For Those About To Be On A Hype, We Salute You

Photo via Colin Sussingham

Perfect video to begin your day — three-minute Jamal Smith IG compilation.

One of my life partners, Josh Velez, has an interview over on Skateboard Story. “It makes it even better to get a couple pats on the back from the fellas.”

You already know that new “Busshead” video from Gang Corp is essential viewing.

TWS posted the transcript and photos from Cyrus’ interview on their site.

Copies of Matt Velez’s new video, Calzone, are on sale. Another teaser here.

“This urgent, shouty Mannie Fresh anthem, a sort of primal materialistic scream from within a sumptuously appointed mansion, stands as the best song in any Ty Evans-helmed Film to date; paired off Lucas Puig’s luxury-brand tech, it makes a strong argument for the greatest song in any video ever.” Boil the Ocean offers up eight of Ty Evans’ best #musicsupervision victories, the man who introduced skaters to electro.

Nik Stain London footage. Everyone in it rips though.

A most unexpected “Welcome to the Team” video for an expected acquisition.

The Bunt’s new one is with that dude who shared the part with Vince in the 917 vid.

^^^2017 Best of Dustin Henry, reigning titleholder for QS’ “Skater You’d Be Most O.K. With Your Daughter Dating” Award. Edited by Tyler Warren.

This one was pretty heartwarming: Monster Children has a mini doc on Josh Kalis’ relationship and history with the city of Chicago. I’ve seen that street gap kickflip a hundred times before and still said “oh my God” on this go-around. (Maybe Ride will finally stop asking us why Chicago isn’t a bigger deal in skateboarding with this one?)

~ Quick fun one from Frog Skateboards baby ~

Yeah, I know, l*ngb**rds… but this is a fucking amazing program.

Jahmal Williams reflects on getting back into filming in the Static III years.

Some more Elkin raw files from the days when you first started seeing Aaron Herrington out and about, and Kevin Tierney was still drippy ♥

A joint remix video for Tom Penny and Bryan Herman, two icons of “G” style.

QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: 76ers-OKC was game of the year so far, yes? Gonna give it to Embiid’s block on Russy in OT1, but only because Russy ended up winning anyway :)

Quote of the Week: “I fucking hate getting phone calls.” — Andrew Wilson

Late on this one, but it’s cool the boys got a shout out ;)

Control the Links Volume 1

Via Charles Rivard Ph.D.

We should be caught up with shipping all orders from last week by the end of today. If you ordered before the weekend and didn’t receive a shipping confirmation to the email address you ordered with, feel free to check in with us. Otherwise there are some loose sizes and hats left. Available at European accounts now. Arriving in Canada and Australia this week ♥ Thanks everyone for the support.

Josh Velez has a quick interview over on the Air Jordan blog.

“You want a toke?” “I don’t do drugs.”

Frog posted the raw footage and B-sides to Hjalte’s guest board part.

…and Ben Chadourne posted the full battle behind Franco’s nollie cab flip.

“Is the speed of Jamie Foy’s ascent, from amateur to pro and SOTY the same year, a reflection of or reason behind the breakneck pace driving skate media these days?…Could the nod to Jamie Foy also serve as a quiet acknowledgement that it shoulda been Fred Gall one of those years?”

Iron Claw is [not] having a premiere for their new video this Wednesday, December 13, at 122 Meserole Street. Two showings: one at 8 P.M. and another at 9. Teaser here.

L-O-FUCKING-L at your poor ass life.

Though Ride doesn’t do much these days apart from continue to ask us why Chicago isn’t a bigger deal in skateboarding, Slap brought back the article predictions thread for 2018. “Shake Junt hires Ty Evans for next video: Chicken Drone Nowison.”

Here’s a new one from Jake Kuzyk and all the Vancouver boys.

Theories is posting raw files from Elkin’s videos. First episode is fall 2010, and features Aaron Herrington, Leo Gutman, Quim, and Vert God before he started to GRoE.

Tony Manfre and Pat Stiner look back at Static 3 for its ten-year anniversary.

“Like the flow of posts through social media, skateboard graphics are inherently ephemeral. They are destined to be worn and scuffed and distorted until all that remains is smeared paint and exposed wood. But some images are designed to linger, if only in the imagination.” On the ascent of Polar Skateboards…as a menswear brand.

Jeff Lenoce still has that flick. Go make a stack or something ;)

New Bunt with Hermdog. You think the guy in the comments found the song by now?

Harry Bergenfield filmed a two-minute Carlos Mendoza part in L.A.

QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: The end of Clippers-Wizards was a little nuts.

Quote of the Week: “Marriage? Fuck that. I’ll never get married. Unless she’s rich as shit.” — E.T.

Jamal Smith tweeted this one yesterday. Probably, haven’t watched it this decade, but remember that finally tracking down that Diamond D song was a pivotal prepubescent moment. Also, shout out to all the 2017 Kasperholics.

4 Da Gang

Photo by Sam Ashley

Happy birthday Torey Goodall

Yo, the fucking height on T.J’s fakie heelflip… Also how far away do you think we are from someone ollieing the 8-flat-8 at the Met? Rumor has it that Bald Head Ed tried it back in the day, but maybe someone should take Chris Pfanner to see some paintings next time he’s in New York?

“Together, Lara and Olson have achieved a small, apocalyptic miracle: they’ve bottled the dreamy spirit of the skate shop.” Kyle Beachy has some nice words for the feel-good film of the year, the 917 Video. Also Logan moved back to L.A. and we’re never gonna see him again.

“From start to finish Sabotage 5 is a gloriously losing war against capitulation to the inevitable. Like any decent funeral, this eulogy is delivered by the immediate family, rather than transient pros, with the locals turning in their last tapes skating Love Park as it was, and a grip of tricks as it is dismantled.” More great video reviews! That one was re: Sabotage 5 via Boil the Ocean.

Monday #inspo: Village Psychic did a great Ron Deily remix with his past year or two of footage. We rigged one back in 2015 as well + this Junk Spot part was a good time.

Better Skate Than Never has been posting some fire Josh Velez .GIFs.

Here’s a short “Summer Trip to N.Y” clip with a pretty sick ender.

Josh Kalis and Brian Wenning skating Philly together. In 2017.

Grey has some pics from the making of the Palace video / the promo for their skatepark is amazing / shout out to Sidewalk for telling us all the Don’t Watch That PWBC news segments are actually still online.

Spot Updates: The rails at the 27th and 2nd park got knobbed, and has anyone stolen the Delancey Curb bench back yet?

QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Thank goodness the NBA is back. Gotta give this one to Wiggins, even though now the only thing the Sports Desk roots for is Russell Westbrook’s happiness and well-being (J.R. too.) Must’ve felt like a postseason-esque loss if you’re an OKC fan.

Quote of the Week: “T-Pain is the black Rob Dyrdek.” — Carl Williams

I love Future like one of my dearest friends, but would honestly trade Super Slimey for like, three new Quan and Thug songs.

Josh Velez: Summer Madness Part For Inkwell Commons

Collect anything — records, skateboards, sneakers — long enough past early adulthood, and eventually, you reach a point where you have a big, dusty mass of matter in your apartment. Upon realizing he was a decade into stacking shoeboxes of Jordans in his house, Josh had dilemma. But he was the latest entry on Forbes magazine’s “Youngest Billionaires” list — he wasn’t about to sell his sneakers to a bunch of nerds on the internet. Who has the time for that shit?

And so, he began skating through his collection for this part. (The 5s are apparently the best ones.) Happy 29th Josh ♥

Filmed by Andre Page and J.P. Blair. Edited by Cruzctrl a.k.a. Eric Cruz.

Previously: Wavey Wings, Djosh Unchained

K.T. Presents… Gang Classics

It is safe to say that this media enterprise’s decade-long tradition of Start of Summer, End of Summer, and Christmas clips has fallen into memories of the prosperous first-half of the 2010s. At a time when Swedish filmmakers deride the quality of skateboarding simply being tossed onto Instagram — between regular posts and tricks for the story — who really has time to carry a #realcamera around unless you’re filming for some big video project that Logan may or may not ever release?

As the iPhone has become our most oft-used video device, the #realcamera has become reserved for traveling i.e. when enthusiasm is high. If you’re lucky enough to blow off work in the middle of the week to go skate with your friends, sometimes it’s better to leave the pressures of “well, I brought the camera out” at home.

Over the past year or so, Kevin’s videos have made me perpetually jealous of all the times I decided to stay in and be responsible rather than ditching a pile of un-responded-to emails to go skateboard. They’re not everyone going their hardest, but they are representative of what it’s like to leave a skatepark, and try skate street at a bunch of decent-enough spots that you’ve skated a thousand times before in 2017.