It was a great year for skateboarding — especially in New York, but also beyond — despite being especially rough on humans otherwise. Let’s get this one rolling :)
Tag: Rodrigo TX
Remember
Photo by Matt Weber
Still a surreal day on the calendar every year. Over the years, we have done several posts regarding how that day shaped our tiny corner of New York — An Interview With Zered Bassett About the Vicious Cycle House (several blocks from Ground Zero circa 2002-2003), February 2002 Transworld Article re: 9/11, Twin Towers skate photos, Twin Towers skate clips 1996-2001.
You’re in for an onslaught of recap content throughout the internet, but the Dime Glory Challenge was absolutely brilliant. Forever grateful to be skateboarding on the earth at the same time in history as these brilliant Canadian minds.
Watermelonism has some new embroidered tees and hats.
“What was harder to do: switch big flip Chinatown Double-Set or switch backside flip D7?” NY Skateboarding has a solid interview with Tyshawn Jones, reigning “Did you hear what _____ did?!” king of New York City.
Transworld interviewed Josh Kalis about the greatest kickflip ever done™.
We’re the last ones to continue beating the dead horse of varial flip pontification, but the one (you’ll know which one…) in Sami El Hassani’s all-around brilliant new clip for Pop Trading Company deserves some extra attention.
People began skating the new Harlem skatepark on 114th Street and First Avenue (conveniently located between Haiji’s and Patsy’s) this past week. Looks kinda like Cooper Park tbh. Troy posted a clip from it, but there are a few more floating around.
Yaje Popson warms up with avocados and nollie half cab switch backside 5-0s. No wonder he’s the only native T.F. local with his name on a skateboard ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
People are still pissed about you skating the plaza on 110th and 8th, and hopes for a new Byrdgang video are high in the QS office. Here’s a teaser for Byrdgang 3.
(When is Hijinx 2 dropping though?)
Here’s the raw footage from Dane Baker’s part for Lottie’s Skate Shop.
Jenkem has a Prodigy tribute mix by skateboarding’s official Mobb Deep ambassador.
Four minutes of nollie backside 180 heelflips throughout history.
Vice posted up a deleted scene from Bam’s Epicly Later’d of Kerry and Bam skating Kerry’s backyard ramp in Pennsylvania. Party at my house for the Muska one.
Quote of the Week: “I can’t wear blue, it’s a color.” — Girl Wearing All Black in the Dime Store
Happy belated birthday, Roy Ayers.
Heavy Airplay All Day With No Chorus
There are a couple skateboarders who have grown synonymous with skating to songs by a recurring artist: Geoff Rowley to Motörhead, Pat Duffy to Primus, Danny Way and Colin McKay to Metallica, Bam to H.I.M. (lol). Given how influential some of those parts were, the artist’s music grew tethered to the skater’s career. Some only had to skate to one in order to carry the tune as their theme song (Appleyard to Placebo, Tony T. to Mötley Crüe, Jahmal to Gil-Scott Heron come to mind here.)
Unless we’re counting Smolik and the Federalz, Darren Harper’s friends, or the fact that I always edit Connor’s footage to Future, it’s tough to think of a pairing in rap*. Except one — Rodrigo TX and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.
*EDIT: Somebody had to email my dumbass to remind me of Gino and Wu-Tang. D’oh.
The more classic Mobb Deep songs got a decent amount of burn (pun intended hehehehehehe) in early issues of 411, just as many of the aforementioned names skated to more canonized songs by their respective music spirit animals. With the exception of “Keep It Thoro” — some of the most quotable three minutes that exist in rap — Rodrigo didn’t skate to the set Mobb Deep canon. He skated to songs that were released in outtakes compilations (“My Priorities” in éSpecial), Prodigy features on fuckin’ Boogz Boogetz songs (Gold Goons), and even sample sources to Prodigy songs (see the second half of his Parental Advisory part.)
Prodigy couldn’t ask for a greater spokesperson to carry his music’s legacy in skateboarding. R.I.P.
The Neighborhood’s Changed, But the Beers Are Still Cold
Godspeed Wavy’s. Although you got a bit too live these past few years, I wouldn’t take back the hours I wasted standing around doing nothing if I could. Wouldn’t be caught dead standing in front of Spring Mart. R.I.P. to one of the final remnants of that neighborhood. Photo via Zach Baker.
“Knowing a lot about something little, and caring about it deeply – even something as ridiculous as grown men making four wheeled planks balance on two wheels – provides a microcosm within which we understand the consequences of those big, nebulous issues.” Didn’t expect this to pop up anywhere: Caught in the Crossfire with an insightful breakdown of the Brexit results, and how they will effect skateboarding.
The Complete History of the 12th & A Rainbow Curb: April 2016 — Later in April 2016.
“It’s 50/50; it’s hard to see, but if you want to live your passion then you have to learn to live with it, or you find a regular job and you go skate on the weekend.” Lucas Puig on making adult decisions that impact skateboarding for a living.
Is Rodrigo TX the new Rodrigo TX?
Literal, on-the-nose #musicsupervision usually get the side-eye at this point, but always thought “Baltimore” would make a great video part song, and also all this Jason Spivey footage is awesome. Is the audio jacked for everyone else though?
Village Psychic travels back to the moonboot era when there’d be seven logos on one shoe, and does a wear test of the DC Relay with John Shanahan ♥ Daytime midtown footage 4 ever ♥ (Is Columbus Circle mellow to skate again?)
NY Skateboarding has pics of the McCarren Park renovation if you haven’t seen it yet.
The internet has a tendency to desensitize us from having to confront other people’s unfiltered brains and emotions, and unfortunately, that played out a bit on the skate internet last year as Billy Rohan, an incredible person who has done a ton for skateboarding in the city, went through it. Like the quote says, “depression is a flaw in chemistry, not character” and sometimes, there’s a lot more going on than somebody “acting crazy.” ANYWAY, Vice caught up with Billy, who’s been doing much better, for a video short on what he’s been through.
An interview with the filmer behind the Rios Crew. Not skating the same spot twice sounds exhausting ;)
Do you believe in life after Love? Go Skate Day 2016 in Philly, via the Sabotage boys.
Rockaway excursions and sweaty summer vibez in Genny’s new iPhone clip.
Taji did the whole awkward Vice host thing with Gino Iannucci for “TAJCAM.”
Dude remember Nadia footwear? Of course you don’t, but guess who does? :)
Chill lil’ Barcelona montage with five Penny tricks at the 1:21 mark.
This is weird. ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT..
Quote of the Week: “Until we elect Trump, the British are the dumbest people on the planet.” — Dylgr
Shout out to my man Torey Goodall for skating to “June 27th” twelve years ago for a Baby Steps B-roll part. Who else you know can go from Van Morrison to Big Moe in the same video? Also shout out to all my Cancers bro.
Almost Spring
New HD clip from J.P. Blair featuring Brendan Carroll, Mark Humienik, Chachi, Dick Rizzo, Josh Wilson, Ian McGraw, Ron Deily, and Nick Ferro.
Also on the topic of New Jersey cinema legends, Justin White has taken to posting Popills highlights from the mid-2000s over on Instagram via @p0pills.
A semi teaser for the Adidas full-length. Yes, there’s Lucas clips.
Some solid recent “Trip to New York” Entires — Supra’s nine-minute clip is a good time. That gap-to-5050 UP the handicap ramp rail at the Williamsburg Monument is insane, there’s some stellar flip trick form over the Columbus Park wall, and Dane Vaughn has the best Three Up Three Down manual trick this side of Denmark ;) Colin Read’s five-minute trip clip for The Northern Co. is fun vibes too.
Piles of snow are the new trashcans #tfreport.
New Cell Jawn clip with footage from Love’s final days, freezing cold Cooper Park sessions, and less cold Nike Garage sessions.
Cranberries and Westgate sightings. Skating starts ~1:40.
Not in the habit of linking videos that already have 100k+ YouTube views, but it’s a Rodrigo remix with all his best footage from Parental Advisory and onward.
Another shot at a skate video soundtrack database. Seems simple enough.
“I assume I don’t need to recite for all of you the stats, between videos’ migration to Instagram and Vine and whatnot, all the private TFs, and the swelling rosters that pack the remaining full-lengths… I mean, it is really, really tough out there for any character actor, regardless of tenure or talent, to get meaningful screen time in skate videos these days.”
Polar vid is premiering in New York next Tuesday. “Details soon.”
QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Still a joy to have Vince Carter in the league. Here’s a three-point shot from inside the opposite side’s three-point line. Also, this Times piece on the National Basketball League of Canada is amazing. It’s like the basketball version of Slapshot, but in 2016 and sans fights et al.
Quote of the Week: “My ass is getting too fat, I need to start jogging.” — Matt Perez