Steve Rocco back from the dead?

[PatrickSkateman]

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Of course younger people know about Rocco. He made sure to spin his own revisionist history that didn't include selling knowingly shit wood with the same obsolete Sims shape and atrocious graphics (his own, not the iconic Greg Evans typographic art). His greatest strength was hiring the right people. Though it would take a few years. Rocco was even more out of touch than George Powell when he released such hits as the Think Crime board, based on the same Sims board, with a hint of old Zorlac and a comically pointy nose. On both boards, the rear truck stuck way out if sized for the front and the tail might be the widest part of the board.

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I don’t think anyone under 35 would know any of the words in your post

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Thought I dumbed it down by deleting the Taylor-Dykema reference. Nevermind, all hail rocco.

I always liked the Taylor Dykema decks. I don't think World ever used them though.

Anyone who actually skated them knows the World wood was awful. Usually done in less than a week, especially the 7.25’s.

World boards were everywhere though.

Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.

[Chavo]

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Of course younger people know about Rocco. He made sure to spin his own revisionist history that didn't include selling knowingly shit wood with the same obsolete Sims shape and atrocious graphics (his own, not the iconic Greg Evans typographic art). His greatest strength was hiring the right people. Though it would take a few years. Rocco was even more out of touch than George Powell when he released such hits as the Think Crime board, based on the same Sims board, with a hint of old Zorlac and a comically pointy nose. On both boards, the rear truck stuck way out if sized for the front and the tail might be the widest part of the board.

[close]

I don’t think anyone under 35 would know any of the words in your post

[close]

Thought I dumbed it down by deleting the Taylor-Dykema reference. Nevermind, all hail rocco.

[close]

Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.

Is this collective memory or part of Rocco's propaganda machine?

[PatrickSkateman]

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Of course younger people know about Rocco. He made sure to spin his own revisionist history that didn't include selling knowingly shit wood with the same obsolete Sims shape and atrocious graphics (his own, not the iconic Greg Evans typographic art). His greatest strength was hiring the right people. Though it would take a few years. Rocco was even more out of touch than George Powell when he released such hits as the Think Crime board, based on the same Sims board, with a hint of old Zorlac and a comically pointy nose. On both boards, the rear truck stuck way out if sized for the front and the tail might be the widest part of the board.

[close]

I don’t think anyone under 35 would know any of the words in your post

[close]

Thought I dumbed it down by deleting the Taylor-Dykema reference. Nevermind, all hail rocco.

[close]

Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.

[close]

Is this collective memory or part of Rocco's propaganda machine?

It's historical fact. No one else in skateboarding sponsored as many minority skaters and let them express themselves before Rocco did.

Definitely not Richard Novak or George Powell.

[Ghostof941]

Yo some of you are way too comfy outing yourself as straight up brainwashed should know better by now losers. Chudposters get out of skateboarding forever you are corporate so go back to reddit to be with your people.

[SubCurban Commando]

If Rocco's got any sense he'll buy back world and flood urban outfitters and hot topic with flame boy and wet willy stuff, the prices on vintage ones are crazy and every "streetwear/vintage" kid just looks like a skater from 95-04 atm anyway. Also, people who skated then are just hitting the age where they start buying nostalgia product, awful lot of kids who were 15 when THPS came out are hitting 40 now and have disposable income to relive their youth and the vast majority of them were wearing/skating wet willy/flameboy/blind reaper gear. In 5-10 years it won't be MAGA chuds at the park on their reissue Santa Cruz/Powell boards, it'll all be 7.5 world repops with Roofies flame grip and Shorties Spell Out Hoodies.

[able]

Breaking news April 1st

https://ableskatemag.com/steverocco/

[GAY]

Plan P Skateboards

[D10S]

[/quote]

Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.
[/quote]

Rocco most def was the first to have a roster of minority skaters, especially in the Love Child phase (Chico, Shiloh, Spencer, Jovontae, Daniel, Daewon) but skaters like Ray Bones Rodriguez, Tony Alva, Eddie Elguera, Cab, Gonz, Tommy Guerrero, Lester Kasai, Hosoi and others were established pros with blossoming careers...

[jums]

Breaking news April 1st

https://ableskatemag.com/steverocco/

Bad April fools joke… 2bn lol

[PatrickSkateman]

Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.
[/quote]

Rocco most def was the first to have a roster of minority skaters, especially in the Love Child phase (Chico, Shiloh, Spencer, Jovontae, Daniel, Daewon) but skaters like Ray Bones Rodriguez, Tony Alva, Eddie Elguera, Cab, Gonz, Tommy Guerrero, Lester Kasai, Hosoi and others were established pros with blossoming careers...
[/quote]

How do you mention all of them and not mention Ray Barbee, Chuck Treece, Ron Allen or Steve Steadham?

[D10S]

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Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.

Rocco most def was the first to have a roster of minority skaters, especially in the Love Child phase (Chico, Shiloh, Spencer, Jovontae, Daniel, Daewon) but skaters like Ray Bones Rodriguez, Tony Alva, Eddie Elguera, Cab, Gonz, Tommy Guerrero, Lester Kasai, Hosoi and others were established pros with blossoming careers...
[/quote]

How do you mention all of them and not mention Ray Barbee, Chuck Treece, Ron Allen or Steve Steadham?
[/quote]

My list was not meant to be exhaustive, hence the "and others" but you're right, these dudes were established and successful pros pre-Rocco's/World's takeover...

[PatrickSkateman]

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Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.

[close]

Rocco most def was the first to have a roster of minority skaters, especially in the Love Child phase (Chico, Shiloh, Spencer, Jovontae, Daniel, Daewon) but skaters like Ray Bones Rodriguez, Tony Alva, Eddie Elguera, Cab, Gonz, Tommy Guerrero, Lester Kasai, Hosoi and others were established pros with blossoming careers...

How do you mention all of them and not mention Ray Barbee, Chuck Treece, Ron Allen or Steve Steadham?
[/quote]

My list was not meant to be exhaustive, hence the "and others" but you're right, these dudes were established and successful pros pre-Rocco's/World's takeover...
[/quote]

Rocco had the first predominantly minority teams with World.

Paved the way for Chocolate, 60/40, Neighborhood, American Dream, etc.

He also let his teamriders express themselves and speak out more. There wasn't anything like it in skateboarding before 1992. Teams made of predominantly black and Latino kids from the inner city.

If I'm not mistaken, Santa Cruz didn't have a black team rider until Caesar Singh 22 years after the company started.

[WavyDavy]

[versacekid420]

booooooorrriiinnngggg

[Doodily]

Expand Quote

Of course younger people know about Rocco. He made sure to spin his own revisionist history that didn't include selling knowingly shit wood with the same obsolete Sims shape and atrocious graphics (his own, not the iconic Greg Evans typographic art). His greatest strength was hiring the right people. Though it would take a few years. Rocco was even more out of touch than George Powell when he released such hits as the Think Crime board, based on the same Sims board, with a hint of old Zorlac and a comically pointy nose. On both boards, the rear truck stuck way out if sized for the front and the tail might be the widest part of the board.

[close]

I don’t think anyone under 35 would know any of the words in your post

Zorlac boards… well that’s a name I haven’t heard in along time, like 30 years. Ugly ass boards but some sick art work.

[carbonite]

World shapes with the Prime wood were the shit. especially with the purple tops

[natenola forever]

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Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.

[close]

Rocco most def was the first to have a roster of minority skaters, especially in the Love Child phase (Chico, Shiloh, Spencer, Jovontae, Daniel, Daewon) but skaters like Ray Bones Rodriguez, Tony Alva, Eddie Elguera, Cab, Gonz, Tommy Guerrero, Lester Kasai, Hosoi and others were established pros with blossoming careers...

[close]

How do you mention all of them and not mention Ray Barbee, Chuck Treece, Ron Allen or Steve Steadham?

My list was not meant to be exhaustive, hence the "and others" but you're right, these dudes were established and successful pros pre-Rocco's/World's takeover...
[/quote]

Rocco had the first predominantly minority teams with World.

Paved the way for Chocolate, 60/40, Neighborhood, American Dream, etc.

He also let his teamriders express themselves and speak out more. There wasn't anything like it in skateboarding before 1992. Teams made of predominantly black and Latino kids from the inner city.

If I'm not mistaken, Santa Cruz didn't have a black team rider until Caesar Singh 22 years after the company started.
[/quote]

Roger Brown who is credited with first skating Love Park as a spot rode for Santa Cruz in 1990, Gershon Mosley was in a Strange Notes video from around the same era, I believe there was also a few of the black vert skaters from the 80s that has stint on Santa Cruz for a short time. Ron Allen and an at least a few other black dudes rode for Speed Wheels, Eric Britton was a pro SMA which was a Santa Cruz company, Hosoi Skateboards was out of Santa Cruz and ion their were any white guys on that company they were the minority. You check video called Troops of Tomorrow I think it came out in 1991 and they have every color representation in that video.

[Chavo]

The idea that great white hope Rocco paved the way for "minority" companies is absurd. The Shut crew cutting boards in 1986 on Stack Aly's roof and screening them with graffiti-inspired art is the epitome of "expressing themselves". Creating a minority-majority team was clearly not Rodney and Bruno's intended vision--they had team riders from different states, countries, and burroughs (Mike Kepper, Jeremy Henderson, Sean Sheffey, Dune, Coco, etc.).

The added qualifier of "black and latino kids from the inner city" is more problematic. Clyde and Marty Grimes were from South Central and the first black pro skaters (EZ Ryder/Z-Flex/Z). They geographically lived closest to an "inner city" than anyone else, although the term is a dog whistle to denote people of color that live in enclaves formed by racist housing covenants. Just the same, Z Products, with Jimmy Acosta representing the mean streets of El Cajon, San Diego were the closest thing skateboarding has had to a "hood" team.

[meg]

The idea that great white hope Rocco

[PatrickSkateman]

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Rocco was the first to give black and minority skaters a place at the podium.

[close]

Rocco most def was the first to have a roster of minority skaters, especially in the Love Child phase (Chico, Shiloh, Spencer, Jovontae, Daniel, Daewon) but skaters like Ray Bones Rodriguez, Tony Alva, Eddie Elguera, Cab, Gonz, Tommy Guerrero, Lester Kasai, Hosoi and others were established pros with blossoming careers...

[close]

How do you mention all of them and not mention Ray Barbee, Chuck Treece, Ron Allen or Steve Steadham?

[close]

My list was not meant to be exhaustive, hence the "and others" but you're right, these dudes were established and successful pros pre-Rocco's/World's takeover...

Rocco had the first predominantly minority teams with World.

Paved the way for Chocolate, 60/40, Neighborhood, American Dream, etc.

He also let his teamriders express themselves and speak out more. There wasn't anything like it in skateboarding before 1992. Teams made of predominantly black and Latino kids from the inner city.

If I'm not mistaken, Santa Cruz didn't have a black team rider until Caesar Singh 22 years after the company started.
[/quote]

Roger Brown who is credited with first skating Love Park as a spot rode for Santa Cruz in 1990, Gershon Mosley was in a Strange Notes video from around the same era, I believe there was also a few of the black vert skaters from the 80s that has stint on Santa Cruz for a short time. Ron Allen and an at least a few other black dudes rode for Speed Wheels, Eric Britton was a pro SMA which was a Santa Cruz company, Hosoi Skateboards was out of Santa Cruz and ion their were any white guys on that company they were the minority. You check video called Troops of Tomorrow I think it came out in 1991 and they have every color representation in that video.
[/quote]

I forgot about Roger on Santa Cruz.

I only remember Gershon on Milk, but he was on SC before I started.

Santa Cruz had a ton of videos like Hai Karate that everyone seemed to have forgotten about in the early 90’s.

As for Shut, @Chavo is absolutely right. Shut also seemed to be the first hip hop-influenced brand. I wished their ‘06 resurrection would've been as substantial as of was originally hyped to be.

World was more subversive, most of which was influenced by early 90’s racial tensions. I still think those World teams set precedents for diversity.

All that being said, there's not much Rocco can do in skateboarding now that won't be kitschy.

[versacekid420]

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booooooorrriiinnngggg

[close]

Fuck nihga, that new logo chill

talking about the statement

[Xen]

I'm excited for this, Industry needs a shake up

[Rick Trapasso]

I'm so confused now. Maybe that's the point?

Maybe these back and forth PR statements are the beginning of the Rocco show!?

Man I fuckin hope something cool/fun happens.

Would be cool to see them shit on all the kooky ass brands and shit in skateboarding these days.

[Scarecrow Radio]

Nine pages about this kook?

[Ghost Face]

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I'm so confused now. Maybe that's the point?

Maybe these back and forth PR statements are the beginning of the Rocco show!?

Man I fuckin hope something cool/fun happens.

Would be cool to see them shit on all the kooky ass brands and shit in skateboarding these days.

What brands are you referring too?

[Rick Trapasso]

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[close]

I'm so confused now. Maybe that's the point?

Maybe these back and forth PR statements are the beginning of the Rocco show!?

Man I fuckin hope something cool/fun happens.

Would be cool to see them shit on all the kooky ass brands and shit in skateboarding these days.

[close]

What brands are you referring too?

Sandlot times, thank you, meow, monarch (is that still a thing?), two cents, and uma (even though I love the team, the gear is wack)

Off the top of my head, and those were just deck brands.

Every wheel company other than spitfire should give up.

Silver trucks? Yea those can get fucked too.

Grizzly grip is pretty lame.

Pick a component of a skateboard, you're sure to find a couple kooky ass brands peddling them. And that's not even getting into the apparel/lifestyle brands.

[Ninj2]

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[close]

I'm so confused now. Maybe that's the point?

Maybe these back and forth PR statements are the beginning of the Rocco show!?

Man I fuckin hope something cool/fun happens.

Would be cool to see them shit on all the kooky ass brands and shit in skateboarding these days.

[close]

What brands are you referring too?

[close]

Sandlot times, thank you, meow, monarch (is that still a thing?), two cents, and uma (even though I love the team, the gear is wack)

Off the top of my head, and those were just deck brands.

Every wheel company other than spitfire should give up.

Silver trucks? Yea those can get fucked too.

Grizzly grip is pretty lame.

Pick a component of a skateboard, you're sure to find a couple kooky ass brands peddling them. And that's not even getting into the apparel/lifestyle brands.

Yawn.  so boring. Making fun of other skate brands  as your entire brand identity is pretty trife. Like does anyone actually even care at this point? Theirs so much stupid out there cuz stupid is. That’s just how it is.  Think Rocco gonna save us from late stage capitalism and fungus infected zombie flies that make you trip? Nope.

[Ninj2]

I bet dear skateboards hella scared tho and that makes me laugh

[PalaceButtPlug]

when this guy dies, his legacy of being a greedy shitsucking culture vulture will remain.

[Mallie]

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I'm excited for this, Industry needs a shake up

[close]

Or rather a shakedown...