When the topic of Chocolate pro Kenny Anderson pops up, the facts are pretty indisputable. The guy completely kills it on a skateboard. Ledges, manual pads, transition, whatever…If Kenny’s on it, it’s getting annihilated.

Kenny Anderson is one of those skaters that “just sort of has it”, and is so fluid and smooth, watching them even dork around on a skateboard, is something not to be missed. CCS caught up with Kenny to talk about his recent switch to the Converse team, his new Converse sneaker and what’s new on the horizon.

Buy Kenny’s new Converse Star Player S OX shoe at the CCS Shop!

Hey Kenny, what have you been up to lately?
I’ve been traveling a lot. I just got back from a Skateboarder Magazine trip to the Amazon, a Chocolate trip to Germany and an Elwood Midwest tour. It’s good to be home now. I’m spending some time with the family and catching up on everything. I’m helping out with trying to get a skatepark built in Palos Verdes, so I want to stick around to get that going.

You recently left your longtime shoe sponsor, Adio, to take up a spot over at Converse. How long were you riding for Adio? What were your reasons for leaving? Was it difficult to leave?
I think I got on in 2001. It was a little difficult to leave. I had a lot of history with the people who started it and with the company, but a lot of things changed and knowing I was going back to Converse definitely made it a lot easier.

Most people don’t know that you rode for Converse back in the day when they first got involved in skating (in 1997).  How did you get on back then?
I got on because of Chany (Jeanguenin) and Felix (Arguelles). Chany was my roommate and the first person they put on, and Felix got on around the same time I did. They both knew that all I would skate in were Converse, so they talked to them and I was put on. I remember thinking…”WOW free Chuck Taylors!” Those were some good times.

What eventually happened with their skate program? How long did it last?
I think it lasted from 97-01. If I recall, their skate program was actually doing alright, but the overall company had some issues. So they pulled out, restructured and came back.

With all of the potential shoe brands you could have ridden for, ultimately what made you decide to start riding for Converse?
I just wanted to be able to back the company I rode for 100% and be truly happy and proud of whatever decision I would make. Converse was a huge part of my skating and life years ago and I really couldn’t see myself anywhere else.

Are there any differences and/or similarities between Converse then and Converse now?
The main difference is that they have people who skate and people that are involved in skateboarding working there.

Do you get to skate much with the rest of the Converse team?
I’ve been on a couple quick trips. I’ve been traveling so much this year that I haven’t been able to skate with everyone as much as I would like to. They are all amazing. I’m looking forward to some trips.

What made you choose the Star Player S as your “Inspired By” shoe?  
When I got on we were talking about doing a color in a couple different shoes. I definitely wanted a classic Converse shoe to work with. The first shoe I skated in was the Star Player S. I remember thinking I hadn’t felt this good in years. We ended up turning the whole shoe into an “inspired by” instead of just one color. We’ve been working on colors and variations ever since.

What do you like about skating in the Star Player S?
They look and skate awesome. They’re broken in the first day and they last long. It sounds cliché, but that’s what really matters to me.

Do you have a signature shoe in the works? Any hints as to what it might look like and when it might hit shops?
I do….All I can say is that it’s based off of another classic Converse shoe, it’s completely different from the Star Player S and it skates amazing. It’ll be out in 2011.

Is there a Converse video in the works?  Converse Tours? What are your plans for the rest of the summer?
We’re working on a little Converse commercial right now and I’m going to Berlin with Converse in about a week. Other than that, I’m just skating, trying to stay healthy and gathering for some Elwood projects and the Chocolate video. I’ll definitely be catching up on some BBQ’n and swimming.

Images Courtesy of Converse Skateboarding.