No matter who you are in the skateboard world, no matter how much publicity we get on the TV and radio, no matter how rich it has made you, street skating is still forbidden in so many places. Nyjah Huston is probably the best Street Skater in the world right now, and is highlighted all over the place by X Games, Dew Tour and Street League. He’s profited over a million dollars in the past couple years just from winning competitions and here he is being told that he’s not allowed to skate a handrail, and that if he doesn’t stop, the police will be coming. All this while actually filming for the X Games Real Street video contest. You would think that if you said that it was for X Games, this guy might know what he’s talking about and say, oh okay, you’re that guy. But no.
When is this planet gonna sit down and shut up about skateboarders doing what we’ve been doing for the past 30-40 years and just accept it? The world is ever changing, why stop the revolution?
Women used to not even be allowed to work and coloured people only had jobs as slaves, but we overcame all that. Now you could have a pregnant black girl with tattoos and face piercings working for the government. That’s called an evolving society. The world has learned to accept whatever the trends are, except for street skating. Why not us?
We are not criminals unless you make us criminals.
Stop pushing us away and accept us for who we are…
I used to have this thing about giving all my video tapes really weird names. I would copy skate videos 3 or 4 onto 1 VHS tape and write something totally strange on the front which would somehow relate to one or more of the videos on the tape. So a lot of my Teasers have strange names too. Take Tizzy Tizzy Toe Toe for example, what the hell is a Tizzy?? It basically stands for the fact that this video starts off with one of the drunkest moments ever at a Whistler Bowl Series and ends with Jeff Cole’s toes taking out the entire set of lights while we’re filming at a spot. From 15 tall cans and 100 Gravitrons in a row at Whistler, to tons of grass and dirt rides, Clint Proulx skating mini-ramp on a huge longboard, and finishing off with some tree ridin’ fun times, it’s worth a watch.
Welcome to Episode 4 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Today we are chillin’ in the sunshine at the White Rock Res, a complete Do It Yourself Skate Spot located in South Surrey with the man I simply call The Jigga. He works as a Graphic Designer and owns a clothing company called AXS Gear, and will go down in history as one of Surrey’s best skaters of all time, give it up for the King of Style, Jay Mykyte!!
Hippie Mike: What’s up Jay? So first off, how old are you and how long have you been skateboarding?
Jay Mykyte: Uhhh, 31 years and been skatin’ since like, man, ever since I was a little kid basically, you know since I was 13…14
HM: And why did you become a skateboarder?
Jay: Everything else just seemed kinda boring at it only ot you to a point and then it was just like, over it…you know?
HM: I’m referring to you as the King of Style because that’s what I heard Geoff Dermer call you one time, and he’s all about styles. How much do you concentrate on the actual trick you’re trying, and how much do you think about what it’s gonna look like when you stick it?
Jay: I think I worry more or less about like the last part, and that’s landing it. I try to block everything else out, and then as for like style, I don’t know man, I think it’s really just the way I do my thing so I don’t really think about that either. It’s just kind of like, the way I do it
HM: You’re a pretty technical skater with lots of hard flip tricks and you can easily demo on a ledge or a mini ramp at any time too, what’s your favourite thing to skate?
Jay: Favourite obstacle?
HM: What’s your favourite thing to skate?
Jay: Favourite thing to skate… I’d say like anything that’s smooooooth, even if it’s just like, flat ground. Anything smooth
HM: What’s the best trick you ever learned?
Jay: Hmmmm. Probably a manual – 360 flip. I don’t know why, but it is
HM: Nice, Kwantlen Park?
Jay: Yeah
HM: AXS Gear has been around for quite a long time but is still pretty underground, tell us how AXS Gear began and what it stands for
Jay: AXS Gear began basically when I started working for the sweatshop. And it was simply about just being an individual, being yourself, not really anything special, it’s just about all existing styles. And that’s what AXS stands for is “All Existing Styles”. It’s basically just for everybody that’s you know, simple and just likes to do their thing. That’s it, plain and simple
HM: Cool. Last winter you opened a Skate Shop in New West called Royalty Skate Shop. What was that about, and what happened to it?
Jay: Royalty was like an “on the fly” thing. I kinda was gonna start some skateboards or something and was like, oh I’ll try this out, you know something that kind of connects everything anyways, and I did it with a friend who had his own business out of there too. I just wanted to try it out and see what it took to try to run a skate shop and after that it was more or less like, there was no support you know. There were people behind it but nothing really holding it together other than the few riders that it was
HM: I heard there were plans to re-open Royalty in Surrey, you think that’s still gonna happen one day?
Jay: Yeah, that’s like my main goal I’d say, just ’cause I love the scene in Surrey. It’s totally underground and nobody cares about it, nobody wants to skate out there, everyone’s kind of turned off about it and I kinda like it ’cause of that. It’s so big too, there’s so much stuff out here to skate, and so many parks
HM: We’ve been friends for a long time, explain when you met me and how we became so close
Jay: Hmmm. How I met you was just from skating. I remember seeing you at Burnaby Park was the first time I seen you and someone told me who you were, and you’d always be at Confed or Leeside. But yeah, Bear Creek and you were just all up in our faces like , Hey who are you guys? And you know this guy, and I was like yeah, this is Stu and Drew and we just like to skate. I think we just met by thriving off seeing each other skate and were always just pumped so we just kind of connected
HM: Cool. What’s the funniest story that you can think of that involves me and you
Jay: Oh man…(smiles)…the funniest…geez, I’d say like, any time we’re going to a spot and trying to like, film some tricks there was always some sort of funny bail or like, something, but I don’t know, that’s a tough one. Because every time we hang out, there’s always something funny and hilarious, so I don’t know about that one
HM: You sure it didn’t involve Colt45??
Jay: Oh yeah, oh yeah. Yeah, that was probably the craziest time I’ve had, probably with you for sure. Just goin’ for it at your house…
HM: (Laughing) Yeah we’ll just leave the story out…
JAY: Yeah (Laughs)
HM: So whenever we go out skating somewhere people always notice you and your style. You’re super solid and have a big bag of tricks. Do you feel like people look up to you as a skateboarder role model?
Jay: Oh hell yeah, like kids for sure. No matter what, I might be quiet or whatever but they’re just pumped. They’re like, Hey you do so many tricks and stuff and I’m just like, yeah that’s what you do, you just practise everything and eventually you’ll just put all the pieces together. Like don’t try and learn it all in one day, just worry about just skating
HM: Yeah, and have fun
Jay: Yeah, exactly
HM: A few weeks ago I had the Re-sheet the Ramp Fundraiser contest at my house and you pulled through and won 1st place, beating out tranny destroyers like Andy Anderson and Eve Feaver. How did that feel?
Jay: Pretty rad, I mean, I’ve never… Well, I’ve skated my fair share of mini-ramps and went to jams, but I don’t know, I think it was just one of those days where you like remember all those sessions and you’re just like, you wanna pull something wild just because all those other times, that’s what happened
HM: Was that like the craziest Mini-Ramp Contest ever or what?
Jay: It was hectic for sure (Laughs), yeah like I’ve probably never witnessed such a hardcore jam on a ramp before, for sure, hands down
HM: Everybody in at once (Laughing)
Jay: (Laughing) Everybody, everybody. You name a person and you know they were puttin’ in about 150%
HM: What was going through your mind when you were trying to Tail Drop off the top rail into the ramp at the end?
Jay: I just always remember seeing Josh Evin doing tail drops and I’d always see him like, not worrying about the drop just knowing where you wanna land and just ride it. No matter what, just stick it and you’ll ride it, and the minute I jumped in I just knew, I got it, I just have to land on it, You’ll roll away, you got it
HM: So you stuck that shit for Josh?
Jay: Yeah man, for sure. ‘Cause he was, basically, you know, somebody throws something out of nowhere, it’s him. You know, he was the guy
HM: Yeah, with bare feet…
Jay: Yeah, in socks, bare feet, yeah, definitely
HM: What was the best Contest you ever won?
Jay: You mean first place, or just winning in general? ‘Cause I would say the first one at Langley Industrial. I had like the most ghettoist shoe setup, ghettoist board and somehow I was like, landing everything.
HM: Well you needed a ghetto board to fuckin’ skate Langley Industrial (Laughs)
Jay: No it was mint back then, it was brand new
HM: What is the best accomplishment in your life?
Jay: Probably being able to do the one thing I love which is livin’ life, having fun, hangin’ with my friends, and skating
HM: What was your favourite company that you were ever sponsored by?
Jay: Oh man, favourite company ever…. I’d have to say Bruise
HM: Name the person you look up to the most in life
Jay: In life? Man…….. I would say like, my Mom…
HM: What’s your favourite thing to do when you’re not skateboarding
Jay: When I’m not skating, creating. Probably creating anything, creating something
HM: If you could pick just one spot to skate for the rest of your life, where would it be
Jay: Hmm. Probably here
HM: White Rock Res?
Jay: Yeah definitely
HM: ‘Cause it’s gonna keep changin’
Jay: Yeah, I’d say this place
HM: Jay, I’d like to thank you for being a guest on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. It’s been a pleasure to hang out with you for so many years and I can’t wait to see where we venture together next. You’re an amazing skateboarder and an awesome friend, and you truly are The King of Style. Jigga Jay everybody…
If you live anywhere near Vancouver you already know his name for sure, he’s been the talk of the town for the past couple years and has really expanded his horizons as to how amazing he has become as a skateboarder. Cameo Wilson can rip up the Streets or the Tranny’s with pure style at any time and has proven to be completely fearless. His tech skills are now combining with that lack of care and Cameo is throwing down chaotic tricks everywhere.
Check his new part welcoming him to Darkstar Skateboards
I’m not much of a ledge skater, never really was, it’s not my thing. I have my share of ledge tricks I can do but none of them are that technical, I just stick to the very basics and ride weird obstacles trying to always land. This is a quick and funny video, but has some prime footage, me nose grinding the tailgate of my pickup truck, or landing off the fridge on my feet and forehead at the same time, and Cisco Gooding sticking a solid line for all the people on the bus in Cloverdale, one of my favourites. Sometimes the timing just works out that way.
About 13 years ago I made friends with a little dude at Confederation Park that was always trying to impress me when I was there. His name was Cisco Gooding and he was only about 14 or 15 years old. I would always brush him off and tell him he was too young to hang with us, but one day after a lot of persistence I finally gave in. We started hanging out all the time and he would always push us older guys to skate harder, and we would always push him to learn more and more. Cisco was tiny at the time and eventually grew much taller than all of us. I helped him to grow into the man he is today. We drank a lot of Rum together, and we taught each other a lot about life. What I love most about Cisco is that he will skate anything with me. A true Protest Rider from day one, and a friend till the end, I’m proud to share this old teaser with you of me and Cisco rippin’ it up…
Wow! What is there to say after you watch this part?
David Gonzalez just took everything that has been done on street rails to a whole new level. This video part is full of some of the gnarliest, most unbelievable rails you’ve ever seen, and he destroys them all. This is what happens when you get really good, really young, and then grow tall within your confidence.
Jamie Thomas, Ben Gilley, Daniel Haney, Chad Muska and Mark Gonzales are the owners of craziest rail spots – add David Gonzalez to the top of that list please.
This video was one of the Teasers I put together prior to the What the “F” Video so a lot of this footage got used in there. But there’s some older Leeside Clips from before it started getting built higher in there, and also a couple street spots that were really fun and don’t exist anymore. Definitely worth a peek.
It starts of with Clint Proulx shotgunning 5 Budweiser’s in a row on the ramp and then gets into the skating. Myself, Jeff Cole, Jon Irvine, Justin James, Carrie Williams, and a couple dudes who’s name I can’t remember – I’m gonna guess this one was 2008
Ironically, if you’ve never been to Kwantlen Skate Park you’ll think these tricks were easy. But this is got to be one of the shittiest Skate Parks there is. The obstacles are built pretty good, but they never levelled out the ground, so you’re always going either uphill or downhill. It helps for some tricks but is a real bitch for others.
I’m always amazed if I drive by this park and see anyone there, nobody skates it anymore now that Chuck Bailey Skate Park is right around the corner. It’s also in a rough part of town. But every now and then one of the old locals will go back for a taste, and this time it was Peter Kelly taking Travis Emerson with him, and what a Demo.
Major technical skills comin’ out. Solid job Boys!!
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If you want to check out the park it’s at Old Yale Rd and 104th Ave in Surrey, unless you’re scared…
One week after being named The King of Surrey 2012, Dominic Devries snaps his wrist at CIBC Rail yesterday. This kid is one of the biggest names out here in the young guns age. He’s only 15 or 16 years old and skates like a madman, tearing up street obstacles. Solid flip tricks, rail tricks and sick style and control. He’s a Mega-Champ in my eyes.
We were supposed to meet up tomorrow to film his GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike part. This is actually the second time it got delayed due to Dominic breaking his wrist, once right before summer and now this one, same wrist too. We’ll get’r done soon though.
