When Chaka Khan sang these
words more than a decade ago, I never thought that they would be more than just
lyrics to me. For the past two years, my passion of roller skating has been
starved and forced to feed itself only in moderation and small portions.
I moved from Detroit, MI (A
skater’s paradise) to Chandler, AZ (A skater’s hell) for a number of reasons.
At first it didn’t bother me not being able to enjoy R & B music at an adult
session several times a week. I was new to the area, and there was so much to
do like familiarize myself with the area and get to know people. However, as the
months went by, I started to long for some Patrice Rushen cuts or the occasional
Gap Band song when I did visit the rinks here. I was soon forced to put my IPod
into overdrive and load up as much music possible and turn it up as loud as I
could to drown out the wails of children and undecipherable lyrics that were
un-skate able.
I begin to envy what I had
so easily taken for granted before and started wishing for a miracle. No longer
being able to “leave it on the wood”, now I had to “leave it on the epoxy-glide”
(The blue stuff). That doesn’t even sound right. Now, instead of checking into
a mental hospital, I travel five hours to California once a month or to the
occasional out of town skate party just to get my roll on.
Some may ask, “Is it worth
it?” Real skaters already know, “Of course it is!” But I’ll do whatever I have
to do to get my roll on.
So when your rolling
during the week get a slide, a split, a one-stop, a jack-leg or whatever you
style calls for in for me!
J
KP “DETROIT STYLE ALL DAY”
Roller Funk: Hhow long have you been skating?
D-Millz: Since age
15...so 14 years
Roller Funk: What are
your two favorite rinks?
D-Millz:
Glenwood Roller Rink and Rich City Skating Rink. Both rinks are in Chicago.
The Floors are great. Rich City's floor is a great size and the wood is
BEAUTIFUL!! Glenwood has a great floor and a BANGING SOUND SYSTEM
Roller Funk: What is
currently your favorite song to skate to?
D-Millz
: That's
a hard question...I'll give you 3 songs. Windy City Groove (D-Millz), Call
To War Remix (D-Millz) and Funk Roll (Shapro style). Windy City Groove is
very smooth and has a great melody to it. Call To War Remix gets you extremely
hyped up to get your boogie on. It's one of the best tracks I have. Funk
Roll is exactly that...it's FUNKY!! Shapro put his toes in that track and
the beat is raw and funky!
Roller Funk: How
would you describe yourself?
D-Millz:
A people person, Laid back,
Sarcastic, Funny, I don't play games. Driven and goal oriented. Easy to get
along with , but your worst adversary when you make me upset.
Roller Funk: What was
the best skate jam you ever attended and why?
D-Millz:
Wow...um, I would have to say. North
Carolina 2006, It was off the chain. I don't think I slept!! There was so much
to do, all my friends were around. I had a ball!!
Roller Funk: If you
could tell the skaters around the world just one thing, what would it be?
D-Millz: Trust no man, TRUST
GOD. He will never fail nor BACKSTAB you. He Loves You!!