True love
innerview by Dylan Farr

Name: True Love aka Brian Blake
Age: Young, Fresh, and Green
Birth Place: Newton, Massachusetts
Raised Up: Ridgewood, New Jersey
Planted: Lake Tahoe, California
Sponsors: Type A Snowboards, Tech-Nine Bindings, SFO Snowboard Shop, Ipath Footwear and Apparel, Electric goggles, Satori Wheel Co., Boardz.com, and Red I Productions.

Snowboarding, like a lot of things in this world, is born to image, commercialism, and people focused collecting big faces $$. It’s a business. How do you see yourself in it and in playing the game, finding support, and just keeping it real?
My roots are skateboarding. I’ve been skateboarding more than half my life now, so it felt like a natural transition to begin to snowboard for me-It’s like skateboarding a big, soft city. The fact that I am sliding down a mountain still amazes me. When I ride, I feel like a little kid dreaming of flying through the air on my skateboard. Now, with my snowboard, I can actually manifest my dreams. What could be more satisfying than making your dreams reality? That is as far as my game will go. We nah play no game within this sport. As far as finding support, my riding is supported by my desires. From there, the people that respect and like how I ride have helped me along my path. My Mother and Father have helped me move to Tahoe and remain in the mix. They support all my interests to the fullest of their ability... contest entry fees, a little extra money to help buy a pass, or food when I run out, because I’m always riding and riding doesn’t pay any more than the pure satisfaction of it. I’m very thankful to be blessed with this kind of support. My family definitely gives me the confidence I need to contribute to this world.

Are you feeling the whole hype thing with snowboarding?
Honestly, the hype is justified if the hype is pure, if it’s directed toward self-realization and trying something new in one’s life. The actual movements of snowboarding keeps one young and puts one in the mountains, offering fresh air and calm surroundings. Snowboarding can change a person’s out look-a person’s life.

As a rider, I have seen you develop as an athlete. What inspires you, and besides riding, what keeps you progressing especially in a competitive place like Tahoe?
My main inspiration to keep riding is the ancient secret of Animal Chin. As far as living with the talent, I will only let it inspire. No jealousy if the next one succeeds, it should be as if I did it myself. When I see another do a trick in front of me, I know it is then possible, and this helps the whole learning process. It shows me if they can do it, so can I.

True, you grew up as person born with the label of Brian Blake and now carry the name and essence of the person True Love. Is there a difference and why?
Between my parental given-birth-name, Brian James Blake, and my-self-given, spiritual, re-birth name Ras i True Love Jah Son, there can be no difference. I was named before I was born and as long I am living, I am that root seen? I just added on to my birth name after living and breathing and developing as a person. Ever since I was young, I’ve felt I owed this life to a higher power. So through studying the Bible and keeping an open mind to all the reasons and views of this creation, I have come to live with the teachings of Rastafari. So I have a real love for the truth, which is a True Love. As not to lose focus, I choose to wear this title.

Why Rastafari? Most people associate it with dreads and reggae, but I know that it is more meaningful and deeper than just that, ideals, religion, and faith. What’s it about?
Rastafari is simply a new name for our ancient identity. The Rastafari concept is rooted in the monotheistic thought and instigates collective security among all people of all race, class, color, and creed. The Rastafari main objective is education and progress. What we speak of far succeeds the visual aspects of a person and their musical choices. But our look and the music is the root of our conception. Reggae music is Rastafari music. The word reggae originally was used to describe a dance and later was applied to the music itself. Reggae music teaches straight from the Bible, and it is filled with current events concerning the human spirit and purpose. It is music for the soul. For knowing the truth about our past, will teach us how to handle our future, y’know, give us as people, a direction. The living man, Tafari Makonnen, the root and offspring of King David has done just that. Revelation 5:5 reveal that to I, Rastafari come to break down the walls of illusion and build a bridge to our truth. Study this man and his country of Ethiopia and you will be led to the hidden truths of our world’s history and yourself. Why was the truth hidden and who has hidden it? You will know who and why when you begin your studies of

Rastafari and his lineage and approach our world in a humble manner aiming to fulfill God’s plan.
What’s God’s plan?
It’s the natural order with man living parallel, not perpendicular. The way I see it, the necessary foods for survival come up from the ground so technically, and humbly, they don’t belong to anybody specific. Nature is here for all. I know I am of this earth so I want to protect and love it. In doing so, I see love returned with fresh air and beautiful life-giving nutrients, straight from the earth! So all scientists, doctors, chemists and high officials-be careful! Use common sense first, and then apply the knowledge God gave unto you. Remember when your time is done here, you will become simple earth again. Would you want to rest in what you’ve been hurting? Give thanks for the giving of thanks. I give thanks to all those who know humbly know they deserved it. One love.

“It is important that the spiritual advancement must keep pace with material advancement. When this comes to be realized, man’s journey toward higher and more lasting values will show more marked progress while the evil in him recedes into the background. Knowing material and spiritual progress is essential to man. We must work for the equal attainment of both. Only then shall we be able to acquire that absolute inner calm so necessary to our well-being. It is only when people strike an even balance between scientific progress, a wholly perfect and complete personality and not a lopsided one. The type of progress we have chalked out for Ethiopia is based on these fundamental principles.” -Emperor Haile Selassie I

“True-a rider who personifies his name through his riding. An eloquent powerful style portrays his sincerity to that which he believes in. To ride with True guarantees a momentous day, not only for his vibrations, but to witness the grace that gives poetic justice to snowboarding.” -Tom Gilles

Original kid from ancient time/with the original plan/that began in man’s mind/to seek my personal truth,/that some will never find/some live in’a world/where nothing will rhyme./Who am I to say,/how the next man should spend the day/to stumble over my own tongue/was okay when I was young/but now that I have grown/my actions of the past/are all I have that has shown./What type of a person am I?/Who’s to say? Me? Or you?/Is what the next person says the real truth?/Is what I feel the real truth?/Using the knowledge man had,/before he had a past/to some, it’s too simple, too uncivilized. Check it out, /this earth already comes with all the supplies/no scissors or comb, my head is my home/yet still, I and I grounded in’a responsible zone/Abiel Absalom/God is the Father, the Father is Peace/God is Imperial/Skateboarding and Snowboarding/are my release/spiritual and material-words by True Love

“There are many talented snowboarders, but very few that contribute a richness that is recognized by all who surround him. His grace and power radiates pure vibrations from his soul that without words can touch everyone so deep and true. He is as loud as a pounding heartbeat and as quiet as a breath taken in unity with you. True, I Love You. Thank you for awakening my awareness of the power of love.”
-With truth and light and love,
your sister Sheridan.