Signature board to go with that signature style. Photo: Burton
For all the talking that Selema Masekela does, the man actually rips pretty hard, too. On the water and on the snow. He’s got an effortless style that just makes you wanna go surf. Or snowboard. Well among the famed commentator’s other accomplishments, he can now add signature snowboard to the list. With the help of Burton, Masekela just released a board, aptly named “The Alekesam.”
The honor of the signature board is not lost on the Southern California native, who famously climbed his way up the action sports ladder – from the X Games to reporting on celebrities – after getting his start at TransWorld.
“I wrestle with being worthy of being able to have this,” he said in a statement released by Burton. “I don’t take it for granted. Being able to have this Alekesam board with Burton is just a massive milestone in my snowboarding career. It’s all downhill from here.”
The board is another addition to Burton’s line of Family Tree products. “It’s got this really cool tail,” Selema says. “I basically got inspired by one of my surfboards, this really fun twin fin that I love riding. I wanted a solid board that works out on the groomers, that works in challenging variable snow, and that you could have the best time ever on a powder day. I think we cracked the code.”
Those in the know might recall Selema’s signature surfboard with Ryan Harris’ ECO brand, the Stoked Ninja.
On The Alekesam snowboard, Selema teamed with artist Chase Hall, who was first inspired by snowboard graphic art of the late ’90s and early 2000s. Hall’s art rounded out the look for the new board.
Can we agree that this stick looks fun? Photo: Burton
“(Chase) was doing all this work that showed black imagery in unfamiliar spaces,” said Selema, on why he connected with Hall for the project. “His work was so much about showing blackness out in the world in ways that we may not normally be used to, and celebrating the strength and power of our infinite diversity. The emotion of the colors, especially in the brown skin tones and textures, is just really powerful.”
Selema, who’s on the Burton Board of Directors, is focused on empowering people of color at this stage in his career. “Now I’m all about trying to empower as many of the next generation of people who look like me,” he said, “or who look different than the traditional people who identify as snowboarders, to realize that this is our space, too, and we can take up healthy space and enjoy the power of the mountains.”
The board is available now and there’s little debate that the new signature stick looks really fun.
Read more with Selema Masekela here or watch one of our many insightful interviews with the legend.
View this post on Instagram
