At the ripe old age of 22, Sage Elsesser is a professional skater with a credit on Frank Ocean’s album Blonde. He recently performed with Earl Sweatshirt in New York, and he was a lookbook model for Supreme. (His sister, Paloma, is also a model. Genetics, man.) His rapper moniker is Navy Blue. But Elsesser lights up the most when he talks about skating, which he’s done since he was 4 years old. “It teaches you discipline and empathy from a young age. Falling, hurting yourself, pushing through the pain — it’s all life lessons.” We talked with him about Jamaica, Alicia Keys, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
What is your most used emoji? I use the face palm the most, but my favorite is the Muslim prayer hands. The “give thanks” hands.
If you could spend three months anywhere, where would it be? Jamaica. Just chill and be with some Rastas and learn how to live off the land.
If you had a superpower, what would it be? Teleportation.
What is the best album ever made? I can’t answer that, that’s impossible. But my favorite album is Pieces of a Man.
What’s your go-to karaoke song? I don’t really do karaoke, but any of the top five Alicia Keys songs.
What fictional character would you want to hang out with? Ang from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
If you were a magazine, which magazine would you be? Whichever one is Black.
Jeans or sweats? Sweats.
If you could talk to animals which animals would you want to talk to? Some kind of big bird, like a hawk or an eagle. Or a whale, I’d talk to like the oldest whale.
What do you eat for breakfast? A smoothie and avocado toast, or oatmeal.
If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would they be? Rice, beans, and mango.
If you were a color what color would you be? My favorite color is navy blue, but I feel like I would be some earth color, like a terra-cotta.
Sage wears Bottega Veneta shorts.
