Rodney Mullen | Building on a Bedrock of Failure
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Rodney was the most dominant world champion in skateboarding’s history. If you Google “Godfather of Modern Skateboarding,” Mullen pops up for creating most of today’s tricks. He also studied chemical engineering, that is, until a friend borrowed money from a loan shark; using it, they built the largest skate company of the era, earning him two patents along the way. After its sale, Rodney found parallels to skate and hacker culture, which sent him on a winding path to become a Director’s Fellow at the Media Lab. He’s also appeared in ten videogames and piles of skate mag’s; more recently, Rod’s featured in Wired, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vogue, and the Wall Street Journal. His very first talk went to TED; he’s also spoken at Apple, Nike, IBM, JPL, Wired and the Smithsonian, where his board is on display.
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he is GLOWING here. what a great energy. he's so comfortable with speaking now :,)
You can literally see how he has grow into it through all his expositions :') it's beautiful and heartwarming
What a delightful man, Rodney. I couldn’t love him more.
God, please let Rodney Mullen live a long, long life and continue to teach and inspire people.
god hears you
Watched Rodney since I started skating around 1987 , still love watching the old videos and trying the odd kick flip
People just don't understand man... skateboarding is more than doing tricks.. It's a lifestyle and an extension of your being
What an amazing way to put it! skated from 10 yrs old to 20 yrs old. I got a small local board shop sponsorship at 19, then was in a 411VM for a single trick (longest bs crook to fakie I've ever done), it was like 4 seconds, but that was the height of my career, and I was am still am proud and stoked on it. At that time I was a low volt electrician and just got a raise to $27.97/hr. My foreman/boss found out I was skating on my breaks and doing what we do/ I did, by someone (I assume was trying to get my position or didn't like me or so on), and he told me that I was a liability skateboarding on breaks and I actually agreed and stopped on my breaks. Later (few months), he approached me and said he's heard I was doing dangerous "stunts" and its either my career as a Low Volt Electrician, or being a skateboarding street kid, he even called me 'Evel Kineval' before walking off (even though he was saying it in a condescending way, its actually funny in hind sight).... I hated being called a kid, especially because the shit I was doing was something they couldn't let alone fathom nor EVER do, but also they were to scared to step foot on my deck before it was black-balled and was just sort of a fun thing my co-workers watched on their breaks. Anyway, I stopped. I was making good money, I cant eat free decks and the occasional shoe that didn't sell well that was in my size. I dont regret hanging it up, I am still in the trade and make great money for a 31 yr old, and I actually put in a lot of thought as to quit and pursue a career in skateboarding, but around that time the Mega Ramp became a HUGE deal, street skating was progressing at an INSANE pace that I just didnt see myself sustaining or catching up to, let alone progressing myself...I sorta gave up on my dream.
So what I am getting at is, this last month, during this pandemic I started thinking of something I can do as a hobby and that I enjoyed, and skating has never left my skull, NEVER, I've always been in Thrasher mindset since I left the scene. I brought up to my ex that I was going to go out and pick up like a mini-logo complete and just sorta roll and do some flat ground stuff and ledges, and she totally dissed me and said "I was too old, and I should do something that I was "good" at, and "enjoyed", and wasn't "dangerous"....This was my babies mom, who I talked to ALL THE TIME while we were together about how much I missed it and how it was like a piece of who I am for over 4 years. It made me think of my old Boss, and how people, even ones who you think know you best, just truly don't understand how much the grip sticks to more than your feet. It sticks to who you are as an individual and never really leaves, if it truly is/was your passion. Even if you were good, bad, sponsored, flowed, professional, or just a fan, once you catch the bug it never leaves. Like a good AIDS. lol.
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Sorry for the wall of text, I got carried away with my auto-biography.)
@@davidmaschino3359 Thank you for sharing!
I'm 34 and I definitely know what you mean. People think skateboarding is just a playtime for kids or teenagers. And yet, nobody tells adults to not play basketball, or tennis, or to stop going for runs, because it would be ridiculous to do so. Skateboarding stays deep within you. Even if you haven't push a board in years, you always have an eye for skateboarding and the culture of it.
I'm not a teenager anymore so I don't have time to skate all day and night anymore but I still love it. I am a computer programmer and I built something cool for the skate community using my programming skills. I've literally worked at this project for years in my spare time and a lot of people don't understand why. But I do, and that's all that matters.
I teared up when he went back out there after getting hurt. He worked his whole life to get to that point and wasn't going to let anything get in his way. Such an inspiration.
Danny coming back from that slam like he did is not only one of the greatest moments in sports history, it is one of the most fantastic, real-time glimpses into the lengths the human spirit can go and still perservere. Adversity, catastrophe, both avoidable and unavoidable tragedy; the ability the human body and mind has to be able to carry on when every other part of you is saying to stop... It's inspiring.
I know it's probably "not that deep bro", but I think maybe that's why it resonates so deeply with me every time I see the replays. Can't keep that lonely tear from coming out every single time I see Danny carrying himself off the ramp and then coming back to do what he did.
Yooo some of this made it into the new tony hawk documentary I think
This gave me Goosebumps! I can't even explain it ❤️
Man is a genius and I understand him cause I skate!
wish he could come to my school :)
Criminally underrated…
Digging that CdG shirt Mr. Mullen.
What does CdG stand for?
@@versnellingspookie Comme des Garçons
L E G E N D
Pain distorts reality
This guy should had an empire way bigger than Tony hawk
Like why is he so humble
True inspiration
Love you man
I truly do
Uhmmm at one point he did. He was part owner of World Industries i believe, but after a while he stepped out of the limelight for a couple reasons
I'm actually tearing up. Grew up watching him, I'm 44. He's an absolute LEGEND and his name will live on in skaters hearts and minds, forever. Cheers, to Rodney!
It’s very disappointing this video only has this many likes/views/comments. Doesn’t anybody recall who this man is in skateboarding? What he did in the realm of true creativity? When 411vm was nuts with some of the best skateboarding in that time including this hero! Thank you Rodney for all you’ve done in our world of love we call skateboarding. We cherish your knowledge.
3:00 - I think most people might not realize, but that has to be the hardest trick there is. The strength to get into a handstand. Then to do a handstand. Then to balance a board. Then to land it. Does anyone have any idea how hard this is? I can speak to this. Personally tried working on it.