SKATEBOARDING legend Marc Johnson has died aged 49.

The pro skater, hailed as one of the most creative riders of his generation, passed away on Tuesday.

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Skateboarding legend Marc Johnson has died at the age of 49Credit: Instagram
 

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Johnson helped transform San Jose into a skateboarding hub with Tilt Mode ArmyCredit: YouTube/GFEAST
Johnson’s death was announced in an emotional statement written by longtime friend and fellow skateboard star Louie Barletta.

“He was one of the most talented and creative people to ever step on or off a skateboard,” Barletta wrote in the tribute shared by Thrasher Magazine.

No cause of death has yet been revealed.

The skating icon helped transform San Jose into one of skateboarding’s homes through his work with the legendary Tilt Mode Army crew.

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Their raw, funny and wildly inventive videos turned the city’s schoolyards, ledges and backstreets into iconic skate spots known around the world.

Johnson had reportedly visited San Jose less than a month ago, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Barletta said the star appeared “sober, healthy, and full of life” during the trip as the pair reminisced about old times and talked about the future.

Born on January 6, 1977, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Johnson rose from a troubled childhood to become one of the biggest names in street skating.

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Known for his technique and unpredictable tricks, his video parts became must-watch moments for skaters worldwide.

Johnson later revealed on The Nine Club how he left North Carolina for California before turning pro for Maple and eventually founding Enjoi – one of the defining skate brands of the early 2000s.

His career hit new heights in 2007 when Thrasher Magazine crowned him Skater of the Year – one of the sport’s highest honours.

That same year, his appearance in Lakai’s “Fully Flared” cemented his status as a skateboarding icon.

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No cause of death has yet been revealedCredit: Instagram
 

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January 6, 1977, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Johnson became of the biggest names in skateboardingCredit: Instagram
But Johnson was also candid about the darker side of life as a pro skater.

In a 2013 interview with Jenkem Magazine, he opened up about the emotional strain of the industry and his battle with addiction.

Asked about alcohol, Johnson said: “I’ve been clean for a long time.”

Barletta’s tribute touched on those struggles while celebrating Johnson’s lasting impact on skateboarding.

“He told me he wanted to be remembered for his skateboarding, not for his failures or shortcomings,” Barletta wrote.

“He was just a poor kid from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who grew up in a trailer at the end of a dirt road. Yet he made it out, traveled the world, and touched so many lives.”

Tributes flooded in across the skateboarding world after news of his death broke, with many crediting Johnson for inspiring a generation of riders outside the sport’s traditional hotspots.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, Marc Johnson was the single most influential person in my life,” Barletta wrote.

“Everything he did was art.”