thanks scott

ok i agree with u on saying the pack is one of the worse things to happen to skateboarding but why fsas?

Okay so the worst thing to happen to skateboarding is the Pack, Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco and Ice Cream/BBC. Why is this? I beg to differ, I have no problems with any of these things. They have broadened the demographic of skateboarding as a whole. Skateboarding is becoming more acceptable in the urban community thus creating more people that respect and understand skateboarding as well as participate in this hobby we enjoy so much. Mainly the only thing that it is leading to is more black skaters which I think is great. When I first started skating, there was stevie williams, kareem campbell, gershon mosely and a handful of other dudes. I like the fact that skateboarding is becoming more diverse. As for Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell, sure they may not be talented skaters but they love skateboarding and have a passion for it. There is nothing wrong with that at all. That describes the majority of the people on this board. However, the difference is, they are in a career that they can express this passion. This is why Lupe is making songs about skateboarding, and this is why Pharrell started Ice Cream. There is nothing wrong with Ice Cream. I'm good friends with Jimmy Gorecki who rides for Ice Cream. They are a real deal team, they just got a lot of main stream exposure. As for the Pack, they are the same deal. They are a bunch of dudes that love skating and they enjoy emceeing as well so they do something different. All of a sudden now you have black rappers who are singing about skating and rocking vans and all these kids with their tight jeans and hessian style can't deal with the fact that they aren't the only ones wearing vans. Jimmy has skated with the dudes from the Pack when he was out in Cali and he told me that they are actually talented skaters. Don't hate on these people because they don't fit your specific style, thats called discrimination and arguably could be interpreted as racism. By the way, urban culture isn't ruining skateboarding because basically during the entire second half of the 90's skateboarding was very hip-hop oriented. Personally I think the people that are dressing exactly like Chris Cole are ruining skateboarding. Do you own thing. Every single skater these days under the age of 15 looks the same, tight jeans, zero boards, and long hair. I used to skate with Cole when I was younger when he was only sponsored by G-Spot (Skateshop in Bucks County) and I think he is an amazing skater, one of my favorites by far, but I'm just tired of skateboarding blending into this one ideal, where kids are trying to be different, by being trendy. Sorry, its true. Those are my thoughts. In closing, respect anyone who shares your passion and be an individual.

Message was edited by: ChvyVele (edited for masking)

I like how you think, Pharrell and Lupe Fiasco aren't good but they love skateboarding, and that's why they make products and put it in their music. And if you're racist because you say Pharrell is a horrible addition to skateboarding, your wrong. He changed it. And so did the other handful of black skateboarders.

Actually I'm friends with Young L and Stunna from the pack, and they are actual dedicated skateboarders (I skated with Stunna as recently as go skateboarding day). I agree some of the fallout from their song has been out of control, but they meant well and they are legit. I'm hating on Pharrell because he is a huge poser and takes credit for forging hip hop and skateboarding, which, if anyone knows anything about skate culture, the two have been intertwined ever since the beginning. also its not like this is the first song of this type (anyone remember my Adidas?).

...or for that matter Murs has been making songs about skating for a long time now. I'm just saying, I think people are hating on these dudes for illegit reasons.

Thats why I hate Pharrel. People think he started hip hop and skating. And I hate black skaters that only started skating because of him and all that Ice Cream BS. Before I was constantly discriminated against for being a black skater. Now because of some famous rapper and his colorful apparel, suddenly skating is cool. Ice Cream is as much of a trend as the whole Chris Cole/tight pants thing.

Pharrell didn't start the combination of Hip-Hop culture and Skateboarding culture but he sure putted it in the spotlight and I actually thank him for that. A lot of non-skaters consider skateboarding as being cool right now, instead of hating everybody on a board just because it's for 'punks'. I think Pharrell helped making non-skaters accept the skateboarding community and I don't have a problem with that

but what pharrell is doing for skateboarding is 10,000 times better than what bam was doing. all the kids who skated because of bam were jerks.

Look, if you skate, you skate. It's not like classifying music; there aren't "black skaters" or "tight pants skaters." There are "skaters" or there are not. If people quit attaching labels to everything we'd eliminate inter-community harassment. Why should skaters gripe at each other what one another looks like? How stupid is that?

I don't agree with that. No offence to anyone but I don't like seeing skaters who skate in tight pants or gothic skaters. They might be nice cool people but I don't like to be compared with them. I think there is definatly a difference between urban skaters and old-skool skaters if I may call it that

but Pharrell hasnt really done anything to help skateboarding. If anything, he has made it into a gimmick. I hate it whenever i see some wanna be gangsta holding his brand new skateboard by the trucks and not knowing what to do with it. yall need to quit blaming the pack for this because they meant well and didnt expect the song to blow up like it did. especially when it results in stuff like this.

http://www.grindtv.com/profile/BoardBangers/

no no no i like lupe fiasco and pharell i just dont like the pack because it seems like pharell came out reppin skateboardin before it was cool so did lupe fiasco but the packs just jumpin on the band waggon they arent even rappin about skateboarding they just rap about their size 10 vans and i only said fsas because efery one wears it now and it seems like it kinda lost what it stood for

did you know that what you're wearing can affect whether you will get kicked out of a spot or not? (in real life, not the game)

Yea i dont think security and cops like skaters to begin with but a kid in black tight pants and long hair is more likly to get kicked out then a kid in a t-shirt and baseball cap.