Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nite Owl. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nite , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Throughout life, the best way for me to learn something is by repetition. Doing it over & over & over again. I didn’t say by watching it on You Tube or from the sidelines, actually doing it! Reps!!!! My racing coach & mentor, Wes Brown says… “You do something a million times you’re gonna be a master at it”. When I played high school & college football, I was one of the best route runners because I spent hours studying the route tree & how to maneuver on the field. Same with Flatland. It took me well over five hundred attempts before I landed most of my difficult tricks. Who am I kidding, it’s all difficult. Lol!

I feel like the only way to speed up the process is by staying consistent. Therefore, there is no speeding up.
The goal should not be to learn it fast, but to learn it the correct way & be disciplined. Progression is something other people see, but you feel within yourself. The best way to break a bad habit is not develop one. I’m dropping hella game right now. Lmao!

With Flatland, racing & music, it all comes down to how bad do you want it? Having an elite skill can definitely help you. However, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. How bad do you want to win? How important is it for you to be first? How much do you really want to be seen & known?
These are all questions that require heart & practice more than skill. A trick can be taught, but you can’t teach determination.
Sometimes hard work beats talent. I’ve out worked more people simply by sticking to the script of not giving up, staying focused & doing the fundamentals. Lay-ups should come before dunks. IJS!

The only person that can get in your way of success is the man or woman in the mirror. I’m a strong believer that nobody makes it alone & we all need assistance at times. Ultimately it still falls on the shoulders of the person trying to be victorious.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been a Hip Hop Recording Artist, Live Performer & Song Writer for 30 years. I started riding Flatland one year ago & recently began BMX racing in February of 2025. I just released my 31st album called “My Flatland Journey”
(Mics To Bikes)

In 1986 I saw a low budget film called “Rad” & since then have always wanted to do tricks on a bike. I went on to play traditional ball sports, even getting a scholarship to play football at 3 different colleges. Yet, I couldn’t afford the proper bike, nor did I have any way or anyone to teach me how to do these tricks.
I didn’t know magazines like BMX Plus & Freestyling existed to study the stills. Lol!

Flatland is like a long lost love who I once knew back in the day. We went our separate ways & 40 years later found our way back to each other.
Except now, we don’t have to get married & be committed, we just hang out from time to time & respect each others space. It’s definitely an expensive extreme sport. Yet, I can honestly say in this short period of time I feel like I experienced more than I expected. I successfully reached my goal in Flatland.

I documented every step of the way of me transitioning into this sport & culture.
In addition to watching my progress & getting interviews from the legends & vets in the game, I also recorded a musical soundtrack to the documentary. It’s available everywhere you stream or buy music online.
“My Flatland Journey”
(Mics To Bikes)
By Nite Owl

My new goal in life is to be the Deion Sanders & Bo Jackson of BMX. Lol! I’ve now added racing under my belt.
My Grandmother always said…
“If you have an able body, you better use it before you lose it”. I’ve always been a firce competitor & this new lifestyle of riding bikes is the new fuel on my fire.

I didn’t intend or plan for any of this to happen, it just did. One day I was shooting a music video & next thing I know, I’m doing tricks on bikes while writing songs about it. This has got to be the biggest transitions of my life.

I’m now winning races & entering Flatland competitions around the country. I can’t really say it’s a dream come true, but I’m definitely living in a dream world.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Valentines Day weekend, I attended my first ever BMX race. I mean I had never seen or rode a track before in my life.
To make matters even more intense, this was a National race, which is a bigger deal than your local race.

Of course my first time out the gate, I was nervous, afraid & embarrassed that I looked like I didn’t know what I was doing. Picture a freshman showing up to basketball practicing with football equipment on. I was that outta place, at least I felt like I was late for class with no textbook.

In fact, due to being so new & overwhelmed with anxiety, I missed my first race because I didn’t know where to be or how to line up, which I now know is called staging. Lol!

I fell off the bike, rolled out of bounds & even hurt myself a little. This is not what I was expecting. I went back to the hotel that night second guessing what I was doing & wanted to thrown in the towel.
The next day, I had 3 races in front of me. Somehow someway, I was able to get 2nd place in a Show Me State Nationals USA BMX race. I was shocked with joy & literally mind blown that I accomplished this on my own with little to zero experience.

I still don’t really know what I’m doing out there yet, but the progress is evident. I’ve had the experience of coming in last & finishing first. I can admit they all feel like I did something good. I’m not gonna explain the whole point system right now, but know this, there’s levels to winning & even when you don’t win, you win!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal on this BMX journey is to place 3rd or better on a podium in a Flatland competition for novice, beginners or soon to be. I also want to finish within the top 10 in my district for racing.

My musical goals are to put out the remaining of my songs & albums that have been written for years, but still need to be recorded. I just don’t have the money right now, especially since I recently lost my job as a radio personality. So unfortunately it’s taking a back seat. I need about 5K to record the remaining of my catalog. I’m officially accepting donations. Lol! Bvs! A closed mouth don’t get fed!

My life goal is to live long enough to see all those things come true, with a little extra time on the side to enjoy it.

In closing, I’d like to thank my sponsors Sean Porter at Flat Society (Level 7) & Chris Young at Flatland Assassins. They both, first & foremost believe in me as a rider, racer & person. They contribute to my career by paying entry fees, providing bikes when needed, hooking me up with the freshest apparel for Flatland contest & custom made jerseys for USA BMX races. They also assist with my travel expenses to & from all the events I participate in. It feels amazing to have people in my corner who provide not only everything I need to compete, but also mentor me with advice & wisdom.

I want to also acknowledge Purple Heart Racing for welcoming me into your organization with open arms.

Shout out to Haro for bringing me on their team as the newest brand ambassador for 2025. They’ll be hooking me up with a nice discount code & some fresh gear. I’ll take it!

LOOK ATCHA BOY!!!
Hip Hop. Flatland. Racing.
This is what my life is!
This is who I am.

L.A. Maclin
(aka) Nite Owl
(aka) NiTRO
(aka) Nite Rider
(aka) Little Brother
(aka) Racer X
(aka) Ice Money 2.0

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Niteowlhiphop.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niteowlhiphop/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/niteowlmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NiteOwl1906
• Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/niteowlhiphop
• Other: TikTok – Niteowlhiphop

Image Credits

1. Scott Smith

2. Sharif Ead

3. Patrick Landham

4. Camden Photography

5. Z.H. Photography

6. Clyde Thomas

7. Ray Myers