Manifestation and Monetizaton: The Cult of Rob Dyrdek

Born on June 28, 1974, in Kettering, Ohio, Rob Dyrdek discovered his passion for skateboarding at age 11, just one year before he began competing. After winning his first national title at 15, Rob dropped out of high school to pursue his career as a professional skater. In the 90s, he received sponsorships from companies like Alien Warehouse and shoe brand DC, which shaped the skate subculture in the same vein as Vans and led to him reaching millionaire status at age 16. He went on to compete in the 2000 X Games, placing 6th.

He founded several companies, including Street League Skateboarding (SLS), a professional competition series that brought skateboarding to the mainstream. He was also a featured skater in the XBOX 360 game Skate 3.

The MTV Era

While Dyrdek's professional skateboarding career flourished, he also ventured into the world of television in 2006, starring in the reality TV series Rob & Big, which followed his daily life alongside his best friend, the late Christopher "Big Black" Boykin. The show became a massive hit, introducing Dyrdek to a wider audience and showcasing his larger-than-life personality. While this series only ran for 3 seasons, helped to further solidify his status as a cultural icon.



Following the success of Rob & Big, Dyrdek went on to create and star in another popular reality series called Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory. The show, which aired from 2009 to 2015, documented Dyrdek's life and adventures in his own private skate park, serving as a canvas for his entrepreneurial endeavors and outlandish stunts.

Today, most people know Rob Dyrdek from Ridiculousness, a 35-season clip show featuring co-hosts Steelo Brim and Chanel West Coast that has little to do with extreme sports outside of occasional fail videos and guest appearances from Travis Pastrana and Jagger Eaton.

The Dyrdek Machine

"You'll be happy overnight."

In a lot of ways, Rob Dyrdek’s reported 100 million net worth, entreprenuial spirit, and everyman personality stands in polar opposition to the punk counter-culture skateboarding was birthed of.

While mainstreamers and posers admire his technical abilities, innovative approach, and unwavering commitment to the sport, others die-hard skaters consider him a sellout. Despite his accomplishments, Dyrdek is rarely considered among the greatest skaters of all time, and has become a staple of "Most Hated Skater" YouTube rankings. In recent years, Dyrdek has shifted his focus from the world of extreme sports to one of venture capitalism and the guru economy.

Rob currently lives in California with his wife Briyana. It's no longer clear exactly what he’s gearing up to sell you, though most of his Instagram reels either implicitly or explicitly discuss the law of attraction. Rob openly expresses his desire to become a billionaire and according to Insider, Rob Dyrdek is so confident in his wellness strategy that he plans on living to the age of 114.