This got a mention as a Monday Link yesterday, but deserves a more focal post, especially since it evolved into talk of “broken window” theory ‘n stuff.
Pulaski actually did have a period when it was “Kosher to skate there,” most clearly exemplified in this video. For whatever reason, 411 never got around to making a Washington D.C. Metrospective until issue #27 (~1997, 1998?), whereas they caught New York and Philadelphia in their most heavily romanticized, low-bust, first-half-of-the-nineties primes. By the time issue 27 rolled around, Pulaski was a complete and total bust (to the point where they claim “Pulaski Park, rest in peace, don’t try and skate it” in the voiceover), and everyone skated MLK instead.
Things like the Andy Stone PROfile ended up being permanent placeholders for a Pulaski Metrospective, at least as far as 411 coverage goes. However, the D.C. section from Eastern Exposure 2 is everything a 1994 411 Metrospective on D.C. would have been, which is why most people probably Google “411 dc metrospective” when looking for “the D.C. montage with the Eric B. and Rakim song,” as we were yesterday. BTW, it features likely the best use of a Rakim song in a video. No, he doesn’t actually rap in Keenan’s Chocolate Tour part, which means they more-or-less used a DJ Premier song.
If there’s one glaring ommission from last fall’s “Chillest Lines” post, it’s heelflip on flat, nollie backside 180, fakie heelflip over a can. Fakie heelflip over a can is nuts no matter what era you’re talking about.
Also also also B4 anyone says “OMG how would U know?!” — The Quartersnacks music supervisor and another prominent noseslider who makes frequent appearances on the website are both from the D.C. metro area, in their thirties and have confirmed much of the research above ;)
Related: Chrome Ball’s Pulaski post is always worth a revisit. “Fuck all you idiots who don’t understand how we talk.”
haaaaaa “OMG how would U know?!”
Carlos Kenner + heelflips + shelltoes
Jesus, Hojin Chang’s fakie 360 flips are the next thing to post about. #gifthat
Didn’t some of the people at QS were from DC. Next summer montage get some clips out here! Just be careful at freedom, most of Park Police are assholes.
Can’t beat good ole pepe martinez footage either
my friends and i drove up to DC for a weekend in 94 and didnt leave pulaski for 3 days. reese forbes tre flipped regular sized trash can every time. sean mullindore fakie flipped it. hojin chang came back to our hotel one night, i think to smoke a joint or maybe to crash on the floor, and stole my new deal pants. a memorable weekend.
Damn nikka, what in God’s name were you still doin wearin New Deal pants in 94??!!! Hojin mighta just done you a favor. You know Hojin’s nickname was “Sticky Fingers”. Anyone got any good Jim Gordy stories? I used to like hanging out with that dude.
New Deal Pants were 93, but shit in Cali and NY diseminates slowly to the rest. South Jersey is like another state, DC might as well be in South Carolina. Chief Keefe shot somebody, and posted some sick pictures of him holding heat. Dude dresses horrible, especially for a rapper with paper. Shit is all fucked up. At least Cherry had Glaciers of Ice in that shit.
A friend of mine had a story about smoking rocks with Gordy on Amtrak to NY. He used to try and charge us a dollar or two to skate there. “Yo ya’ll gotta pay a dolla to skate kid” Randy stole my boy’s x-mass complete in like 93. I tried to get it back when it shot out but he bum rushed me and took it back. :( Lucky for me my folks didn’t buy me no new shit for x-mas.
Yeah, Glaciers of Ice and Dylan Reider.
Used to skate with Jim in Louisiana for a grip. He ended up in the street after trying something and this old lady almost ran him over. She started hollering at him and he swung his board at her and cussed her till she got scared and got back in her car and drove off. Dude was wild AF