Needing no introduction Andre Phillip a.k.a. “Dre” should already be known to you… via his style, his charisma and energy he exudes. The good friend friend of Susi Mai gives us a fantastic personal insight. So it is time to talk to Dre and receive a lesson in style…
KSm: We see from your recent video with Susi that you have been keeping busy with your kiting, but are you still finding time for the other sports when the wind is blowing or has kiting very much taken over?
Dre: Ya I just came back from a great trip to the Dominican Republic where I spent time hanging out with Susi at one of my favourite kiteboarding destinations!! I’ve been going there for at least 14 years now. I luv how everything is packed into a few miles of coastline. Bars, restaraunts, accommodation, action, kiting, surfing and only1 road. So simple! But to answer your question if it’s windy I really still enjoy going kiteboarding so that’s where you’ll find me when the wind is up.
KSm: And what about when the wind is not blowing?
Dre: If the wind isn’t blowing I’m probably surfing or playing some golf, hanging with the friends and family, prepping my gear or just trying to get up to something outdoors.
KSm: From what age did you know that you wanted to make your life on the beach with your passions?
Dre: My family would go to the beach pretty often when I was a kid and from a very young age I realized that the ocean was my favourite playground. I’ve never stopped playing in it and I’ll continue until my body won’t allow it anymore.
KSm: Was it hard to fight your families expectations of a ‘normal’ job and life before you managed to start paying the rent?
Dre: Ya my Mom always gave me a hard time for being a “beach bum and doing nothing with my life” but I felt like I needed to follow my dreams and at least give it a fair shot to see if I could make a living out of what I love doing. She is happy for me now that I made it and I’m sure she was just more worried back in the day that the lifestyle couldn’t pay for a living. I’m grateful that I was able to prove otherwise.
KSm: Style is such a large part of your image in kiting, but we want to know if this spills into your personal life, or if it is your personal style that has spilled into your kiting?
Dre: I think that my personal style is what spilled into my kiteboarding. Coming from Antigua which is such a mellow place where the pace is slow and my personality being very laid back that’s probably why when I kite things look tranquil. Coming from the Caribbean everyone has swagger, it’s just a way of life.
KSm: Did you look to define yourself in kiting with your style or did it just happen?
Dre: It just happened. I basically just kiteboard the way that feels good to me.
KSm: Tell us a little bit more about your style off the water…
Dre: Mellow. I don’t like drama. For the most part my lifestyle off the water is pretty chilled but I do like a bit of wild action from time to time (cliff jumping, partying etc.)
KSm: We know our opinion but do you and your style make you a bit of a ladies man?
Dre: I’d rather know your opinion! Thats a difficult question for me to answer since I don’t like bigging up myself but the ladies seem to like my style so I guess there’s no need to try to change it.
KSm: Is it important for you that the lady or potential lady in your life is into the water and sports?
Dre: Ya it’s definitely important that ma girl be interested in the water and is healthy and active outdoors. I spend so much time at the beach and in the ocean that it wouldn’t be fair to be with someone who didn’t like either of those.
KSm: What other qualities do you look for in your ladies?
Dre: She has to be cool and independent, low drama, someone who likes to talk smack and laugh a lot.
KSm: What do you think about the current position of girls in kiting?
Dre: I think it’s getting better and better by the day. This year I’ve seen more girls learning to kite than guys!! It’s good to see the girls are getting off the beach towels and getting active! It’s awesome!
KSm: What projects have you recently completed or got on the horizon that you would like us to know about?
Dre: This year has been a bit of everything. Traveling, working on video parts, Demo tours thru europe, photoshoots etc. I’m heading to Hawaii soon to work on another video with Jason Stone so stay tuned. For now you can check these flicks out:
KSm: KiteSista would like to wish you all the best for the future and your projects and thank you again for taking the time to talk to us.
Dre: Thanks for having me and bigups to all the Kite Sistas out there!
I also want to bigup my sponsors for making my lifestyle possible:
www.Cabrinhakites.com
www.kitescoop.com
www.dakine.com
www.kaenon.com
