Following Jake’s “E30” part that just dropped, I gave him a call to hear about the process of working on this one, dive into some stand out tricks, and discuss the importance of personality being shown in skate videos. Go give the part a watch if you haven’t, it’s a real good one. Enjoy! – 

🌀: Yo what’s up Jake! How’s it going?

I’m good, just chilling. 

🌀: Nice, well thanks for being down to do this, I thought it’d be cool to hear about your new part. How are you feeling now that the part is out, excited, relieved?

Yeah, it’s definitely a relief. It only took a little over a year to film, but it felt like it took so long. Super stoked on how it came out, I feel like it had a pretty good reaction. People liked it so I’m stoked.

🌀: Yeah, I’m sure it feels good to see all the posts coming through, the comments, and having people hit you up.

Yeah for sure, it’s a sigh of relief, like ok cool, people don’t hate it.

🌀: Haha yeah, it makes it feel worth it. So your last part was in Deathwish “Uncrossed” – did you go straight from that into this NB project?

Pretty much, yeah. It was the next day after the premiere and I went skating with Luke, and started on this one. The whole idea was to have it out around the same time that my colorway came out, which would’ve given me about 3 months to film it. Then NB hit me up and they were like “You know what, we don’t need it to come out for the colorway, take your time, have it come out how you want it, and we’ll release it when it’s ready” – so we stuck around and just kept it going, to make it a little stronger and stuff, you know? Rather than rushing it.

🌀: Yeah, it’s always good to get to a point to where you’re stoked on it, instead of just putting it out.

Yeah, exactly. At the time I would’ve been fine putting out a minute of footage or something, and being like “Here’s a minute of footage with my colorway”; but, I’m more stoked to work on a longer full length part. Rather than just putting out some whatever stuff that’s rushed under the gun.

🌀: For sure, I think holding off on it makes it mean more. I thought it was cool that there wasn’t much build up for the release of this part, I just opened YouTube and there it was. Was it thought out to be that way? 

It kind of just worked out like that. I agree, it works out better that way. If you’re looking at it from a social media marketing standpoint, say you post the day before it drops, you’re kind of leading people to a video part that isn’t there yet. It’s cool to build up the hype and stuff, but, it’s a video part that’s going on Thrasher and is going to end up being pushed down the line eventually. I just feel like it has its couple days of shine and you might as well highlight it once it’s there, rather than trying to lead someone to a website where there’s nothing.

🌀: Agreed. I think building up the hype is cool when it’s something like a full length video, but for something like a solo part, I like the surprise.

That’s what I was going to say, like a full length video, it definitely works. The hype, you’ve got everyone talking about it, there’s multiple people to think about. But, when it’s a solo part, there’s so many of them that come out throughout the year that maybe the person dropping the part can hype it up themselves, but I don’t know if it’s necessary for Thrasher and the companies to hype it up beforehand.

🌀: Totally. Based on your Instagram, it definitely seems like you’re a fan of old hip hop, with that in mind, was that Kazi and Madlib track your pick?

Yeah, I actually hadn’t heard that song before I found it, obviously, no one’s heard a song before they find it. But, that wasn’t a song I had in my playlist or anything, I had just been looking on Bandcamp, Apple Music, and that sort of thing. Obviously, when filming a part you have to take in consideration the music rights and stuff. Looking on smaller websites like Bandcamp gives you access to smaller artists that maybe don’t charge as much for the rights to their music and stuff like that, so that’s initially how I found it. I’m a fan of Madlib, MF Doom and that sort of thing, so it kind of worked out perfectly that that’s what we went with. 

🌀: Yeah, this song seemed very fitting.

Yeah, for sure. I’m stoked that New Balance is down to run with something that would suit my vibe and not necessarily the New Balance vibe. I kind of trip sometimes and think maybe it’s a little too much and people are like “Alright we get it, you like hip hop, we don’t need to see video parts of it too” – but, it seems like the song was pretty well received and it wasn’t too over the top, which is nice. 

🌀: Definitely. So what’s the dynamic like with you and Luke? Are you someone who prefers to have a plan when going out in the streets, or just going with the flow?

Honestly, it was such a weird video part to work on. I feel like I operated in a way that I don’t normally operate. It kind of just consisted of Luke sending me spots, or I would have random spots that I’d want to check out, we’d go and check them out, I’d try and handle it, and that would kind of be it really. It was all strictly business, trying to get tricks. But, Luke is the best to hang out with, and it didn’t necessarily feel like that was the case, but that’s what we were doing, you know? It was definitely nice to have him as the person I was working with, just cause he’s so mellow and it’s not an issue if nothing happens, but he’s super hyped if something does.

🌀: That’s sick. It’s always good to go out and handle business, but really be able to go out and have a good time together. 

Yeah, for sure. There were definitely so many times during filming for this part where we’d just go skate skateparks instead, just me and him. We’d just kind of mess around and take the pressure off filming for the video part and keep it a little more mellow, and not be so serious.

🌀: Exactly, I think you have to sometimes.

It just stresses me out too much just thinking about it constantly, it’s always on my mind “What tricks am I going to do? How am I going to scare myself? How am I going to try to make this better than the last?” – There’s so much going on, that it’s nice to just skate a park and not really worry about it.

🌀: Definitely, it can be a lot on the mind. I thought Luke did a super good job not only filming/editing, but with the animations as well. Was that his idea, or how did that come about?

We just had gone out and filmed a bunch of clips and then it came to a point where he was able to start editing and my whole idea was that I didn’t want it to just be a boring video part with tricks. I don’t want it to just be tricks and show no personality. So, we were just throwing ideas around as to what we could do and how we could spice it up a little bit. We settled on the animation, and because I have two cars it worked out perfectly to have it switch in and out, so that’s what we went with. 

🌀: Yeah, the animations really showed your personality. As you mentioned earlier, there’s so many solo parts that drop, I think a video that doesn’t show personality is more forgettable than one that does. 

Yeah, I mean, it’s like introducing myself with my car or my dog, is something else that someone could potentially latch onto, like “Oh remember the dog hanging out the window of the car?” – That’s all it takes for someone to remember a video part, rather than “I have no idea what 10 stair he Tre Flipped” – you know?

🌀: 100%. It makes you seem more personable and relatable.

That’s the goal at the end of the day, there’s no point to me to just put out footage. There’s no feeling to it, you don’t feel like you’ve accomplished much, you’ve just done tricks.

🌀: Yeah, it’s true. To change subjects a bit; is there a certain skater that got you stoked to start skating bump over bars? 

I’ve always been a fan of Huf and Danny Wainwright, I remember the old world record high ollie contest with Danny Wainwright. There was no one where I was like “Oh this dude’s a bump to bar skater that I’m going to try and emulate.” It was kind of just something that I realized that I could do, so I ran with it. It wasn’t until later on that I started appreciating people that skated that type of thing.

🌀: I’ve always thought it was cool to watch someone skate a bump over bar because it shows that you not only can do a trick, but that you can pop and control it. It’s just something different, like a young kid can do tricks down stairs, but they probably aren’t going to have the power yet to do tricks on a bump over bar.

Yeah, I’m definitely a big advocate of doing tricks correctly, really getting them down on flat, and doing them to the best of your ability before taking it to any type of obstacle. But, at the same time, it hurts to jump down stuff. The older I get, the less I want to do it. Skating over bump to bars, benches, and obstacles is just easier on my body, and I do prefer to do that anyway, so it’s kind of a win-win. 

🌀: Yeah, it works out. Let’s talk about that Pop Shuv you did, it looks like you caught it like a foot over the bar, what was the process on that one? 

Thanks! That one we were on a New Balance trip, it was a smaller trip with Samarria and Ronnie to Fresno. Dan Stolling was showing us around, and obviously that bump to bar has been seen a bunch, and I wanted to check it out because it seemed really good in footage. I tried it the first day and was doing it but every time I’d go to put it down it’d be primo for some reason, I just couldn’t figure out why it kept half flipping. We ended up back there the next day, and it happened pretty quickly, I’d say I think it was 15-20 minutes, it wasn’t really too much, which I was stoked on. It was the same day we filmed the line too, so it was a nice day at that school.

🌀: 2 clips in a day is always nice!

Yeah, always stoked on that. I’m kinda stoked on 2 clips on the same spot as well.

🌀: Yeah, I like that! I think it’s cool when there’s clips back to back in a part that are at the same spot, or a Frontside then Backside trick, it just gives you something else to remember the part by. 

Yeah, exactly. I remember Arto’s “Really Sorry” part, I’m pretty sure it’s “Really Sorry”, where everything at the beginning of his part, like; Backside Flip, then Switch Backside Flip a street gap. It’s such a memorable thing. 

🌀: It’s cool how that’s ingrained into your memory. When you film parts I feel like there’s always a sick Tre Flip, there definitely was in this part, who are some of your favorite Tre Flippers?

Kalis is always a big one, I think he’s pretty high up on anyone’s list. Brophy’s always had a really good Tre Flip, I mean, he was the first one to Tre Flip a picnic table I’m pretty sure. There’s a lot of people with a good Tre Flip, like Tiago I’m sure has a really good Tre Flip. Then there’s a different style of a Tre Flip with someone like Ishod, it’s all just different. I don’t necessarily think a popped Tre Flip is the best type of Tre Flip, I think it all depends on how it’s done. I don’t think that the back leg dangle is required, just a nice Tre Flip. It’s like any trick, it doesn’t have to be popped as long as the technique is correct and it’s done well, that’s all it has to be.

🌀: Yeah, I’ve always been a fan of Bobby Worrest’s Tre Flips, because his back foot always goes forward, which I guess if you’re popping it instead of scooping it, your foot just goes that direction, but I like how that looks.

Yeah, I really like that, I’m a big Bobby Worrest fan. I definitely know what you’re talking about.

🌀: He’s got a good one. Was there any specific trick in the part that meant the most to you? Or maybe you worked the hardest for?

Neither that I worked the hardest or meant the most, but I think the trick that I’m most stoked on is probably the Frontside Flip over the pole. Just because I never really do Frontside Flips, I mean I do them on flat ground every now and then, but I’ve never really been able to do them at a spot. It’s nice to finally have one that I’m stoked on, it’s filmed amazing, so I’m super stoked to have one in a part. It’s slo mo’d too, so I’m pretty hyped on that one.

🌀: Yeah, that’s a dope one, especially knowing that you’re such a Reynolds fan, I’m sure it’s a good feeling having that clip in there. 

Definitely, that’s always been the goal obviously, to be able to Frontside Flip, it feels like I checked one off the list. I finally have one in a video part that I’m really stoked on.

🌀: Yep! So what’s the story with the ender? Obviously it’s a huge bump over bar, with some bushes you have to clear, and a 3 stair. It looks like a pretty wild spot…

That bump to bar is at the spot, you’d remember it, it’s like a stage and then you land on top of a 2 stair, an OG spot…

🌀: Oh yeah, that old gap!

Yeah, that bump to bar is at an auditorium style thing. I had heard about it, I went and checked it out, and I wasn’t really too into it. There’s not much run up, you kinda have to run down the set of stairs beforehand, throw down, cut into the little area, and then Ollie. I was kind of over it, but then the video part was starting to come to a close, and I was like “I really need an ender, I’m not too sure what I’m going to do but it has to be something I’m good at.” Obviously, Ollies are what I do a lot, so I figured it’s going to be an Ollie of some sort, thought about that bump to bar, and I was like “Alright, let’s go back and try it.” So it was just another one of those 5pm solo, me and Luke sessions, and we just did it. I think it took like 10 minutes or something, we just handled it and it was over.

🌀: Wow, sick! Was it one of those things where the first try is intimidating, but then it comes easy?

Yeah, the first one was the scariest, but also, trying to figure out the speed. Running down 4 stairs, throwing down, taking a push, cutting into the area where the bump is, and then ollieing, there’s so much to figure out. If you don’t take enough pushes, you’re going to land in the garden underneath the bump to bar. It’s a hectic situation, but after the first couple I started to figure it out and it wasn’t so bad. 

🌀: Yeah, definitely sounds like a tough spot to skate. I’ve always thought it’s cool when an ender kind of defines someone’s skating, you know? So for you, someone who likes skating bump to bars and filming Ollies, that’s a fitting ender. If someone just saw that clip, it shows the skater that you are. 

For sure, the ender is obviously going to be the best trick in your part, because it’s going to close it, but also, the ender should be something that, at least in my case,  you’re really good at. That’s one of the main things I’m good at in skateboarding, so I figured that’s how you’re going to end a part strong, with something you’re good at.

🌀: That makes sense for sure. 

But then you have a Mike Mo in Fully Flared situation, with the Front Tail to Switch Back Noseblunt, that might be the first one he’s ever done, so it’s just different for each person.

🌀: Yeah, I guess it just depends on how someone skates. For someone, tech there’s probably a lot of tricks they just do once to film it, to check it off their list.

Yeah, exactly.

🌀: So now that you wrapped this part up, what do you got going on now, straight into the next part?

Yeah, at this point it’s kind of overlapped, I’ve already started filming for the Dickies full length, which is going to be celebrating 100 years of Dickies. They’re trying to get a full length video together by the end of the year I believe. 

🌀: Oh, sick! You guys were just out in Texas working on that video, right?

Yeah, we were out filming there, I was there for 17 days, which is kind of a long time but it was good because it felt nice to be back on the road on an actual skate trip after Covid. 

🌀: Yeah, and it’s nice when a trip is long enough where you can settle in, get used to everything, and go get some clips.

Exactly, you kind of get into a basic routine in the morning, and it emulates what you do at home, so it’s nice. It’s good to travel with new people, having new faces on the team.

🌀: Yeah, speaking of, that Guy announcement was huge.

Yeah, it’s insane to have someone of Guy’s stature on the team. It’s crazy to be in the same van as him.

🌀: Was he on that Texas trip?

Yeah he was, they managed to keep it a secret the whole time. He was out there for 10 days.

🌀: Haha that’s so cool. Had you spent time with Guy before that?

I’d like said what’s up and seen him in passing, but never really skated with him. It was cool to spend a full 10 days with him, he brings a lot of knowledge and stories to the table. Obviously he’s spent a lot of time skating and traveling, so he’s got some tales to tell.

🌀: I’m sure he does! It was cool watching his intro clip, he looks so comfortable on his board, and still doing tricks that no one else does.

It’s crazy, when he comes out with an Instagram clip it’s always something mind blowing. Seeing him in real life; he just looks healthy, he looks like a really healthy guy. It’s sick, he definitely looks after himself. 

🌀: It’s cool to see Guy, Reynolds, Spanky and others who have been around for so long, still killing it, and taking care of themselves. 

Yeah, I feel like Spanky is a big one, he’s not that old, but he’s been through a lot obviously with quitting drinking, getting his board back, having a kid, being the graphic designer for Baker, all this shit. He’s got so much going on, so much respect to him for being able to continue being an Instagram person, and like a real pro skater by putting out parts, ads, having pro shoes and doing the whole thing. He’s probably one of the busiest people in skateboarding, and he manages to nail it everytime.

🌀: Yeah, I was watching that “Out There” piece with him on Thrasher, it was so inspiring, he’s doing everything you could ever want a pro skater or person to do. 

Oh for sure, he’s like a company’s dream.

🌀: So sick! Well that’s all I got, that was fun to go behind the scenes on your part. Looking forward to that Dickies video! 

Hell yeah, thanks so much!