The skateboarding world has woken up today to the news of Jake Phelps passing. Jake was the editor in chief and the face of Thrasher Magazine, one of the oldest and most loved skateboard magazine's around. The consensus from the thousands of tributes from skaters across the world is that Jake was skateboarding, 100% commitment whether than meant success or busting yourself on the concrete, a true originator, punk and skater. There's as many showing love as there those who didn't really like the guy but still hold a light up to all that he achieved and did for skateboarding.
I never met Jake myself although the influence he's had on skateboarding via Thrasher is unquestionable, reaching into every little back water town from the San Fran valley to Aberdeen in Scotland. Jake was an important guy because he kept skateboarding hard core, when Bieber and Rhianna started wearing Thrasher hoodies Jake was straight onto them calling em lame. It mattered because skateboarding matters, the ethos of it matters and being authentic matters. We're seeing more and more authentic cultures become diluted for the mainstream with skateboarding being no exception. Major sponsorship deals, street league, 10 years on the Olypmpic teams, it all feels quite distant from the late nights we spend skating in Denburn. But Jake knew that and was always quick to give it the finger and move on, putting energy into the scene where it mattered.
And that's a good way to live. Some say Jake could be an asshole, but sometimes we need an asshole, as long as they know it and they're true to their core then it doesn't matter. I'd take an asshole on my side over a poser in a Thrasher hoody any day. Long live Jake and long live skateboarding!
I never met Jake myself although the influence he's had on skateboarding via Thrasher is unquestionable, reaching into every little back water town from the San Fran valley to Aberdeen in Scotland. Jake was an important guy because he kept skateboarding hard core, when Bieber and Rhianna started wearing Thrasher hoodies Jake was straight onto them calling em lame. It mattered because skateboarding matters, the ethos of it matters and being authentic matters. We're seeing more and more authentic cultures become diluted for the mainstream with skateboarding being no exception. Major sponsorship deals, street league, 10 years on the Olypmpic teams, it all feels quite distant from the late nights we spend skating in Denburn. But Jake knew that and was always quick to give it the finger and move on, putting energy into the scene where it mattered.
And that's a good way to live. Some say Jake could be an asshole, but sometimes we need an asshole, as long as they know it and they're true to their core then it doesn't matter. I'd take an asshole on my side over a poser in a Thrasher hoody any day. Long live Jake and long live skateboarding!
