Oh, you didn’t think the Video Roundup was a thing anymore? Well, SURPRISE, WE BACK AGAIN. Here’s a selection of my favourite videos from around the internet during the month of May 2022.
Vans “The Lizzie” UK Weartest at Gregtopia
The Skateboarder’s Companion were in attendance for a Vans shred sesh at Greg Nowik’s private ramp haven – where a huge swath of the UK’s finest transition skaters descended for a day of absolutely mental skateboarding. This 3 and a half minute edit proves that mini ramp and vert footage still slaps hard, with the likes of Jake Snelling, Ben Broyd, Lola Tambling and Mr Nowik himself putting down some truly rad skateboarding. If this doesn’t get you stoked to hit your local mini then nothing will.
Cold Call: Ben Raybourn
BEN RAYBOURN IS BACK. After dropping completely off the face of the earth, one of the raddest, maddest transition skaters of the early 2010’s resurfaced this month, as Thrasher caught up with him to see what he’s been up to. Needless to say the dude still absolutely rips, and as always with Cold Call, you get a bit more insight into what these pro skaters are actually like.
Turns out Ben is as hyper, enthusiastic and wild as his skating suggests – he dives deep into how being a high profile skater (riding for companies such as $lave and Birdhouse) was not a good place for him mentally, and shows how skating for smaller brands, doing his own thing and just skating for fun has really helped him. Raybourn really is a guy who doesn’t seek approval from the mainstream, and he’s just happy to be skateboarding local spots, with good friends, and doing what makes him happy… And I totally dig it.
“DISRUPTION” by Disorder Skateboards
Say what you want about “Mr X Games Street League Olympian” Nyjah Huston, but the guy has serious skill on a skateboard. With this level of success it would be easy for a guy like him to create the most clean, presentable, boring board company – but here he is with Disorder Skateboards. Surprisingly, it seems to be hitting the nail on the head with its representation of skateboarding, stepping away from the arena where Nyjah is usually seen, and hitting the street, clashing with cops and security guards, and taking lessons from the likes of Baker and Deathwish with its presentation.
The company’s first video “DISRUPTION” (in all caps) is an 11 minute slice of top tier street skateboarding: big handrails, impossible ledge dancing, heavy hitting perfect flip tricks down big sets. Nyjah is accompanied by a finely curated list of incredible street skaters cut from the same cloth, and the skateboarding is surprisingly raw, pure, and more authentic than you might expect. Most of the footage here is from Nyjah, but the rest of the team bulk out the first half of the video, before busting into a full ending segment of Huston skating real street better than most ever could. Let’s be honest, Nyjah has had some social gaffs over the years, but if this video is any indication he has found himself firmly back on the pulse of what skateboarding should be, and I’m down for it.
Blast Skates’ “Mini Trip”
I can’t get enough of Blast Skates. Honestly, they are one of my favourite brands at the minute. Their whole vibe is a breath of fresh air – perfectly executed nostalgia wrapped up in a decidedly modern package, and they always try new and interesting formats for their products and how they get them out to us: the hungry skateboarding public.
Take their latest short tour video, the aptly named “mini trip”. Whilst most companies are dropping their stuff on YouTube, Blast opted to upload this as a multi video instagram post, with bizarre Quality Street inspired graphics and post effects. The whole thing feels like a digital zine, and the skateboarding is incredibly rad, featuring the regular Blast heavy hitters like Jake Snelling, Ben Broyd, Nassir Roumou, Amanda Perez and Callum McRobbie.
Mami Tezuka’s “Destiny” Pro Part
Mami Tezuka is now PRO AF. The pint sized transition destroyer turned pro for Blood Wizard this month, and with good reason. Proof of her amazing skills on a skateboard lie within her new video part, titled “Destiny”, up now on the Thrasher YouTube. This part is so good, that it is the very reason I brought the Video Roundup back this month.
If you are familiar with Blood Wizard or Mami then you are gonna get exactly what you are expecting – gnarly, fast, metal as fuck transition skating on some of the biggest, crustiest transitions. DIY Parks, backyard pools and street quarters are all shredded in this part, with some styled out Smith grinds, awkward channel gaps, and wallride handplant variations aplenty. The last trick is mind-blowing, seeing Tezuka go upside down for a ceiling bash. Definitely my favourite part of the month!
The Terrible Company 