#cool griptape

[niki-phoria]

YOUR SMILE LIGHTS MY HEART UP / YOU'RE MY DESIRE, TAKE MY HAND

pairing: itadori yuuji x gn!reader (no pronouns used) genre: fluff word count: 502

notes: non sorcerer jjk au bc my boy deserves some rest, yuuji skates bc i say so, slight mentions of blood, inumaki cameo, title from ZEROBASEONE - take my hand

ITADORI YUUJI flinches as you brush the alcohol-soaked cloth against the cut embedded into his arm. blood soaks into the fabric quickly, staining the previously white fibers a deep shade of red. “sorry,” he hisses, gritting his teeth at the sting. 

“don’t be,” you shake your head in response, tossing the cloth to the side. it lands unceremoniously on the nearby table, right next to a small spool of bandages and a box of medium sized band-aids. “what happened this time?”

yuuji’s face flushes a light pink - nearly the same shade as his dyed strands of hair. he chuckles awkwardly, unconsciously beginning to nervously scratch at the back of his neck. “i made a bet with inumaki that i could land a kickflip.”

you bite back a chuckle of your own as you reach over to grab the roll of bandages. yuuji had become a familiar face in the infirmary, showing up with a variety of injuries ranging from deep lacerations requiring stitches to newly-forming bruises that barely needed an ice pack. 

your gaze drifts to the side where yuuji’s skateboard has been haphazardly propped up against the wall. despite being no more than a few months old, the wood is already covered in a lifetime’s worth of scratches and the griptape has been worn down from excessive use. “and did you land it?”

his smile brightens. he sits up excitedly as he nods. “i did! it only took me three attempts.”

yuuji was used to pushing his body to its physical limits, uncaring about the scars that litter his knees or the possibility of broken bones. but you treat him differently; you treat him delicately. your touch is gentle as you carefully weave the bandages around his forearm, effectively covering most of his skin in a blanket of white. your cool hands brushing against his flushed skin sends bolts of electricity down his spine - an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome feeling. 

“be more careful next time,” you lightly scold as you tuck the bandage under itself to secure it in place. “i’m tired of you stumbling in here all bloody.”

“if i didn’t know any better, i’d think you were worried about me,” yuuji teases. he stretches out his arm, experimentally rolling his wrist to feel how the bandage shifts against his skin. 

“maybe i am,” you shrug. you say the words casually - as if they’re part of an already unspoken agreement between the two of you - but they made yuuji’s heart stop beating in his chest. he freezes; wide, unblinking eyes meet your own. 

his breath catches in his throat when you chuckle. your laugh is a beautiful sound that fills the walls of the usually grim infirmary with a newfound excitement. butterflies swarm throughout his stomach. “i’ll need to see you tomorrow to replace the bandage. don’t keep me waiting.”

the implication of your words hangs heavy in the air. yuuji shoots you a lopsided smile. “i wouldn’t dream of it,” he chuckles with flushed cheeks and a bright smile.

taglist (open! send an ask/dm to be added): @sunoooism @vamxpi @sad-darksoul @kamote-kuneho

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[autistic-raphael]

,,i saw a beautiful opportunity today so i built a board for the first time (i have ridden prebuilds to this point)

it's jackson pilz' Toadadelic pro deck; 9.125x32.3 football shape with mellow concave and steep kick which???? amazing stats, absolutely perfect for me, also

I also love the aesthetic design of this deck; i love that they kept the woodgrain visible, i love that they gave it a split veneer, i love the palette they chose, and that they put the graphic off center, i love that the graphic is almost secondary to the wood of the deck itself, i love that the text on top relates to the graphic, and that the logo matches the colour on the flip side thereby bringing both sides together

so obviously i had to get clear griptape lmao i was back and forth between this clear mob and a dgk mushroom design bc it would match the toad but i eventually settled on clear to preserve the top side of the deck

the trucks are kien caple's K5 DLK trucks by krux. we werent familiar with kien before i bought these beautiful blue trucks that i thought would suit this board beautifully, but what a delight to discover that kien is also trans (transfem)!! a trans pro skaters trucks wowowowow!!!! and they have beautiful lovely doves on them too :)

the wheels are 55m 78a mini super juices by oj. the person helping me was astonished by how close the colour was to the colour of the deck, as was i. there were some sweet multicoloured spitfire classics that i was also considering, but i decided to stick with something closer to a cruiser wheel, which im more used to riding, and i love how i can see the bright pink wheel peeking out from the sides of the deck and seeing it with the green and blue

my partner graciously let me use his spare set of bones reds bearings, and the hardware is standard black indie, though i do want to look for some good gold hardware because Can You Imagine. it would be Beautiful

and then of course i added a couple stickers, the oj sticker down by the frog, and little alien sticking it out saying "lets get weird," which delighted me and which i thought would suit the theme of the deck. hes under the tape so hes nice and safe

Ive been standing on it in the apartment to get used to the feeling of it and to adjust the trucks, and the length of the board is soooooo prefect for me. Id go to step back after balancing on my front foot and id step right into the pocket, its perfect for my shoulder width. the steep kicks are awesome, they feel great for control for the limited amount i can get in here, aha, and the combination with the mellow concave is Awesome since im coming from crusier boards

I didnt set out to buy a board today, but man it really just jumped out at me. There were a couple really cool shapes at the shop today, and this was the best one. I was hypothetically looking at wheels and I asked if i could compare a couple sets, so i grabbed the board to put them against it at which point i was like,,,, i guess im gonna put this all together lmao. But it looks awesome!! and it feels good, and im excited to learn a trick or two on it this year

[dzpenumbra]

11/2/22

A lot of accomplishments today. It's a shame they don't feel like much. Welp, guess this is what my therapy is now, my self-work... not just diving deep into analyzing the deep end of life... actually making some tweaks to more everyday shit too. So I'm gonna try to really sing my own praises here. Because it's literally my homework. So bear with it if it sounds a little cocky or egotistical. It's depression treatment, boosting that ego a bit instead of constantly kicking it down, because I can trust my ego to be responsible and not let shit go to my head.

I got up late. I ate a yogurt and got in the shower. I am out of cereal, so despite having milk... my breakfast plans were a bit thrown off. yogurt was my backup and good thing because I have a ton and with granola it's not a bad breakfast at all. I didn't even make coffee though. My plan was to go to the store, get a Monster and something to eat, and head right to the skatepark. I was just chompin at the bit to get there today. I didn't even really have a plan, just work on nollies a bit or something.

I got the Monster and a sandwich, headed to the park and there were two guys around my age - one a bit older than me, the other a bit younger - and their kids, I assume, either that or the younger dude was a coach or an uncle or much older brother or something. It was cool, I didn't expect it to be... but it was chill. The kid with the younger dude was practicing back axle stalls on the mini quarter, he was trying to teach him and the kid got pretty close a few times.

The other father talked to me a bit. Asked me how long I've been around, I said like 25 years. Guess that caught him off-guard. Then asked what I do, probably because he's never seen me. I swear, it's always the second question. People don't even ask me my name anymore. Think about that, they want to know my profession before my name. I've met like 3 people since I've started going to the park regularly and not one of them know my name. I don't know when to volunteer it or ask theirs, I really struggle to feel the flow of conversations, and I fear disrupting them. The second damn question I'm asked like every time I meet people, "what do you do? where do you work?" It's a hard question for me to answer.

I don't make money. So... I just say I'm an artist. Then they ask what I make. This time I said clothing, because right this moment it's basically all I make. I am capable of making much more, but right now I make clothing. Being an artist is not always an easy thing to explain to people, often it feels like trying to explain a color to them that they've never seen before. "I'm making custom clothes, I made this hoodie." Yep, I was wearing the hoodie. It even had a white colored pencil outlines for the crow centerpiece on the right sleeve still clearly visible. The dude like, without missing a beat, went "oh yeah, what else do you make?" Like... didn't even look at the hoodie. And I also have a board with custom painted griptape too... Like... some people just don't engage with it. It's so weird to me.

Welp, after a bit of talking, I mentioned I'm making jewelry too and he fuckin lit up, so that was good! My diverse media served a really good use today. So I mentioned doing it by hand and sourcing local minerals and shit. He referred me to, I shit you not, the two spots that I have been sourcing stones and minerals. The river and an old smoky quartz vein in a national park that now has signs up everywhere saying the place is off limits because people fucking googled it and depleted the damn place. Like... fuck people. I snuck in pretty recently and grabbed a few scraps. I don't need much for a jewelry piece, even like an amulet centerpiece. They don't even have to be perfect crystals, I can just shape them now. But some people came in and tore the place up bigtime, debris everywhere, cave-ins, giant holes just dug out. And the spot is a big cliff, so... that could get super dangerous and do a number on the ecosystem if people are do that wrong one time. So I stopped going, even though my best pieces are from there.

The dude also recommended a dude not far from here that does car inspections - guess whose car is a month overdue for inspection... - and has a whole load of mineral collections that he's gotten from people who inherited them and shit. I don't know if he'd be down to like... donate some... I really doubt it... but I might be able to get a few choice pieces for a good deal, especially if he knew it was going to jewelry-making, to art. That they will be cherished and worn regularly (I hope), not just sitting in a box or in a garage. I got excited about that, I got the guy's name and I'm going to try to overcome my stupid social anxiety which is flaring up big-time in that general direction right now and just see if he'll set up an appointment within the next two weeks. I'd be more than glad to help his business, and I'd absolutely love to see what he has in his collection while he works on it. Much better than sitting awkwardly in a car dealership service department drawing in my sketchbook with headphones in. I'd much rather poke around in some weird old dude's garage and look at his collection of antique cars and inherited mineral display pieces and antique license plates and shit. That would be awesome! So if I can just shake this reflex that feels like I'm setting up a doctor's appointment... please... it would be really helpful. I hate that feeling, I'm so tired of it. I wish I could just pick up the phone and call, I used to. Pavlovian training is very powerful. But the more I practice just picking up the phone, doing it and seeing that it's absolutely fine? The more I get used to it, and the easier it will be to do it again. The worst thing that could happen is he could say he can't make an appointment. That's like... it. He might like... rip me off price-wise... it's possible. But whatever, he'll have to deal with the guilt of that if he's that kind of person.

So it was cool meeting someone new and getting a life and work connection. Me and that dude waxed nostalgic about skating in college, which was really chill. I just... have a different relationship to skating than him. I sought out getting back into skating, his kid got him back into it. He clearly had an accident and just stopped skating; kinda like me I guess, though mine wasn't a skating accident. He was probably skating home from a party late at night, drunk, and ate shit. From what he told me, it sounded like that's probably what happened. It's weird how people just... tell me stuff like that. I feel like that's not very normal, but it's been happening a lot lately. Like I'm a priest or something, and they're in confessional. I appreciate the gesture, it's a huge compliment. I was talking about how I missed skating on sidewalks, the sound of it, the feeling of it. I guess maybe it brought him back or something. But he got back into skating because of his kid, which is still awesome. They were both at around the same ability level, which is actually really cool. I wish they worked on tricks together, it seems like they were both just cruising, which is still cool.

I did my own thing, practiced some stall variations on the stair. Nosestall shove revert, that weird new nosestall-toehook-crook-revert, fakie nosestall shove nosestall revert. I'm really liking adding quick reverts to the ends of tricks now. I tried doing a few lines too. Like manualing the big bank up and down, looping around and then front 180ing off the other bank onto the flat. I did a really weird manual powerslide 180 into pivot 270 on a hip, which I still can't get that whole huge fakie pivot down right... but the manual powerslide (I guess, I do them a lot, I don't know what they're called) and a little revert back to regular is still cool and fun to do on a hip.

After a bit, they all left. I had the park to myself again. I did a few laps, practiced nose manuals and fakie manuals. Fakie manuals are weird as hell and I really want to get better at them. Lots of nose/nollie tricks today so my left thigh was really feelin it. By the end, I was just toodling around and started going to the mini-quarter and came close to accidentally doing a rock-to-fakie. I got a bit spooked. That trick scares me now, but it was a trick I actually had on lock for a very short period in my life. I never really had a mini-pipe to practice on... ever... so I never got transition tricks down really. I would probably be really good at transition if I just had access to a pipe that was less than fucking 8 feet tall. I have no clue why they didn't just add a full minipipe or minibowl to this new park, there are not a lot of skaters around this area that can skate the kind of shit they've been building. In my opinion, of course. If you want a new generation of skaters, you need some beginner shit too. Not all fucking 45 degree polejams and 8' half bowls and hip-height rails and shit. Throw in a really low manual pad with coping on all sides. Throw in low rails and shit. Make a damn minipipe is what I'm saying, okay?! Let the kids - and adults - learn.

So since I came close to accidentally going into rock-to-fakie, I said fuck it, I'm gonna try just getting into rock to fakie and see how it feels. It freaked me out a bit, but it felt somewhat doable. I started to just skate off somewhere else. I literally stopped myself, and went:

RATIONALITY - "No, nope, why are you just laughing this off, you really don't understand?! This is the trick you're working on right now"

ANXIETY: "But it's getting dark, the light is fading real quick, could be dangerous... what if I catch my trucks? It seems like it's me just begging to get hurt"

RATIONALITY - "okay, let's check then, because this is the trick you're working on. Let that sink in, dum-dum"

And I took my board and ran it along the coping, made contact with the kingpin barely for like a split second and immediately went straight to the wheels and rolled out. It was like... next to impossible to hang up trucks on that thing without just rolling right out of it.

RATIONALITY - "I can say with confidence that your chances of hanging up your trucks on this are like... 10% maximum. You can do this today."

ANXIETY - "But it's getting dark though..."

RATIONALITY - "Then you better get to it."

I gave it a few runs, I got into the rock no problem. Getting on the deck is easy, staying above it is easy too, it's almost easier to not pull your body above the deck and just sneak your board over, I guess. Definitely more stylish that way. But the second I started to roll back fakie I'd just jump off my board. Every time. Like a 50's suburban housewife seeing a mouse in the kitchen or something. It was frustrating me. Like... I practiced just rolling up, lifting my trucks and tapping them back down like 20 times, I had it fine every time. I did a few runs on the big quarter rolling out fakie to prove to myself that I can roll out of a quarter fakie just fine. But it was stuck in my head. It was like a reflex. When those didn't work, I was getting a bit desperate. I said fuck it, I'll just drop in then. I'll get used to how the quarter feels right at the beginning of the line. I'll feel the curve and the balance shift I'll need, because I'm very new to this quarterpipe and I'm not familiar with how it feels to skate it just yet. So I dropped in, pivoted on the bank across from it, then came back, gave a kick and went into rock, and pussed out on the rideaway, but the board made it back out this time no problem. It was getting very dark, but I got back up, I could feel it, I just need to stay on the board. It was working. So I'm pretty sure it was the second time that I dropped in with it, I came back and rock to fakie'd it no problem. And it was a really cool feeling trick. And I fucking like clapped and pumped my arms and went "Yes! Oh my god that's such a good feeling!" And I went back and did it again, for good measure. And I got it fine.

I love unlocking new tricks, or even re-unlocking old tricks. That's a trick I probably haven't done in like... 15 years? Maybe more? And when I did have it, it was like... only for like one session at an indoor park honestly. I'm a street skater, I don't see a lot of minipipes, so the opportunity to pull that trick out just didn't come up again. Until today. And it was cool!

So I went home. Polished some quartz and listened to Devin Townsend having tea with Elizabeth aka A Charismatic Voice. It's an exhausting process hand-sanding quartz, but it's coming along very nicely now. I don't know exactly how far I want to take the super clear quartz, but I'm eyeballing it and it's coming out really well right now, it's going to be a really cool piece, I think.

I made dinner and went into the studio to eat. I ordered Cubase. Finally. It took me like a year to do it. I ordered a DAW. I haven't had music recording capabilities since 2018. I don't want to pirate anymore, and I just didn't have the money available. I said fuck it and pulled the trigger on it. It was well worth it. It was a good decision, a hell of an investment. The things I can do with this are... I mean... I've barely even looked at the thing and I'm blown away at what's possible. I am now prepared for inspiration. I just need to get my drums hooked up properly to my VSTs, learn how to do that in a way that I understand and am comfortable with. I started playing around combining Taiko drums with African drums and different rural Eastern European percussion instruments that clack and jingle. I was programming all of it, and all I wanted to do was just play them on a drum, not program them by hand. And I just couldn't really figure out how to remap them...

I think once I figure that out I can make a cool process out of it. Where I just play a cool drum groove, even layer it and form like... a drum circle? Like... have you ever been in a music class or a workshop or something and they hand out all the percussion instruments and they teach you a pattern and then you all play the patterns together? That kinda deal. And I want to add bass and some atmospheric treble stuff to it and turn those into hip-hop beats.

I want super organic stuff. But made with digital instruments. Made digitally. Played on a MIDI drum kit. That's my goal. I want field recordings too, like nature sounds and shit. I'm very inspired, in case it's isn't noticeable. But I'm holding back because my... process is inhibited by a learning curve. With a new program, and new equipment, there can be a roadblock between what you could do and what you can do. And I currently can't do the drum thing with the VSTs I want. So once I unlock that, I will be able to do any drum VST with my kit, not just Kontakt-based ones. I don't think the VSTs I'm messing around with are made for drums, I think they're made for keyboard, just sayin.

So... I cracked the seal with music and it was great to be back. I saved my little pattern and transitioned into working on the hoodie. I started to see my creative anxieties more clearly there. They weren't so visible for me in the music medium, but when it came time to start blocking out dark and light areas on the crow? Out came a piece of sketch paper. I made a mockup and found the light source. I'll show a picture when it's done, but the piece is a crow's head and shoulder in front of a crescent moon, so it's going to be basically backlit. Crescent means that half of the crow is backlit and has a white highlight on it's edge, like a white outline behind it. But the back of the head and feathers overlapping the moon will be pure black. And I need glare on the eye to make it look 3D, so I'm kinda adding in a second light source, and it's helping a bit to not have the entire crow just be fully silhouetted. The sketch looked a little too basic at first... but then started to look better and better. I worked on it for a while, then said... this is dumb... just start inking. So I refreshed my white pencil sketch and said "fuck it". I inked the eye, then the crease in the beak, and the back of the neck. Then I just started going to town on it. And I got a big chunk of it done and it honestly looks really cool. I have no idea how the shading will work if I wash this thing, even if I iron it... but I was able to actually do some brush-like shading techniques and they were pretty visible... so... if that works, that means that my pencil-style shading techniques might actually work in this medium, which opens up a whole new world of opportunity. I really need to do test swatches for this shit!

But yeah, I got a good chunk done. And then I played Cult of the Lamb for a few hours to wind down. Because fuck it, it's a fun game, addictive too, and I felt like I earned a break. So... I don't know why I didn't carry a feeling of accomplishment to bed tonight. Depression, tbh, I know exactly why. Because I have no one to share that accomplishment with. It sucks. So... I'm sharing it here! That's something, right?

But I really do need to celebrate my victories, and not let the demons of others suppress my ability to enjoy life. I did a rock to fakie today, and I wasn't even going to try to learn it. I made good progress on a really cool jewelry piece. I have a DAW now, finally, so I can make music whenever I feel the urge. Finally. And I made good progress on my hoodie too. And I got that contact that could be good for both getting my car inspected and possibly getting some cool material for jewelry. Today was a big win! And I'm really proud of myself for my accomplishments today. Comparing this to like... sitting around watching Twitch and just feeling sorry for myself? This life is much better. XD

I'll try my best to get the car repair guy on the phone tomorrow. Hard to do when you go to bed at 7 AM... which is quickly approaching.

[therappundit]

*The Best of the Bestest!: The Rap Pundit’s Picks For The Finest Rap Projects of 2022

*Just a list of MY favorite favorites from a year filled with a lot of damn good music.  

What else needs to be said at this point?  You have probably seen at least a dozen “Best of” lists by now, with many of the same albums cluttered near the top....but this is THE Rap Pundit’s list, so you know you’re bound to find more gems than chalk.

In a historically deep year for rap music (a topic worth profiling in the future), the headline story was probably the numerous side stories.  Be it the explosion of great music coming from areas that had a previously under-reported wealth of talent (especially Wisconsin and Florida), the underground scene getting more high profile exposure than it has in years (artists like billy woods, Fatboi Sharif and Lungs/Lonesword being shouted-out by numerous mainstream outlets!?), sample-driven drill officially becoming the preferred drill-flavor (at least on the east coast, shout-out Shawny Binladen, Four50, Big YaYa and the YTB), and of course the simply inescapable rise of club music’s influence on rap right now (Bandmanrill is clearly the master of this lane, but this style isn’t going away anytime soon)….if you couldn’t find something you loved in 2022, you might not actually like rap music.

But the proof is in the pudding, let’s get into it.  Here are my personal picks for the most impressive albums/mixtapes/EPs/projects/whatever of 2022…

***High Honors***:  Beware of the Monkey by MIKE, Motion Not Emotion by DB.Boutabag, Playing With Fire by ShooterGang Kony, Crack Music 2 by Skilla Baby, Beyond Belief by 38 Spesh & Harry Fraud, Gold Bricks by ElCamino, and Formal Intro by dp0mmy [+about 100 more that I plan to shout-out on future posts!]

100. VACABULAREE by Valee

99. The DogFather by Paco Panama

98. u be ight by QThree

97. Traumazine by Megan Thee Stallion

96. Metatron’s Cube by Aj Suede & Televangel

95. Spaceships on the Blade by Larry June

94. Scorpion Eyes by BandGang Lonnie Band$

93. Raw Extractions by Lukah

92. Marlowe 3 by Marlowe (L’Orange & Solemn Brigham)

91. SNOFALL by Jeezy & DJ Drama

90. Tales Of A Yung Son by Four50

89. Ima Island Boy by Pros AP

88. WHERE ARE THE BUGS!? by Cise Greeny, Phiik & Lungs/LoneSword

87. Let’s Do A Drill by Asian Doll

86. GRIPTAPE by the grittiest, Raz Fresco, Eric Right

85. Triple Black Diamonds 2 by al.divino & Estee Nack

84. Where The Shooters Be by SleazyWorld Go

83. As Above So Below by VIP Skylark

82. ONLY BUILT 4 DIAMOND LINKS by Peezy

81. Deutsche Marks 3 by Willie The Kid & V Don

80. THE LIZ 2 by Armani Caesar

79. Wordly Ways by Archibald Slim

78. I NEVER LIKED YOU (Deluxe) by Future

77. MARTINELLI MAC-ELEV by Willyynova

76. Jungle Life by DCG BROTHERS (DCG Shun, DCG Bsavv)

75. FACE (Deluxe Edition) by Babyface Ray

74. What They Hittin 4 by Jay Worthy & DJ Muggs

73. Sedale Threat by Wrecking Crew (Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro & PremRock)

72. Dollar Menu 4 by Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim

71. On High Alert, Vol. 4 by Real Bad Man

70. EA Monster by Young Nudy

69. Back For Everything by Kodak Black

68. raja’s sun by iblss

67. BussaBrick Vol. 2: BussOne 101 by Chicken P

66. 2 Headed Goat by 1100 Himself & Mitchell

65. The I&I by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious

64. COTI 2:  The Course of the Inevitable 2 by Lloyd Banks

63. The Broadcast by Fil Jackson

62. The 13 Tape 2 by Jugg Harden

61. HTR Vol. 1: The Legend of Tawny Tone by Koncept Jack$on

60. MEMPHIS MASSACRE III *or* CRUNKSTAR [I still can’t make up my mind!?] by Duke Deuce

59. BEFORE SHIT GOT WEIRD by The Cool Kids

58. ENDLESS by evrymN

57. 25 Features, Vol. 2 by Los & Nutty

56. SLANG CASINO by YUNGMORPHEUS & Obijuan

55. Before The Winner Comes The Fall by Grunge Gallardo

54. Valley of Dry Bones by Stik Figa & Conductor Williams

53. Paint the City (Gangsta Grillz) by Icewear Vezzo & DJ Drama

52. Lost In Austin by kingdoughmane.

51. Gold by DJ Muggs & Rigz

50. Black Vladimir by Meyhem Lauren & Daringer

49. Dog$hit & Ammunition by WTM Milt

48. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts by Mavi

47. Metal Lung by Shrapknel (Curly Castro & Premrock)

46. Da Under Dog by MarijuanaXO

45. The Forever Story by JID

44. SHADOWSELF by Sleep Sinatra & Ohbliv

43. CHAINLINK by Phiik & Duro

42. $oul $old $eparately by Freddie Gibbs

41. Church by billy woods & Messiah Musik

40. RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART by Vince Staples

39. SOGW2: Estee Nack & The Order of the Golden Fleece by Estee Nack & Sadhugold

38. Blame Kansas by T.F, Roc Marciano & Mephux

37. Joe Fog by Errol Holden

36. ill be right back! by amani & robalu

35. LIVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Mikem Nahmir & The Fades Formation

34. The Elephant Man’s Bones by Roc Marciano & The Alchemist

33. Her Loss by Drake & 21 Savage

32. Frank by Fly Anakin

31. SOUTH CENTRAL by G Perico

30. Sewaside II by Mike Shabb

29. King’s Disease III by Nas & Hit-Boy

28. Cold Cuts by Wiki & Subjxct 5

27. Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition) by Denzel Curry

26. Intros, Outros & Interludes by Domo Genesis & Evidence

25. Few Good Things by Saba

24. BABYST5XNE GORILLAS by Baby Stone Gorillas

23. Fair Exchange No Robbery by Boldy James & Nicholas Craven

22. Continuous Improvement by Papo2oo4, DJ Lucas & Subjxct 5

21. Kiss The Ring by Rome Streetz

20. MOB by Babyface Ray

19. I Love Y.O.U. cuz Y.O.U. Ugle Vol.1 by Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire

18. It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T

17. Smoke Detector by Rich Jones

16. The Soufside Villain by Marco Plus

15. Tana Talk 4 by Benny The Butcher

14. Continuance by Curren$y & Alchemist

13. Cheat Codes by Black Thought & Danger Mouse

12. Languish Arts and Woeful Studies by Ka

11. Spirit Roaming by AKAI SOLO

Aaaaaaaaand now, my top ten...

10.  I Told Bessie by ELUCID

[A well-oiled machine of an album, I Told Bessie lurches along from one ear-grabbing soundscape to another, each gifted contributor putting their stamp on some precious reflection from ELUCID (all producers were in top form here, but Child Actor, Messiah Musik and Sebb were especially potent).  As one half of Armand Hammer, ELUCID has no trouble being a tour guide through his own stroll down memory lane.  He is a superior narrator that knows his way around a vast array of different styles of instrumentals, which means that Bessie never gets too dark or too bright, adding easy replay value to even the heavier moments of the album.]

9. Component System with the Auto Reverse by Open Mike Eagle

[Open Mike Eagle has circled around the epicenter of the underground rap scene for some time now, always a worthy contributor, albeit not one to necessarily be recognized during award season. That should change with his latest effort, a brilliant piece of nostalgia, personal reflection, and an earnest love for hip-hop.  Also, great writing aside, the beats on here are simply phenomenal.]

8. SICK! by Earl Sweatshirt

[Forgot that this dropped in 2022?  The first AOTY contender to drop is all too often the album ending up with the short end of the stick come December, and that seems to be the case with SICK!.  Less sonically aggressive than much of his previous work, Earl still manages to cram so much thoughtful writing into quick, fun-size doses.  The most effective music isn’t always the music that begs for our attention, and this feels like an album where the listener is fortunate just to catch Earl’s thoughts before they float away, to make room for more poignant passing thoughts.  Perhaps Earl’s best gift as an artist is his ability to leave fans wanting more.]

7. Bokleen World by Mike Shabb

[By now the buzz is just starting to nip at Mike Shabb's heels. The Montreal MC/producer was not on my radar before this year, but hot damn has he made an impact in 2022.  If it wasn’t his TWO great solo albums that he dropped, it was the acclaim from tastemakers like Westside Gunn, who got his production skills the attention they deserve.  More importantly, Shabb is coming out of Montreal, Canada, making him a representative of a scene that is starting to make waves well outside of the Canadian border.  I loved his release from earlier this year, but for me it was Bokleen World that showcased all of the many dimensions of an exciting young artist.]

6.  MOOR CHORES by Lord Kayso

[Another artist that I was completely unfamiliar with at this time last year, Brooklyn’s Lord Kayso is closing out this year as one of my favorite artists.  There’s something about his delivery and the way that he colors in his world that feels simultaneously intimate but distant, much like how a young Nas was portrayed as a writer’s-writer, watching events in his community unfold from a project window.  Kayso reflects on his world with a casual delivery that doesn’t seem to be emotionally affected in the moment, but the fact that he’s sharing these personal stories at all confirms that he’s a man with a great deal on his mind.]

5. For All Debts Public and Private by Defcee & Boathouse

[Last year Defcee & Messiah Musik really surprised some folks (myself included) by dropping Trapdoor, one of the best albums of 2021, in December...so let that be a lesson to anyone that thinks they can finalize their annual Best Of lists by the time Thanksgiving wraps up.  That's a tough act to follow, but Defcee & Boathouse managed to strike in 2022 with another fantastic project in For All Debts Public and Private. An impressive list of some of the underground's finest join forces with Boathouses impactful backdrops and Defcee's revealing bars, all to create an album that is as thoughtful as it is prone to high levels of replay value.  When it comes to dissecting one's life and perspectives, I don't know if any MC's pen is touching Defcee at the moment.]

4. Deathfame by Quelle Chris

[Detroit's uber-talented virtuoso Quelle Chris has been accumulating one of the deepest catalogues in music for some time now, but Deathfame is truly one of his finest works top to bottom. An under-reported trend for Quelle is that he somehow finds a way to become more and more versatile as a producer with every album.  Never allowing his sense of humor to drown out his messages, and never being so devoid of humor that his messages come off as bitter, a great Quelle Chris album has become a most welcome tradition over these past few years....and I hope it continues!]

3.  Aethiopes by billy woods & Preservation

[Gonna keep it moving here…billy woods is just flat out the most prolific writer in rap music right now, Preservation is a genius and their chemistry is off the charts.  Add a handful of standout guest verses - EL-P, Boldy, Breeze and hot damn, Despot!? - and you have an AOTY worthy album.  Too many memorable quotes and verse of the year contenders to list, but for some reason there’s a special place in my heart for “trying to pay rent - but that’s not black empowerment, that’s you trying to pay rent”.]

2. 10 (a.k.a. HWH10) by Westside Gunn

[Maybe my favorite Westside Gunn project since FLYGOD, which for me (as a bit of a Griselda stan since 2015), is saying a lot.  Reminiscent of Kanye’s “anyone around, come to the studio right now!” energy during better times - his MBDTF G.O.O.D. Friday roll out - for the latest (last??) installment of his controversially titled music series, Gunn managed to pull together a somewhat surprising list of features for a mixtape of loose and FUN bar-fests over the most varied, ear-grabbing production that we have heard from the Griselda collective in a minute.  I’m not actually sure who was in the studio and who wasn’t, but when the outcome puts Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, Doe Boy, Black Star, Busta and Rae & Ghost together on the same project, you get a straight-up dope tape that reminds me of why I fell in love with underground rap music in the first place.  Classic Soundbombing vibes, for me.]

1.  Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

[When it comes down to releasing new albums, no other rap artist needs to check as many boxes as Kendrick Lamar.  JAY-Z, J.Coke, Drake, you name it - none of them have to incorporate mainstream bangers, nuanced “conscious rap”, alternative choices, catchy lyrics, superior production, clear expression of ideas, and manage to touch the bar set by fans with incredibly high expectations for an artist that doesn’t release new music as often as his peers…but such is the life of anyone who is considered to have the highest ceiling in their field.  Yet with Mr. Morale, Kendrick unleashed the album that *he* wanted to release: a sprawling conversation piece that stumbles through dozens of sticky topics without digging his heels into any one stance for too long. 

 It’s the perfect expression of ideas from anyone that came out of the last few years of isolation with a creeping sense of doubt, mistrust for the information circling around him, and a general awkwardness for how to interact with the world once again.  I’m not sorry that many of the thoughts he shared on this album weren’t met as “correct” based on our expectations of what many of us want him to represent, but more importantly, Kendrick shouldn’t be sorry either.  Much like other prominent people of influence in the world today, we should be discussing the nuance of everything we’re told, and the great points often come from those exchanges - way moreso than the regurgitation of curated policy that is deemed acceptable by the loudest of audiences.  So yes, I believe Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers to be hands-down the best rap album of 2022.  All messages aside, how anyone could miss the well-crafted delivery and high quality production that is easily the most engaging of any mainstream rap album in 2022, is still pretty surprising to me….but I suppose conflicted opinions are exactly what should come from a talented artist stewing in his own conflicted opinions in recent years.   Oh well, I guess even the best in their field can’t please everybody.]

Next stop....best songs. 👀

[holdsteady]

oh for sure, doing things that artists do is very much a song you have to vibematch with to get the most out of, and you're quite cool yourself!! the way you talk about music is very interesting... grants a new lens to consider these songs through. what about someday - pale seas, cherry blue intention - special interest, or weight of the world - battletapes? maybe blood - starbenders if you enjoyed vixen? hmm. admittedly i'm not sure what songs i know would be within your tastes. are there any songs that you would recommend? perhaps ones that qualified as "download instantly"?

you are flattering me and i am very much enjoying being able to listen to things i just straight-up haven't heard of!

pale seas couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library well, they're no pale waves, but i liked the vibe here! spotify calls it "bedroom dream pop," and i'm not getting dream pop but what i am getting is, like, 2012 indie cinema which means that it's very much my wheelhouse from late high school. i can imagine artists i'd put it beside on a playlist (starlight mints, little green cars, wild nothing). maybe i will! it's a specific mood but one i like! special interest couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library i'm noticing that a lot of your recommendations read very cinematic in general to me--by which i mean, when i'm listening to them i can imagine the movie-scene version of life that i'd want them to soundtrack. this one's giving me a group of friends piled into a car on a crisp clear night driving from party to party, maybe ending the night with someone special. strong imagery and a drum machine that makes me feel a lot like arab strap's "the first big weekend" somehow, a swelling in the chest. i like it more the more i listen. battletapes couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library this is one of those baffling situations where the parts work for me just fine--i particularly like when the bass drops out and then builds back up at the 2:30 mark--but the sum of them just doesn't grab me for some reason. i think perhaps a different chorus might make this one more memorable for me. starbenders couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library i was all geared up to really like this one. great name, digging the aesthetic, great vocal, even the lyrics are working for me. my first instinct says it's just a little too slow for me, but i didn't feel the energy of the build either, so what i'm really thinking is that it's just a bit too polished. i'm a notorious bastard for wanting my guitar music to feel a little more raw, but people who are not just insufferable on the issue should probably check this out!

based on all of the above i'll recommend any artist/song i've mentioned already as well as "your big brown eyes and my big broke heart" by the russian futurists, "bare feet on wet griptape" by chad vangaalen, "between the moon and the ocean" by bon savants, "what's a girl to do" by bat for lashes if you've never gone there, maybe "shame" by young fathers? i'm just kinda vibe spitballing at this point

[defeater-baao-ladispute]

i do art !

i do a lot more than grip tape, but i want to have focused ads. so message me about anything you might want customized or designed specially for you !🥰

[sun-flower-children]

Iida and Bakugo with a skateboarder S/O

A/N: Thanks for the request! I will make sure to drink water and so should the reader! This one was pretty fun ngl :)

Iida Tenya

- Iida was honestly surprised that besides school and hero work you had time for a whole hobby that required physical effort.

- He wasn’t one to skate himself, especially in places that have clear signs that say no skating, but would watch you skate around and learn new tricks.

- Iida will definetly praise you when you get land some dangerous trick.

- He might worry a little ( he worries a lot ) but he tries his best to let you have your fun bc he doesn’t want to be overbearing.

- He has totally done research on skateboarding, it’s history, and other cool (safer) tricks that you can do

- It takes a lot of begging from you and trust from Iida to let you teach him how to skate.

- He fell a lot, which is normal, but he understood more about how you could enjoy such a sport.

- It was a cute date and he did make a lot of excuses so he could hold your hands and be closer to you, which you totally noticed and didn’t mind at all.

- He has probably bought you replacement boards, so in your dorm you have five extra boards that don’t have their griptape yet, so they could be decorative.

- Iida with his glasses and you will your boards

- You thought it was super cute

- He doesnt morning and evening runs, without his quirk, and sometimes you follow him with

- His skateboard is probably that shade of navy blue that is present in his room. simple and still nice.

-He might get bolder overtime and add his hero name or even some funky stripes. who knows he will probably also get more lax over time.

- Iida would probably relax more over time when it's outside of the proper academic envirionment.

- He loves you no matter what hobbies you have because at the end of the day he loves you for you.

Katsuki Bakugo

-I headcanon that Denki is a skater himself so Bakugo already knows a bit of skater culture, if you will.

- He loves watching you do tricks; he thinks you look very badass and looks kind of smitten when you skate.

- it was probably yall’s 3rd date when you taught him how to skate

- Bakugo was totally frustrated and almost broke your board.

- He felt really bad and had to take a break, cue an icecream break, with the two of you sitting on a bench.

- Bakugo isn't great at using his words but actions speak louder than words right?

- He will take videos for you and will spend his free time learning how to take cooler looking videos for you to then post.

- he would say stuff like this one is really cool and you should probably post it onto your account (whatever prefered social media )

- Bakugo doesn't have style, i said it i said it, the only times he wears decent clothes that are not bad is when you have a hand in helping him choose what to wear.

- He wants to be comfortable and still be able to move, as to why he has a mild aversion to jeans lmao

- Overtime of y'all dating you will most definetly have spread your taste in men's style onto him.

- he wants to look cool to you so he learns how to skate and you two will skate through the city and what not to get takeout or go the conveniance store rq to grab snacks for the squads movie night.

- Its a cool form of easier transportation and he does become competative with how awesome the tricks he can do. He might need a reminder that this is for fun not a contest to see who's better at skating.

- Probably finds the process of applying griptake calming, for whatever reason.

- ALso probably helps you will fixing your wheels and whatnot because he wants to be useful and present in your life.

- His skateboard definetly has those "skater flames" ( personally not a fan but he thinks that they're sick as hell)

[sayonara-you-weeaboo-shits]

hcs about this person who's literally in one shot but i love them so much:

their name is probably smt that makes you go "wow thats a cool name no wonder they look so cool it fits their Vibe"

they're either nonbinary or agender

probably uses any pronouns (idk how japanese grammar works tho so like whatever the equivalent is)

i can't tell for sure if the red bit on their face is a birthmark a scar or makeup but i think it's makeup bc the eyebrow is still there and the eye looks normal

they're friends with shadow

they sometimes do their makeup with shadow before S

theyre ace and/or aro (or demi smt? idk but theyre not allo)

bleached those white bits of hair while drunk at 3am and can't be bothered to dye them back

lets be honest that haircut is fully a half grown out buzz cut

probably has a lot of friends but like no really close friends

but theyre fine with that

i'm projecting rn so they're autistic

i think they design skateboard decks

well

not decks

griptape

like you give them your deck and they draw on the griptape with paint markers

or do that cool thing whete you make a design out of scraps pf different coloured griptape

they probably have at least one sibling

but theyre giving me middle child vibes so maybe two

like come on they regularly go to an illegal midnight skating race that no ones allowed to talk about there's no way theyre an only child

lesbian moms

why? because i feel like it

def has various mental illnesses

i am fully out of ideas but feel free to add on

[allergytopeanuts]

Custom Skateboard Build ‘Ra Ra Rasputin’

Ra ra Rasputin, Lover of the Russian queen, he did a Hospital Flip and he turned out fine.

This is a build inspired by the Russian sex god, Grigori Rasputin.

Disclaimer - all the stores used are AU based, but all products are available globally. Just google the title of the product and you’ll be fine.

Deck - Theories Of Atlantis Rasputin 8.38 Inch Skateboard Deck (duh)

Price: $94.45 AUD ($65 USD)

It would be silly of me to not include this deck in this build. From what I’ve heard, Theories have a pretty good reputation with build quality. I like the lime green design and the Rasputin graphic. Really appealing deck and I think the $94.45 AUD ($65 USD) is well worth it.

Buy this deck on Suferdome (AU)

Griptape -  101 Devil Worship Griptape

Price: $19.00 AUD ($13 USD)

I was contemplating using a fluro lime green griptape to match the deck but thats too much green. Personally I would just use plain black griptape and save myself a couple bucks, but this Devil Worship grip tape looks pretty neat. It is $19 AUD ($13 USD) so if you are on a budget, I would save it for some better wheels or trucks. None the less its a sick design and would go nicely with the Rasputin deck. You can use anything, just make sure you have at least 8.4 inches of tape. The Devil Worship grip tape is 9″.

Buy this tape in OCD Skate Shop (AU)

Truck -  Krux Marbs Dlk Standard 8.5 Inch Skateboard Truck

Price: $54.43 AUD ($36.88 USD)

I think this truck was made for this board. I like the black base and the tears of lime green. It flows nicely with the deck.  I’ve never used Krux Trucks before but the design does look gnarly and I’m sure it will be able to handle a beating.

When you order, make sure:

Set the quantity to 2 as the truck is sold separately. 

You get the ‘Standard 8.5 Inch Truck’ as the board range on this model is  8.25 - 8.65 inches and our deck is 8.4.

Buy this Truck on Suferdome (AU)

Wheels: Ricta Clouds Black 92a Skateboard Wheels

Price: $63.51 AUD ($43 USD)

Nothing crazy to see here. If you want to get crafty you can get lime green wheels but I think the minimalist design of these wheels suits the board. These come in a pack of four so only order 1 Pack. The size of the wheels in this model works for our deck.

These wheels are perfect for a rough spot or a smooth skate park ride, just don’t ride them too much on the asphalt. 

If you wanted to - you could try black wheels, but I’m not about that life.

Buy these Wheels on Suferdome (AU)

Bearings:  Mini Logo Skateboard Scooter Bearings 8 Pack

Price - $17.99 AUD ($12.20 USD)

Look, there is only one person who notices the bearings of a skateboard, and thats the person who assembles the board. There’s no need for any flashy, cool looking, glow in the dark, LED bearings. Mini Logo gets the job done at a reasonable price. The bearings are pre-lubricated and there is enough to complete the board (assuming you’ve followed this build and have four wheels). These bearings perform well.

Buy these bearings at KickPush (AU)

Nuts and Bolts -  Independent Skateboard Hardware 1 Inch Phillips

Price - $7.99 (5.42 USD)

You could use anything to screw your board together but here is my go-to Nuts and Bolts pack. The black is nice and complements the board.

Buy these Nuts and Bults pack at KickPush (AU)

The total price of this board is $311.81 AUD.

[dzpenumbra]

3/21/23

I'm just going to get this thought out of my head up front before I get to today's accomplishments, because it's been spinning around in there all day. I feel like pretty much every part of my existence - the things I love, the things I'm passionate about, the things I want to devote my life to - just piss people off. ... Bold claim, eh?

What popped this into my head? I went out cruising on my hybrid board today. I had a good time, it was nice and sunny out, not too cold, the sidewalks were still a bit muddy and wet but not the end of the world. I did a quick loop around my extended block just to get board-feel back again, went over the bridge and explored up to the community car thing, which I found really easily. It's actually pretty close to my apartment, using my board at least. Then I dropped by this cool place I spotted on my way back, it was a brick building down by the river, it had what looked like hand-painted lettering on one of the signs so I went to check it out... and most of the people in the building were massage therapists, brain therapists, yoga studios, stuff like that. Seemed like a cool place. I'm pretty sure it's where the yoga studio I have been looking at is, too. Then I went to do a loop past a few other apartment buildings on my side of the river. I've ridden on this brick sidewalk a few times now and I really like it because it's wide, it's smooth, there aren't really a lot of people at all on the sidewalks and it's got frost heaves in it so there are little bumps and shit that are fun to cruise over. :) But every time I skate there, I expect to get yelled at. That was the beginning of the feeling...

Then I went to the river on my side, I found a bench and chilled with some seagulls and fed them a few pieces of my apple I brought with me. Then I looped around and tried coming down the main road I took to the gas station the other day, but on the other sidewalk this time. The sidewalk I used the first time was pretty torn up. This one was better, but not by much. When I got back to the main part of town, the park where I had been snowskating all winter... I got off my board to cross the street. I have been doing that, I just... feel like it makes more sense. Less margin for error, it takes a while longer, but like... if drivers think I'm going a certain speed and then I brake suddenly because of a curb or a rock or something? Yeah... so on-foot has been my thing lately. When I got to the other side, I saw a very b --- I just spent like 10 minutes looking through my city bylaws. Because what I was saying... is that I saw a very clear sign that said no skateboarding and an obscured but very clearly large fine posted.

Are they going to enforce this? I don't know. But according to the laws, everything brick that I rode on today was technically illegal. And I'm pretty sure riding in the street would be illegal too. And that board weighs a good 14 pounds, which may not sound like much... but when you're carrying it 3 blocks? It's not so fun, considering the griptape is literally sandpaper.

Before even looking at any of these policies... I saw the sign and made sure to stay off my board. And saw an unmarked cop car immediately as I crossed the street. And I was just like... ready for the ticket. Just... carrying this damn thing.

And it completely killed my vibe. It hit me with a really bad feeling, like I just happened to choose the wrong form of transport. And here's the fucked up part, right. Get this. If I rode a bike? Totally cool, in fact, encouraged! Going green, right? If I ride roller blades, illegal. If I ride a scooter, illegal. Normal trick board or longboard, illegal. Why? No fucking clue. Because some kids are dumb? Because some people overestimate their ability and end up causing accidents or hurting people, now no one can ride?

I'm upset about this because this is my primary mode of transportation. And every fucking town is going to have a different "forbidden unmarked zone" where you just suddenly can't ride or you will get a heavy fucking ticket. This is actively discouraging and penalizing alternative forms of transportation. How the hell am I supposed to get around without using a car or bus if I am literally restricted to walking? Or riding some precarious 2 wheeled balancing act thing. Seriously, who the FUCK looks at a bicycle... okay, you know what, let me illustrate this point clearly.

Bicycle - 2 wheels, almost entirely metal, 8 - 14 mph (google said), 2" of surface area touching the ground, rider not attached, primarily ridden in the street, cannot be easily dismounted. Skateboard - 4 wheels, less than half metal, 5 – 12 mph, 4" of surface area touching the ground, rider not attached, primarily ridden on the sidewalk, can be easily dismounted.

Why the fuck did the bicycle win this one? On paper, let me know. It is just categorically more dangerous. And yet... I get a ticket if I ride a skateboard in the street, I get a ticket if I ride a skateboard on the sidewalk. So... I'm going to have to strap my board to my back and walk 2 blocks, just to be able to skate to the store. And this board is... far from cheap... so... if I get mugged? And they hop on my board and ride away? Bye bye my ability to travel.

I'm genuinely upset, it's unsettling. It's really aggravating. Because I know there's actually nothing I can do about it. At all. It just... is. Because... it is. Because the generation before said so. Because of prejudices against young people and generalized prohibitions rather than managing situations on a case to case basis.

I try to be courteous with it, honestly. I try not to cut anyone off or go too fast or anything. I give people space, I get off the board when I'm passing people a lot of the time. I just want to get outside and get some fresh air, listen to some music, feel a board under my feet. Maybe go to the store or something. And it's much quieter than a trick board. And it makes me feel a lot safer than walking to be honest. I'm sure I'm much more safe here than I think I am, but... in my mind... I'm gonna get mugged at any second. Which is fucking dumb and I hate it, I lived in an actual city and I didn't get mugged once. But peace of mind is a rare thing for me nowadays, and it's hard to willingly sacrifice that.

So... that mentality... of my primary mode of transportation being... literally illegal... It can get infectious. It left me thinking that all I was doing by going outside was pissing people off. All I'm doing by riding on that sidewalk is upsetting people. All I'm doing by leaving my apartment is pissing people off. And the good way to prevent that? Stay inside. Then they can't throw fines at me, or yell at me, or try to take my money or steal my precious possessions. Because they're afraid something bad is going to happen, or they don't want to listen to the clack-clack-clack of wheels on concrete, but they're perfectly content listening to cars all day.

I genuinely can't relate. But I know people do act on it. And I just... regardless of how innocent I am, and how harmless what I'm doing is, I know that any conversation is just going to be stonewalled. And that... that effect... just... having your voice taken away. Being bullied and forced into specific ways of living. For "your own wellbeing", for "public safety". That's not freedom, man. Sorry. That's not liberty.

The feeling is what gets me. The feeling of having my life taken from me. The things that bring me joy, that are literally causing zero harm to anyone. And that starts spreading in my head to... the music I listen to. The fact that I pursue fine art and intellectual exploration as a profession, rather than "productive labor". I don't know.

It planted seeds in my head, and they have been growing all day. And now I feel like shit. I felt like absolute ass last night, but I feel worse tonight. And this whole finding out that my choice to not have a car... might have actually fucked me? That I live dead-center in a "no skateboarding zone". And that technically... that cop who was camping me when I was snowskating during that blizzard a few weeks back, technically could have ticketed me? Let me just be very clear about this.

It makes me feel like I am not safe. Like I am unwelcome in my community. And I am not hurting anyone, the only person I put at risk is myself, and I have been abundantly cautious. These are some of the only healthy habits I have. If these are taken away from me? ... I... I don't know. I mean, I literally have nowhere else to go.

It just makes me feel unwelcome. And like I'm being watched. And like I have to be looking over my shoulders when I'm skating, like I'm doing something fucking wrong, like I just shoplifted or I'm carrying a firearm on my hip or something. And riding alone really doesn't help with this.

So yeah, feeling pretty bittersweet today. Feeling like my fun exploring of my neighborhood was like... I somehow managed to accidentally sneak into a movie theatre and watch a whole movie and not get caught, without even knowing I wasn't supposed to. So yeah, more incentive to go to the skatepark, I guess?

Just... kinda feeling like that investment in the hybrid board was... a waste if I can't use it as a form of practical transportation.

This is clearly setting off a lot of alarm bells for me, too. Not feeling safe is like... textbook PTSD shit. And feeling like people are going to come after me and scream at me and take things away from me. Like... that's all trauma shit. And it's also fucking real. So... when a flashback is... actually a very real possibility? What do you do?

I mean, it may not be every time I skate I'm going to get a ticket, but... it's definitely every time I skate I risk getting a ticket. And it's literally a third of the trip to the 24 hour gas station. Like... that's a long fuckin walk, man.

Welp, maybe my problem here... what the whole PTSD/Anxiety thing does... is just inflate the likelihood of it going horribly wrong. Salience. Kinda like weed does, like I talked about last night. Maybe I'm feeling like walking these few blocks is the end of the world, when really... I could use the exercise. I used to hike barefoot like... 4-6 miles a day? I can do 2-3 blocks with a board on my back. I have a backpack built for it. It's not the end of the world. And if someone really tries to steal it? They better be a good rider to get away with it. And that thing is pretty easy to spot.

It's just how it makes me feel that really hurts the most. How the things I love the most, that have changed my life in such amazing and profound ways - skateboarding, metal music, spirituality, video games - are all so heavily stigmatized. It's... fucking ignorance. And me speaking up in their defense? It's screaming into the void.

I used to speak out. I used to raise my voice confidently in defense of the things I loved. Unfortunately, I have learned that evidence and experience are not the most important factors when it comes to making societal impact, it's power and influence. I learned that I can present a 300 page dissertation on the therapeutic benefits of DnD-style RPG games when used deliberately as a therapeutic self-exploration and self-monitoring tool, and the "old guard" will look at it, see "games" in the title, scoff and then go back to jerking each other off about whatever trendy thing they heard in their circles. And I just... though I have tons of ideas, tons to contribute... I got the shit beaten out of me and got ridiculed enough times to just... stop trying to pitch new ideas to elitist pricks. Now, I just learn, and learn, and learn - and work on opening my studio doors and let people come to me. And if they want learn and discuss, by all means! And if they want to scoff or debate, they can scoff somewhere else.

I am begrudgingly accepting that I cannot change society, because it's not really mine to change. I've taken my place as an observer that is sorta... watching from the outskirts... while functioning inside? Which is really weird, to be honest. I have to just say that outright, and I think that's part of my growing pains here.

I got really used to the role of "hermit on the outskirts", and now I'm smack-dab in the middle of a populated area. The most populated area in my entire state. But my life is still... that of the one on the outskirts. So... I'm sure a lot of the stuff I described today is like... unrelatable to some? Maybe? PTSD/Anxiety aside. And I'm a little worried that I might not really... "fit" here. Because of that. Because of how much I value my freedom, even with all the lack of safety and heavy responsibility that comes with it. And how... dystopian it feels to bend a knee when it comes to things you love, things that heal you.

For the second half of the day, I did line work on my hoodie. It's coming along very nicely, all paint today. I can't even really estimate how much longer it's going to take, maybe 2-3 more days? Maybe more? No clue. But it's coming along. I'm happy with it.

Yeah. I don't know what more to say, I really wish I had more positive stuff to add. That really fucking shit on my good day. To know that days like that... are not really on the menu, and I'm probably just getting away with it because it's still early spring. I really wanted to cherish today, going out there and cruising was supposed to be a good thing, not a risky thing.

Next time I go out, I'm going to bring my wallet so I can get the shared car and drive over to the skatepark. Then I can get a helmet, get a new board and just skate around in an area where people won't fucking bother me or try to fucking punish me or something.

It's 6 in the goddamn morning. Ugh. Vibe reset? I watched the documentary Periphery did for their new album. It's really good, really well made, very like... wow... "that's the fucking life", you know? Amazing music, very relatable and nostalgic process. Inspiring, too. Well worth a watch, if you're into them at all.

[noemiposh01]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Converse Boys' Toddler Chuck Taylor All Star 1V Hi Glow Bugs Shoes Size 4.0.

[jamlien]

Grip Mix Tape vol. 5

This time I selected album jackets us usual and made a space to show dyed deck surface. Cuz it is beautiful blue you know I need the sea.

From now the work of putting favorite album jackets on griptape became a series of Jamlien work called “Jamlien Record Grip Mix Tape” 

About these two jackets, top is the legend African reggae artist Lucky Dube that I was knew it from Tanzanian friends. And last is also legend artist Gil Scott-Heron his hair and beard are cool. 

Better to listen them !

/

グリップミックステープ　その五

今回はいつもの様にアルバムジャケットをくっ付け、板の表面を出してみた色が綺麗だったからね。

これよりこのアルバムをグリップに貼るワークを Jamlien の Jamlien Record としました。

アルバムについては上が Lucky Dube というアフリカで有名なレゲエアーティストでタンザニアの友達に教えてもらったんだ。下のは Gil Scott-Heron 髪と髭が良いね、どっちも聞いてみてね。

[hoghd]

A great big shout out and thank you to @coltonmbuck for purchasing a custom griptape order AND doing something SICK like this with it!!💥 · Not only did he mix and match grip tape, he made it possible to regrip his board later with the rest of the custom grip. How cool is that? 🙌 · If you or someone you know might like some custom work done, hmu so we can work something affordable out! · #heartofgoldhydrodipping https://www.instagram.com/p/CSrWkiZLZ1v/?utm_medium=tumblr

[thefloatlife2]

Sidekicks Rail Protection

The Best Strategy To Use For Top Sidekicks Rail Protection 2021

There is an entire series of different choices from third celebration firms as well as one from Future Motion. Magnetically connected fender, press-fit or a devoured like the authorities. Sidekicks protection and also design, The partners both offer a means to secure the rails as well as the capacity to put some style as well as personal touch to your bord.

Trip fins or Spark fender, The Flight, Fins or Ignite fender supplies the capacity to secure into the board. This allows you to leap up and down with the board to clear barriers and also be a lot more safe and secure when dropping with the board. The systems are developed for your feet to be released in instance of an accident.

Numerous business have their own offering, the difference will be product in the kind of flex and also softness, the concave surface and griptape. Fangs or nosedive healing wheels, The Fangs from Land Surf was just one of the first items on the marketplace, nowadays there are a pair of different companies having their own options of nosedive healing alternatives.

Some Known Facts About Sidekicks Rail Protection.

The concept is to add wheels in front of the board that can glide if the nose hits the ground so you can ride it out. Drift plates, The float plates or various other defenses for the bottom of the board is another excellent device that not only will extend the life of your board with the included protection additionally could aid in the instance of a plummet.

You can click the tires listed below to purchase them but you could wish to read our "Onewheel Tire Options Which is Right for You" post prior to buying. You can likewise see our "Exactly how to Adjustment the Onewheel tire" to assist with the tire adjustment. Footpads Believe it or otherwise, there are 8 various aftermarket footpads (and also counting) offered for the Onewheel.

Onewheel Pint Accessories Right Here are all the Pint accessories available up until now: Similar to this: Like Filling ...This opens an entire brand-new world to us Onewheelers that we never ever had previously. Currently staircase jumps, grinds, and slides are all very possible! Pretty cool, right? Not just that however the Trip Fin group likewise stock fenders, footpads, tires, Float Plates, Onewheel handles, spare parts, plus heaps of pleasant Onewheel garments.

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For those in the States, Pro, Trip USA is a great source of some high quality Onewheel products. Their on the internet shop stocks traction pads for both the Onewheel XR as well as Onewheel Pint, they likewise house a wide range of thorough Onewheel device sets, plus a vast variety of garments.

Making those Onewheel nosedives a distant memory well enthusiastic anyway. Certainly, no Onewheel devices checklist would be total without pointing out the OG Onewheel supplier as well as device stockist Future Activity. The main Future Activity online shop has a stack of real Onewheel devices for you to purchase. Anything from fenders to bumpers, manages to bags, safety helmets to wrist guards, or stands to auto battery chargers.

The 1 Wheel Parts store likewise equip a big series of Onewheel parts as well as accessories. Anything from Battery battery chargers, tires, fenders, hold tape, or footpads, you name it they have it. Oh, and they likewise supply a variety of service as well as fixing options if you are having any technical issues with your Onewheel electrical skateboard.

Sidekicks Rail Protection for Beginners

Good! 3D Printed Onewheel Add-on As always, I'm throwing in a few incentive 3D Onewheel devices for you DIY guys to try. Verdict So there you have it. My go-to manufacturers, online shops, and also stockists list for all your Onewheel devices requires. Whether you are chasing after fenders, battery chargers, fee port covers, power leads, footpads, or anything else you make certain to locate all you need in one of these on-line stores.

You got a Onewheel and also currently you wait for it to come to your door. And also when you're not viewing every You, Tube video clip there is on the Onewheel you are continuously tracking the shipping status of your Onewheel.

They invest large money on Onewheel accessories reserved for advanced motorcyclists like Trip Fins, high end Fenders and custom-made foot pads. Below is what I recommend: a Onewheel fender.

Top Guidelines Of The Float Life Sidekicks Rail Protection 2021

You can additionally take into consideration Fangs to protect on your own. Consider custom footplates and also trip fins after you have a much better suggestion of what kind of riding you will certainly be doing and when you understand you will certainly be committed to this leisure activity. You must truly be saving your money for the next newbie error They Don't use the ideal safety equipment.

At a minimum I suggest a great safety helmet as well as wrist guards. best sidekicks rail protection. If you feel the demand for added security, take into consideration knee and also arm joint guards. I try to always put on a headgear and wrist guards as well as they have saved me on several occasions. For a list of my preferred safety equipment, checkout my article on safety gear.

Count on me I know this one from experience. Rate wobble will most likely be the cause of autumn for most brand name new bikers as they attempt to go quick.

All about Top Sidekicks Rail Protection

I understand I have actually been startled by a plunge in the past but I reduced back into it and also I'm pleased I did. If you have actually ordered your Onewheel and currently you are awaiting it to reach your doorstep, do not make these typical blunders that beginners commonly make. Do not spend a lot of cash on unnecessary Onewheel devices.

Getting your Onewheel dealt with can be a nightmare. In the entire globe, there is just a single service center. And between shipping and also repair service, you're considering thousands of dollars and a minimum of thirty days wait time. Factor being, preventing board damages is way much more cost/time effective than fixing it.

The Ultimate Guide To Best Sidekicks Rail Protection

The Onewheel fender might be the most significant lifestyle upgrade for riders. Most individuals don't mind percentages of dust/ particles being kicked up as they ride from the stock fender. When it's muddy, or there is a whole lot of gravel, then it can be fairly painful and messy to ride without an updated Onewheel fender.

Before discussing them, it is necessary to understand that the stock tires for the Onewheel aren't really made for a Onewheel (seems insane, best?). The supply tires are go-kart tires. The problem with using go-kart tires for a Onewheel is that the go-kart tires will put on down in a different way then what they're designed for.

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[lyour-local-girl-in-painl]

bought griptape felt cool

[boardpusherskateboards]

Featured Deck and Grip of the Day: Foo Fighters Longboard by INTRUST Bank Arena

The folks over at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, KS created these custom longboard and custom griptape graphics and completed them with OJ Hot Juice Wheels and Luxe Trucks as gifts for the Foo Fighters when they played the arena on their Concrete and Gold Tour. It’s pretty cool to think Dave Grohl and co. are riding around on some custom BoardPusher.com longboards.

Make your BoardPusher.com complete a truly customized skateboard with your own griptape graphic.