BMX superstar Nigel Sylvester talks through origins, artistry and earning Jay-Z nod

BMX athlete Nigel Sylvester has used cityscapes as his personal bike parks and shot videos of his daredevil adventures across the globe for almost 20 years, but the 36-year-old hasn’t forgotten his roots.

The cyclist and influencer evokes a vivid image of the moment he discovered his skills many years ago, as he learned to ride a tricycle in his grandmother’s driveway in the New York City neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens.

“I was pedaling as fast as I could and, for some reason, I locked up the front wheel…and the back of it spun around,” he told GMA3’s Alex Presha. “And my older cousin, who was standing in the driveway, he got super excited and was like ‘Do that again!’ ”

Sylvester immediately tapped into that natural ability and developed his skills, to the point where he was drifting around cones at age 4. His mother was nervous about Sylvester’s passion for risky cycling, but decided it was a better option than football.

“She gave me the freedom to explore,” he said.

By age 18, he turned pro and signed with BMX legend Dave Mirra. This led to deals with Nike and Gatorade.

“I'm 20 years old, bro…I'm on the [Gatorade] gallery website with like MJ [Michael Jordan], Serena [Williams], [Gary] Payton, Dwyane Wade,” Sylvester said.

The cyclist noted that he had to figure out his newfound fame largely solo, but hopes his success will inspire future generations.

“We're creating the blueprint now,” he said. “There's so many kids that come from the same environments that I've come from, and that wasn't really spoken about in that capacity.”

For May’s National Bike Month, Sylvester hoped to inspire future athletes by giving out free bikes and backpacks at a Bronx Boys & Girls Club. He knows many of these young people see him as an influencer, connecting through his “Go” video series as he showcases spectacular tricks and exciting travel.

“It's about making it compelling,” he said of his work. “I look at BMX riding from a perspective of 50% athleticism and 50% artistry.”

It brought Sylvester to the attention of pop culture royalty in 2017, when Jay-Z referenced him in guest vocals for the Frank Ocean song, “Biking.”

“It was just like, out of this world for me -- Jay-Z is my favorite artist,” he said.

Sylvester cements his own pop culture icon status in July, when Nike releases an Air Jordan sneaker inspired by Sylvester's exploits: “Grandma's Driveway.” The box art alludes to his earliest days, with a screen print of the driveway where he did his first trick. The shoe’s green hue matches the color of the fence around her house.

“When I go back there now and I think about my journey; I've been around the world. I'm happy,” he said. “I'm joyful. I'm thankful. I wouldn't have it any other way.”