboarding has come to this.  When he put out a terrible mixtape, I refrained.  When he got arrested for taking mushrooms and preaching naked on his roof, I fell back.  But, now the boy’s go, go, gone and quit his multi-million dollar skateboarding career to be a rapper at the ripe old age of 24, and I just can’t keep quiet anymore.

Just three years ago, Jereme Rogers won Transworld’s rookie of the year for his part in DVS’ Skate More, which followed a pretty solid intro performance in PJ Ladd’s Wonderful Horrible Life.  Soon after, he tattooed his neck, face and everything else in sight, I suspect to hide the fact that he’s a pale, nerdy white boy much like myself. I guess teenage angst is a tough thing to deal with for some. But how’s that face tat going to look at 75? Nevermind…

In 2007, he declared himself part of Terry Kennedy’s SMP (sober mind power) clique, and jumped sponsors to Billabong, amongst others, before finally landing on Famous Stars and Straps.  During his short-but-heralded career, Mr. Rogers caught a lot of crap from the skateboarding faithful, while riding for the best team in skateboarding – Girl Skateboards. No matter how ridiculous he got, Girl stuck by him (amazingly) until he jumped ship to Plan B. In the midst of all this, he released the decent “bring my homies along” video Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Despite never winning a major contest, he showed real promise at street skating, and he had an agent who hooked him up with the most lucrative sponsors in the game, even though I’ve never seen anyone skate a piece of JR gear. He bought a boatload of jewels, an Aston Martin and a house, which will all likely end up on the ebay when the money goes in about 6 months.

I don’t wish ill will on anyone, but like most, I enjoy a good ego-fueled failure.  My only bitterness is towards his lack of love and appreciation for the lifestyle that’s given him everything.  I’m wondering the same thing that Bryce Kanights asked in his Skate Daily post: ““How does someone just get up and decide to quit skateboarding?”  The whole thing is baffling in its lunacy.

Surround yourself with “yes” men, and you’ll make bad moves like this.  Be on the lookout for a JR skate return in another year or so after this “new career” flops like a fish out of water.

I’ll leave the last words for ex-pro Clyde Singleton, “that embarrassing jackass known as Jereme Rogers has retired from skateboarding via Twitter.. ok. bye. skateboarding could use less b!tchass wanna-be rappers, who tuck they chain in around Black folks…“