ALL TIME TOP 5 ILLEST STYLE SKATEBOARDERS

Everyone who’s been to Hong Kong knows that this is just something I have to ask anyone who is really really into skateboarding…

Who are your top 5 illest style skateboarders of all time?

There are so many people who say “yeah I skate and my favorite skater is Rodney Mullen” and have no clue so this is sort of the way, I measure people up and see if they’re really on that level. (No disrespect to Rodney Mullen but you know what I mean)

So, here it is, here are my top 5:

1. MIKE CARROLL

YES YES, it’s obvious. Ever since the first time I saw Mike skate in the H-Street video at the YMCA ramp, I was psyched on his style and just took notice on Mike Carroll ever since. Also from his last line in Virtual Reality to his opening line in Modus Operandi, MC is fucking the best. Super dope natural finesse style, not over acting and never over acting, just perfect.

I had the pleasure to meet THE Mike Carroll in 1999 when we were still doing business in my 600 sq ft apartment, HK. Mike came with his original Lakai design team. I remember I was mad psyched to meet Mike and more psyched to find out that he’s a dude with a good heart just very quiet. I remember I took them to this Shanghainese restaurant and he refused to try one of the most amazing pork dishes, telling me that he was allergic to pork, I believed him for a second until the 3rd dish came out, which was Siu Lung Pao (Pork Dumplings). He grabbed 2 of them without a doubt and was loving it. I was laughing out loud but on the inside. After he went back to the States, he sent me a box of Girl/Four Star stuff, I was stoked. I should’ve kept the note he wrote me.

Anyway, if you are a skateboarder and you are not feeling Mike Carroll’s style, mind as well, stop skating cause you don’t understand what skateboarding is all about.

1. JULIEN STRANGER

No one will disagree with this name above, JULIEN STRANGER. His style is so dope, Sean Sheffey named his son after him, yes, it’s true.

I remember first seeing Julien Stranger footages in the Santa Monica Airlines video, where he was skating with Natas Kaupas. I’m like, dayeem, this dude is amazing. Mad floating around with steez.

I met him in Hong Kong when he came for one of Jackie Chan’s movies back in 1992. I didn’t have the chance to introduce myself…I was mad little and completely intimidated…he was Julien Stranger. YES, strange he is, I remember when we were all at BFD skate shop chillin, Julien would suddenly go out by himself, wandering around even though it was his first time in HK. He didn’t give a fuck. I also remember when every other pros were doing pressure flips, he was already frontside smith grinding the ledge at Victoria Park. Dayeem, a legend is a legend, no doubt about it. Simply The Best.

1. JOVONTAE TURNER

AKA ‘TAE’, another best style skateboarder that I love to watch the most. Go watch LOVE CHILD now.

I also met Jovontae the same time I met Julien. He was also here for that Jackie Chan movie. I was a fan, staring at him from a far. What I remember about Jovontae in HK was;

(1) He called the US from HK using the phone at BFD (local skateshop) and talked for hours, the bill was crazy.

(2) He was betting HKD100 per tre flip fucking around with Henry Sanchez. We were amazed on the (2) one.

1. SEAN YOUNG

Random right? But yo, I will never ever forget his Anti Hero video part where he was skating around Union Square. Any lines happened in Union Square was my favorite. Sean Young’s style is my favorite, it’s simple but dope as fuck! I remember he no-comply to fakie 50-50 down that green bench! I was psyched as fuck! Just watching him push and do tricks made me psyched. Never forget the heavy-rain-bombing San Francisco hill, what?? I miss watching his skateboarding. Pure dope style.

Joe Brook told me that he saw him a year ago. I asked Joe if he was still skating but, Joe said he doubted it…Bummer.

Vans Syndicate should give him a shoe, fuck it. You got that Jon, Jay, and Rian??

1. DENNIS BUSENITZ

Yes, new cat right? I got to put him on, I have to. He’s the best dude. I remember his first REAL (Real to Reel) part and I was telling everyone in Hong Kong that this kid is the best, some kids told me that his push was weird and I was like ‘FUCK YOU’, ‘YOU’RE WEIRD’. Dennis Busenitz is the new Carroll in a different way yet the same, I don’t know how to explain it. Skate mad fast, skate mad big, skate mad tech. FUCK, he can skate everything and make everything look SUPER SUPER DOPE. No wack trick can come out of Dennis.

I was so bummed when I missed meeting him when he came with the adidas skateboarding team instead I met Dave Bachinsky, fuckkkk.

Jake, give him a S O T Y already, please!!

Anyway, these 5 are my ALL TIME FAVORITE TOP 5 ILLEST STYLE SKATEBOARDERS.

(THANK YOU to Chrome Ball Incident http://chromeballincident.blogspot.com/ for the best archives)

This year is 2010 and the year 2010 ATFT5ISS in my book goes to:

1. Grant Taylor

2. Mike Anderson

3. Vincent Alvarez

4. Alex Olson

5. I’ll tell you if I could remember