The Cult of Mullen

[TheFarter248]

First things first, Rodney is an amazing skater and without a doubt, a pioneer. With that said, I keep hearing that he's The Godfather of Street, and I'm here to tell you, that it's total bullshit.

Yes, Mullen supposedly invented the flatground ollie, but let's be clear, he did not invent the ollie itself. Anyone watching footage of Gelfand's ollie on vert know the mechanics are there, and they understand that Rodney (and maybe others before him) copied Alan.

In the 80s, few street skaters paid attention to freestyle. Example  - I read an interview w/Gonz (and others) who said Hosoi did the first ollie he saw. How can Rodney be so influential if other PRO SKATERS witnessed something completely different?

I also feel a big part of skateboarding is conquering your fear, and I've never seen a scary Mullen trick. Insanely, beautifully technical, definitely. But never scary.

There is some serious historical revisionism going on these days. From someone who was there, I can tell you: Rodney basically invented ledge dancing. He didn't invent street skating as we know it. That honor goes to a combination of skaters, eg Natas, Gonz, Christian, etc. I'd rate Matt Hensley as more influential to be perfectly honest.

[LonleySk8er15]

you probably think chuck Berry invented rock n' roll, when really it was Marty Mcfly.

[TheFarter248]

It was Bill and Ted dude

[SkatingOnNeptune]

Tony honk invented modern rollerbording

[Lou Strux]

Your opinion has been noted, recorded, and reported to proper authorities. 😉
Thank you for informing SLAP of your views.

[TheFarter248]

you probably think chuck Berry invented rock n' roll, when really it was Marty Mcfly.

Wait a minute, wasn't marty mcfly skating street in the 50s??
Fuck.

[SatanicPanic]

Ok

[Christmas Complete]

You're a fucking idiot, but at least this isn't another "gotcha!" racism thread.

[ziggy]

Your personal preferences have no bearing on skate history and relevance

[TheFarter248]

Actually, I just dropped some history on your fucking head. Your response was...what now?

[TheFarter248]

You're a fucking idiot, but at least this isn't another "gotcha!" racism thread.

You already lost the argument by insulting me.
I agree with the second part though.

[silhouette]

Even your version of skate history when it comes to inventing tricks is probably manufactured under many aspects. People have always ripped and the first person known for a trick usually means the first sponsored skateboarder with the right connections to do one in a popular video. For one dude who's renowned for inventing a trick, there's probably 50 randoms from all over who were also doing it around the same time, if not way earlier and unless you go super local you'll never hear of them.

Also people are calling you names because the lesson you dropped is common knowledge and this is SLAP so folks will be caustic about it.

[ziggy]

Actually, I just dropped some history on your fucking head. Your response was...what now?

an anecdote from one guy? you said there were others, but named none

Mullen and freestyle skating being an acquired taste for some is nothing new, but doesn’t erase Rodney’s legacy

[50mm]

I had a shredded chicken bbq sandwich for lunch. 2 in fact.

[TheFarter248]

Jeff Grosso (RIP) had a similar opinion, I'd take his word over yours.
Rodney is not the Godfather. Rodney was doing freestyle in full fucking pads while Natas was 50-50 huge rails.
Rodney didn't even skate street until the early 90s.
You're being vague. I'm citing specific examples.

[TheFarter248]

Even your version of skate history when it comes to inventing tricks is probably manufactured under many aspects. People have always ripped and the first person known for a trick usually means the first sponsored skateboarder with the right connections to do one in a popular video. For one dude who's renowned for inventing a trick, there's probably 50 randoms from all over who were also doing it around the same time, if not way earlier and unless you go super local you'll never hear of them.

Also people are calling you names because the lesson you dropped is common knowledge and this is SLAP so folks will be caustic about it.

I agree with this more than any response so far. But I feel my perception is closer to reality than others would like to believe

[silhouette]

That's because it's indeed closer to reality than the fantasy of Mullen having literally invented everything, but again most everyone on here knows that and knows who Gonz, Natas and Hensley are. If anything nowadays, kids might be clueless about who Mullen is and his contribution to skateboarding than ever as they consume their Insta feed more than they do research on history (but at the same time IG is also a cool place to find and watch old stuff). Maybe you're just used to hanging out with a crew who's been living in a cave since the THPS days - I feel like your thread would have been valid in 2004.

The Godfather of Skateboarding thing you have to see as some kind of honorary title (it's not like one can deny Mullen's contribution altogether either), or maybe you just caught some YouTube clickbait title shit. I've seen different people called that before too, including the Gonz.

[Lou Strux]

Actually, I just dropped some history on your fucking head. Your response was...what now?

Old enough to have had a subscription to Action Now & a Sims Mike Folmer pro model, so I can relate. But, for clarification, WHO is calling Rodney the goshfather of street skating? Is their’s an opinion of note? Should we care about this opinion?
Speaking of opinions, your “history” was a combo of established fact & opinion.
You may not be wrong, but you also may find yourself before an audience that, at the moment, cares less about historical accuracies than they do about torching the villages of the perpetrators of social injustice.
Come back in a month, maybe?

[TheFarter248]

That's because it's indeed closer to the truth that the fantasy of Mullen having literally invented everything, but again most everyone on here knows that and know who Gonz, Natas and Hensley are. If anything nowadays, kids might be clueless about who Mullen is and his contribution to skateboarding than ever as they consume their Insta feed more than they do research on history (but at the same time IG is also a cool place to find and watch old stuff). Maybe you're just used to hanging out with a crew who's been living in a cave since the THPS days - I feel like your thread would have been valid in 2004.

The Godfather of Skateboarding thing you have to see as some kind of honorary title, or maybe you just caught some YouTube clickbait shit. I've seen different people called that before too including the Gonz.

Thank you. I thought I was hallucinating.
I'm certain my skate friends would all agree, those that still skated, anyway. I'm probably the only one left (mid 40s - old af)

[TheFarter248]

Expand Quote

Actually, I just dropped some history on your fucking head. Your response was...what now?

[close]

Old enough to have had a subscription to Action Now & a Sims Mike Folmer pro model, so I can relate. But, for clarification, WHO is calling Rodney the goshfather of street skating? Is their’s an opinion of note? Should we care about this opinion?
Speaking of opinions, your “history” was a combo of established fact & opinion.
You may not be wrong, but you also may find yourself before an audience that, at the moment, cares less about historical accuracies than they do about torching the villages of the perpetrators of social injustice.
Come back in a month, maybe?

Google "Mullen Godfather of Street" FFS. Are you that lazy?
I don't think I said anything that was factually wrong. You're coming out all strong against me but you can't even rebut a single thing I said, other than to say "part of what you said is wrong."
Also, you're deflecting. I won't fall for it.

[TheDingus]

It was Bill and Ted dude

Bill Tocco and Ted Shred

[midtownatl]

Jeff Grosso (RIP) had a similar opinion, I'd take his word over yours.
Rodney is not the Godfather. Rodney was doing freestyle in full fucking pads while Natas was 50-50 huge rails.
Rodney didn't even skate street until the early 90s.
You're being vague. I'm citing specific examples.

I was going to post something about Grosso. I think he was basically ready to say there’s some bullshit fake self promotion in a lot of this ie “freestyle conspiracy” rip

[versacekid420]

he has the secret to skateboarding and he gave it to antwuan and we see how insanely talented he is. maybe he is the godfather of street skating. he’s good by me.

[Garnet]

dude could spin a long ass time tho and up one the one wheel so sick

[Shifty Flip]

I had a shredded chicken bbq sandwich for lunch. 2 in fact.

So did I. Both.  Made Hawaiin sauce with pineapple and put breasts in Crock-Pot on low for 6 hours. Hope yours were good too. 

[SneakySecrets]

I've never seen a scary Mullen trick. Insanely, beautifully technical, definitely. But never scary.

I think I’d be too poosey to front crook a picnic table, so he’s got me there. 

But I’d say that even if Rodney’s style of skating isn’t your cup of tea, you’d have to be a bit of a dumb dumb not to respect what he did in skateboarding.

[Junglist]

To be fair he wasn’t the first train racer.

[Tuff Lover]

I also feel a big part of skateboarding is conquering your fear, and I've never seen a scary Mullen trick. Insanely, beautifully technical, definitely. But never scary.

From someone who was there, I can tell you: Rodney basically invented ledge dancing. He didn't invent street skating as we know it.

Skating is about having fun on a skateboard...

I've never heard of him referred to him as "the godfather of street skateboarding," just a person credited with inventing a bunch of tricks...
 
From everything I've come across, he didn't even want to be a "street skater" and it was Ternasky that put 2 & 2 together and convinced Mullen to do a "street part."
 

[Meekin]

I also feel a big part of skateboarding is conquering your fear, and I've never seen a scary Mullen trick. Insanely, beautifully technical, definitely. But never scary.

Thanks for reminding me that skateboarding should be scary!

[TheLurper]

Well, this thread is dumb.

But, if we are talking about Mullen, I saw him skate a treadmill at ASR.

Dwindle was having some sort of contest on it, I think. I can't remember what the hell was going on. My ankle was broken at the time so I just lurked and the memory is a weird blur.