Chris & Courtney Brown Interview
LordBrian just send me this interview he made with Chris and Courtney Brown. Don’t miss the video at the end of the interview.
What’s up fellow rollas and rollettes. If you have logged onto various messageboards including ROLLERNEWS these past 2 weeks I am pretty sure that you have noticed the influx of posts/arguments regarding |B| UNIQUE and the term “FREESTYLE ROLLING” . I have read EVERY post and I read EVERY response whether it was supportive or hateful. One thing I noticed is that there seems to be a big confusion about what exactly the term means as well as who really owns |B| UNIQUE . So, yesterday after a day of freestyle rolling at NYC’s RIVERSIDE skatepark I decided to visit the BROWN BROTHERS’ in their home in order to sort things out. Enjoy the read and don’t forget to check out the commercial below. Peace and keep rolling alive.
The question that seems to be on everybody’s mind these days is what is going on with Checkmate: Mixtape 3?
Court: CHECKMATE will be one of the best DVD’s in your movie collection period. The team was extremely dedicated to bringing the best skating, mixed with alot of excellent filming by the Kelso’s, and packaged by Chris’ editing style. Best video period. It will finally will be out in June, no joke this time.How does this film differ from the last Mixtape?
Chris: I wanted to make a film that was a little different in style than the rest. In a lot of skate videos now I saw a lot of people were heavily influenced by our style so I wanted to switch it up a bit to keep it fresh and a great representation of what freestyle rolling is to
those who are yet unfamiliar.
For people who don’t know, what exactly is freestyle rolling?
Courtney: Freestyle rolling is simply a modern day progression of our sport. With society labeling rollerblading with many negatives for the last 6 years and on top of that not giving us a true accurate description of what we do, a better description is needed. Freestyle Rolling has always been here. Freestyle rolling is a type of rollerblading.What is a rollerblader?
Courtney: People don’t realize the natural perception of a rollerblader is a fitness or recreational skater making up more than 70 percent of the market share of inline skating according to the SGMA [Sporting Good Manufacturing Association]. An image that we have been tangled up with for years. We are 10% of the market share! FactChris: Freestyle Rolling is just a type of division of skating. With many forms of skating out there (recreational, fitness, roller hockey, even confused with skateboarding at times) freestyle rolling gives us our own identity.
Court: It’s important in keeping the legacy of our culture we have created moving forward. Freestyle rolling captivates, the originality, style, and creativity of our culture. Arlo said it best “If something is incredible, its incredible”. This is something fresh, new, and exciting.
Where do you feel skating going?
Courtney: People always ask me where is skating going, and I tell them, it’s exactly where we are going. The previous leaders have left it to us to push skating the right way. It’s us, no one else. If we want to be a society that doesn’t help the push of our sport then we are like crabs in a bucket, just trying to bring everyone down and we’ll never get out the bucket.Chris: I’m glad people are pushing freestyle rolling every day. When you bring your skates to school, or when you show someone a skate video, or when your improving your level at a skate spot and getting better. We live this.
What are some of the other ways you are pushing freestyle rolling?
Courtney: Well I’m happy that we help push freestyle rolling by contributing sections in every ECKO DVD that is distributed to over 400 Macy’s across the country! It’s great when Colin Kelso would call me up about to buy L-R-G jeans and then being surprised seeing himself on a t.v. screen in a clothing store in a mall.Chris: We are all skaters, it’s just when someone wants to know in particular what kind of skating it is, it’s freestyle rolling. It’s the exact same thing on what we’ve been doing for years. But certain words or songs, or styles that existed in the 80’s aren’t the same
things anymore. Its changed, shifted with the times but is the exact same thing. It’s going to be extremely difficult to break the mold of calling ourselves just rollerbladers because we have been so conditioned to label ourselves that for years, but we are more than just
rollerbladers.Courtney: What we do is sooooo much more than just inline skating. My grandmother can inline skate. Freestyle rolling is something that we can do that others cannot. When they say “Oh rollerblading is easy”, I simply agree with them and say yeah but try what we do and you’ll bust
your ass. ( laughing ).Is it wrong to be called a rollerblader then?
Court: No, not at all. To say rollerblading is what we do, is great, because yes a part of what we do is exactly that but it doesn’t stopthere. To say that the delivery guy who is rollerblading to deliver food and what Brian Aragon is doing is the same thing, is insulting to our
talent.Any last thing that you would like people to know?
Chris: I think it’s important to carry on the same legacy and commitment that you saw in pros in movies like the Hoax’s, Fast Shoes, FR, the F.O.R.’s, Amateur, Coup De Tat and others for example, and continue it today.Court: And by the way, Jim Jones, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Ozborne, or any other music artists you want to throw in the mix DO NOT own b.unique. [ laughing ] 100% skating all day.
Billy O’Neil Commercial
Thanks LordBrian!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:06 am
wow this is sooo sick. thank you!!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:06 am
finally an explaination!!
i didnt’ get freestyle rolling before because i thought it was just dipskate, but now I see that it really is a chance to allow us to have our own identity. Its true, rollerblading has been on the treadmill for years as not the coolest thing out after the XGames thing and freestyle rolling is a chance to allow us to show what skating is like in 2007. Its bigger than then a team, its about progression a way to get what we love out there.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:09 am
finally an explaination!!
i didnt’ get freestyle rolling before because i thought it was just dipskate, but now I see that it really is a chance to allow us to have our own identity. Its true, rollerblading has been on the treadmill for years as not the coolest thing out after the XGames thing and freestyle rolling is a chance to allow us to show what skating is like in 2007. Its bigger than then a team, its about progression a way to get what we love out there.
——- could’nt of said that better!!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:13 am
Man I completely agree. I always get confused for what kind of skating I do. When I say I rollerblade, they think its soo easy or something and its not true. And rollerblade is not even a sport name its a company!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:16 am
word
May 1st, 2007 at 10:23 am
Jesus i hate those fucking morons so much.
They must jerk off every night dreaming of a world where rollerblading is a big as skateboarding.
Those recent movies, like barely dead, are so full of this pathetic need of recognition.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:39 am
its not about skating being as big as skateboarding now u moron. There is need for growth. fukin haters all day. The brown brothers and doug are pushing what we do
May 1st, 2007 at 11:22 am
We all skate. If its brought up i’m just saying freestyle rolling is the kind i do in case they confuse it with skateboarding, that happens more often then not.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:45 am
So if someone says; “What do you do for a hobby?”
“I Freestyle Roll”
It sounds wrong, but yeah I guess its a pretty accurate term for the sport.
I’ve always liked |B|Unique, they have awesome products, an awesome team and make awesome videos, but I’d rather just get called a Rollerblader.
Really good interview tho, well done
May 1st, 2007 at 11:46 am
Why the hate still man,
dint you just read the article ?
We are rollers,
nothing can change that fact.
People like you, we dont need in our sport.
Not sounding weird but your the ones who say oh i rollerblade to friends but then yourself dont even know the correct term of rolling your self.
We freestyle roll, which in the article above is explained.
|B| Unique !!!!! Be yourself…….
May 1st, 2007 at 11:50 am
‘In a lot of skate videos now I saw a lot of people were heavily influenced by our style so I wanted to switch it up a bit to keep it fresh and a great representation of what freestyle rolling is to’
meh
so what your ACTUALLY trying to do is to seperate yourself from every other ”freestyle rollerblader” on the planet
look
nothing has changed…the sport is evolving on its own
who needs recognition from a different name, that will come in time anyway.
so what if we make 10 percent of the market share, im pretty sure people notice the difference.
you would have to be a fooking idiot to see someone doing a heel break and someone switching on a hand rail and think they were the same thing requiring the same respect.
as one of the users said on here before, you dont see skateboarders or bmxers trying to seperate themselves from there sports, thats just plain dumb.
fair dues…you do your thing..but count me out.:)
May 1st, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Leo.
you just completely changed my perspective on all of this haha.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:09 pm
i hear you but I disagree. There are reasons why your actually wrong if you think about it.
A skateboarder doesn’t have another group of skateboarders who do other things on a skateboard. You know what that person is called
some one who “longboards”
a person on a skateboard does grinds, airs, or whatever they do for fun. freestyle rolling is what we do for fun.
Do you even know what a rollerblader is???
a rollerblader is someone who “is on inline skates” pick up a dictionary.
and yes there is a difference with biking and bmx. are you kidding me? Wake the fuk up. I’m pissed this wasnt’ understood 10 years ago.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:11 pm
They are not even trying to separate themselves from rollerbladers when they said that. They are saying a bunch of people who make skate videos jacked their style editing. stop confusing things
May 1st, 2007 at 12:21 pm
cool video, it would have been more meaningful with a scarier spot. almost everything fish skates is crazier than that.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:17 pm
for some reason this whole topic really pisses me off.
what gives the brown brothers the right to re-name our sport or to send it in a new direction? thats “their” direction, “their” idea and “their” opinion. again its just another case of barely dead, which sees rollerbladers trying to sell rollerblading to the masses and to justify to us, the pros, the legends, the egos & the rivals of our sport why we really are “cool”. WHO CARES. if rollerblading was as cool as we say it is, itd be out there already. what cool thing ever thought itself to be cool…..? nothing. infact coolness came from not being cool and thats the reason why i have loved rollerblading for 15 years of my 22 year life. also its because every cockhead off the street isnt wearing a pair of skates or jocking one of our pros. the greatest thing we could ever do for it is just to do it….. progress, land those impossible tricks, do it YOUR way and NOT be in the face of the public through, xgames, promotions, advertisements, barely deads, b uniques and dipskates. let what we do speak for itself.
also i hate to break it to some of you guys but b unique is far from unique (old i know). they are basically following in the footsteps of every other american street wear label; crooks and castles (PLEASE check out their designs, b unique straight up copied some), 10 deep, ofcourse the now uncool BAPE, and many more.
now im not saying stealing a bit of the now cool “pop” culture and adding it to rollerblading is a bad thing. but then again itd be adding an already independant self standing thing with its own image into something that doesnt have one, masking the true indentity of rollerblading and thats not good. just because street wear is cool now doesnt mean it will be later, same with jim jones, not that he was ever any good. rollerblading again is in search of an identity, and just as we OURSELVES were progressing towards one, we unfortunately get held up by this bullshit called dipset and a tryhard streetwear label blocking our way. now seeing as we dont have our own image the brown brothers ofcourse saw it feasible to cling to hiphop and the street wear culture because thats pretty much all THEY have and what THEY are. its only a matter of time before people and other extreme sports will look at us and say “shit, i wonder what rollerblading will copy now”.
slighty off topic but ever all so important i thought this was quite surprising when i saw it; the “rollerblading on a BMX site” post. jeff stockwell just for doing what he does best at a park got mad props for his edit. dipskate got nuttin but hate, and comments like tryhards, what a fuckin stupid idea etc etc. doesnt that give us a little idea that we DONT need a saviour and a new direction, what we are doin is working, slowly but surely its working and its OURS.
i liked b uniques first lines, movies and attitudes. diversity is great for anything, dictaorship isnt. if b unique was still just b unique that’d be dope, just as 4×4 is, and denial is etc etc. but they want more as everyone with a bit of power does, they want more than their share of the industry and the brown brothers seem to have proclaimed themselves as the jesus’ duo of rollerblading with the term “FREESTYLE ROLLING”
anyways to cut a long story short; for fucks just skate, DONT B UNIQUE because they have bastardised that term forever. Let your skating speak for itself, not hiphop, streetwear, rock n roll, emo or PANTS! lol
and on that note as i said before the greatest thing we could ever do for rollerblading is just to do it….. let what we do speak for ITSELF because it doesnt need SOMEONE ELSES voice.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:40 pm
What validity do you hold over them?
I’ve heard what you said and I’ve skated for 11 years. I think the main problem is that rollerblading is not the name of our sport. In the beginning we were already conditioned to say we rollerblade just like when you make a copy of a fax your “Xeroxing”.
Freestyle rolling is not a cry for help!! freestyle rolling is just a better adjective. here is a ROLLERBLADER:
home.earthlink.net/clicknbuild/images/group/el_generic/libra...
I love skating and I know they do too. They are not saying “lets change every single rollerblader into freestyle rolling” its just that we need to have a better definition of what we do, its about a better name besides the image for the link I just used.
Plus for you to come at b.unique is rediculous, freestyle rolling is bigger than a clothing company and second b.unique is one of the best things our industry even has. I know personally of kids who started skating because of them!! If they leave us like Mindgame, thats gonna suck. I don’t care how you take it.
WE DON’T HAVE A REAL IDENTITY BY SAYING WERE ROLLERBLADERS!!! That’s the real point.
Jeff Stockwell is freestyle rolling!!! Its just the type of rollerblading he does.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:44 pm
I bet if Arlo said this is freestyle rolling 10 years ago, things would be different. We’d probably still be in the X-games. lol
May 1st, 2007 at 1:54 pm
let me tell you what that Jeff Stockwell clip did,
If that damn dipskate thing didn’t come out do you think they would even bother putting Stockwell on the fuckin board.
Look I don’t like the dipskate thing like that but I understand freestyle rolling.
it opened up a window for people to see what’s really going on. You think he’d be on otherwise? Please your looking at things one sided. Yea he’d be on… in like 6 years from now other wise.
This allows more people to see skating, get interested, increase participation, sell more skates, pay pros more, and flurish the industry.
Stop thinking today and start thinking about down the road. you need to stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about the15 year old kid GETTING into it this.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:59 pm
b.unique & company is the sweetest company. They are showing what I love the best way and I love their clothes, team, videos, and what they stand for. They’ve always been in controversy since day 1 and always thrive. b.unique is what I love strongly and if don’t like it go kick rocks.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Look, bmxers tend to call their sport “freestyle bmxing.” Why can’t we have freestyle rolling? It will take a while to get used to but what difference does bitching make. Stfu.
And some dude already said in skateboarding they have ‘longboarding.’ Hell, theres snakeboarding too. And think of how many different types of surfing there are.
Dipskate is pretty gay, mostly cause of Calvin. B.Unique still has more of my respect than any other company in the rollerblading industry however.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Ucon’s much better than B. Unique
‘Rollerblading’ sounds better than ‘freestyle rolling’ - fuck whatever stygma comes with it
fuck what anyone else thinks in general - let the skating do the talking
‘freestyle rolling’ sounds too nu-wave - then our sport’ll be compared to ‘freestyle scootering’ - why the fuck would we want that?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Sure this is way better.
http://www.snacksport.dk/NewsView.asp?NewsID=46
Lets not get it twisted. ucon would be crushed if b.unique had the same things made overseas.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:41 pm
I really think people need to get off the whole Dipskate, B Unique thing.
Firstly Dipskate is only an association of a group of skaters not the whole rolling community, just one of the many clothing brands. Jim Jones and the rest the Diplomats don’t call the shots. He simply showed appreciation for something he thought was visually amazing and backed it rather then faceless organisations like EXPN, Dew Action Sports who were probably lobbied and eventually gave in cutting us from the roster in their events.
B unique is exactly what Rolling needs right now a Viable skate brand that can transend Freestyle rolling it is bringing the sport to masses. For those who don’t want this thing to grow any further than your block you may as well get out now because now this thing has momentum and it’s gathering pace (just check out Myspace).
I have been rolling for well over 8 years and I have always been proud to call myself a roller I have often found the term Rollerblader used in a derrogetory fashion in much the same way as the term Fruitbooter I am in no hurry align myself to that term. Freestyle Rolling or as I have known myself a Roller is a better fit but that’s me you choose yours. I’m not about trying to bring the world round to our way of thinking, if you don’t like us then F#9K you that’s just how I feel.
But I truly admire the guys determnation to bring a digestable taste of rolling to the masses. To the world we are still outcasts, cool if you want to say keep it real. But not great if you want to see this sport grow. bottom line we need growth whether you like or not the sport has to see growth in order for local skateshops and parks to prosper and grow, for organisations to invest. So every year you have a vast selection of products to choose from. I can remember when the only skates you could buy where FCO Romes or TRS Lightnings trust me we have it a lot better now. Now we have UFS skates where you build your own custom setup things are alot better now and this is because skaters are more business savvy and are producing products with cross over appeal look at Ucon and England.
Another thing don’t always be ready to look at the involvement of Hip Hop as a negative I tink it depends on the perspective. Jon julio has always been known as hip hop Julio for as long as I can remember but I’m sure he like I has always listened to Hip Hop he also happens to skate.
I applaud the guys, well done lets build this thing and while maintaining the integrity we have fought hard for. we’ve been the Morlocks for too long it’s time to see the sunshine. Don’t hate on progress we all just have to make we ensure the everyday perception is real.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Big ups to the Brown bros for constantly pushing our sport. I support what they are doing and anything anyone else is doing to try to make our sport better. FUCK the haters..Seriously..complaining about Dipskate, or the term freestyle rolling is stupid..support what other rollers are trying to do.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:44 pm
b unique is sick period. let this new video do the talking. id love to to see the image of fish, post it if u know it, peace.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:53 pm
That Billy O’Neil commercial/video thing was retarded. Half a clip of skating and a couple of minutes of melodramatic crap.
I didn’t really read the interview because they aren’t talking about anything interesting.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I can’t not post on this…
I’ve been skating 10 years now. I’ve seen skating come a long way.
ROLLERBLADING gets respect and progresses because of people like:
stockwell
bailey
julio
haffey
shima
aragon
kelso
and the euro scene who rips it up in every edit, while still staying relatively unknown here.
Clothing styles, music styles, they come and go. Someone feel free to answer this: why is it that we should be “the modern-day progression of inline skating, which blends skating, music, and fashion together” if fashion and music are so fleeting.
Like others have said let the skating speak for itself. Can some socal, sanfran skaters get julio, haffey, shima, and the rest of the pros to get on camera talking about the name change. I bet the results would be that they don’t care about the name, as long as they can continue to skate. so why is it that dipskate and co want to change the name:
FAME!
May 1st, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Artrookie, i love the fact you slipped in an x-men reference. now thats cool!
May 1st, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Yes rollerblading is progressing but mainly in talent. Not in the other contructive ways. A lot of it has to do with fundamentals and foundation. the reason why I agree with freestyle rolling
I think you can go on calling it whatever you want but I think one a way to correct the general public of what kind of rollerblading we are doing, I think freestyle rolling makes sense. I don’t think people are going to be calling it freestyle rolling right now but great things arn’t made overnight.
Its going to be a new concept for a while but people have to realize by saying freestyle rolling your able to better explain what these guys do:
stockwell
bailey
julio
haffey
shima
aragon
kelso
because lets face it. you can litterally look outside of your house and see rollerbladers all day, but how many of “US” do you see?
May 1st, 2007 at 5:41 pm
stop saying
“i love b unique its da bestest fing to appen to rollerblading, fuck da haters”
and shit like that
the people who are disagreeing with this whole ridiculous freestyle rolling buisness are just talking sense!
i couldnt actually care less if someone thinks im gay for rollerblading
i often get a skateboarder giving me props if i do something sick
and thats because he thinks it looked cool or whatever….
not because i have suddenly changed into a ‘freestyle roller’
maybe its just the people that are insecure about being a rollerblader that care about these sort of pointless topics
May 1st, 2007 at 5:45 pm
I felt the need to get the words straight from their mouths in order to clear some things up. I embrace all of the comments whether it is supportive or not. We are all welcome to have our own opinion on things.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:05 pm
So.. if someone at your work/school. asks what you do… and you say i rollerblade. they’ll be like “oh..ok”
if you say you freestyle roll..then they will be curious and ask what that is.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:24 pm
“Yes rollerblading is progressing but mainly in talent. Not in the other contructive ways.”
what? I don’t even understand that statement.
skating is skating is skating is skating. end of story. stop making clothes and being like “these are clothes for rollers by rollers” because that makes no sense. just make clothes cause you want to make clothes. ucon and bunique limit themselves by selling there stuff to rollers and some may argue that they only reason they are able to survive is through the exploitation of the rollerbladers who think they have to label themselves as some stereotype wearing all skate clothes. just like skateboarding, we have to have clothing companies? no we don’t.
companies that make frames, wheels, parts, skates, dvds, that’s what our sport needs. not rappers with a business plan. not emos who need to put skulls on stuff to appear deep. we need PEOPLE who like to skate all kinds all styles.
what’s all this general public garbage too? who cares if people don’t understand what you do? honestly? it’s so much fun, all people need is to see us on the streets and in the park and say “that looks like fun.”
my only problem with freestyle rolling and dipskate is: who are you to tell thousands of rolllers what they do? fashion and music have nothing to do with rollerblading, except for the fact that we wear clothes and listen to music. the sport isn’t an integration of the two, you can still turn heads with no music and walmart clothes.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:37 pm
freestyle rolling is NOT dipskate. two separate things. forget dipskate. If it was just as easy for kids to look at skaters in a park and say “oh looks like fun” and then boom were all good, well damn we should have had skatin rockin years ago.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Wonnton Artrookie and RobF said everything that needed to be said I think.
When i see, for exemple, the previous edits of europeans almost unknows i can find in it 100000 times more the “spirit” or at least my vision of the spirit of rollerblading than when i watch this crappy commercial.
I go the a park, i see kinds rollerblading landing crazy stuff, really crazy, some others kids are just there with a baggy, a noname t-shirt and try some tricks, they fall, they try again, they fall they try again… Well i’m really proud of thoses kids, i’m proud to do the same thing.
And then i look the other way, and i see like 20 kids skateboarding, most of them can hardly do a ollie they’re all dress fashion, nice skatebrand shoes , jeans t-shirt , and they’re thinking they’re the deal…
really , we don’t need any recognition, we skate because we love it and not because we want to appear to be skaters, money’s just destroying everything
May 1st, 2007 at 7:17 pm
the only thing is there is not even a product. is not about money. there is no way the entire industry is going to see eye to eye on this this fast anyway. that feeling ur talking about in skating is exactly wats gonna be showed through freestyle rolling. Its not a separate thing!!! Stop making it out to be.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:26 pm
ROBF brought it down to the point, couldnt agree more. what we love about rollerblading is the activity itsself, the incredible feeling of grinding a handrail, the uncompareble feeling when you land a new trick. that, and only that should be the reason for someone to start rollerblading in the first place, thats something that can be experienced by everyone. BECAUSE ROLLERBLADING IS WHAT WE DO, AND NOT WHAT WE ARE.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:31 pm
can anyone post the link to the stockwell on bmx site thing?
May 1st, 2007 at 7:41 pm
yes robf
i agree
really really really, all you small minded people talking about ‘haters’
no-one is hating
you just need to understand that changing the name of our sport wont make any difference.
and ‘hey’
as if we would still be in x games
haha
that is the dumbest comment to ever be made in a forum
really.
i just dont like a small group of people trying to talk for the whole sport.
fair dues, do your freestyle rolling thing…earn your supposed ‘tony hawk dollar’
lack culture to even know where you are in germany when you go to winterclash
have no respect for the scene outside the us
im fine with that.
it just shows your stupidity.
get a passing pedestrian
let him view a rec skater
then let him watch somone hit a handrail or a drop or something
do you think they will react the same????
besides.
who really cares about public perception
i do this for the love of it.
theres too much materialistic bullshit in this idea.
dont get me wrong.
billy o’niel is one of my favourite skaters.
but really.
all this dipskate and b unique bullshit is just so commercial.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:08 pm
This didn’t clear anything up for me. I haven’t had any problem with B Unique. I don’t give a damn what the Brown Brothers or anyone else has to call what I do, but they can call it what they want too. I think the problem that I, and others, have, comes with Dipskate. I, for one, don’t want Ramelle Knight, Calvin Sayles, and Jim Jones representing our sport. B Unique has an amazing team, and they do some good stuff. Dipskate on the other hand, looks as though they’re trying to cash in on us. So anyway, good interview, but it really didn’t explain much to me. B Unique can, and should, keep doing what they’re doing. I want some clarity on this whole Dipskate thing.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:29 pm
LA VERGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 8:34 pm
dipskate is so annoying, get off yourselves
May 1st, 2007 at 8:50 pm
The only reason you dont hear about bxmer and skateboarders trying to go around and change their name is because theyve had thier name that serparated themselves from the rest of the crowd from the very start. We, on the other hand, have to start over because people get the perception that rollerblading is all the same thing. Whether you grind rails or ride around the park, people dont care. They are just as ignorant as some of you that throw away the idea that someone is trying to make something from something that is nothing. So stop hating on something that you love and accept what others are doing. Because when rolling gets big again, you will be one of the kids at your school that everyone wants to skate with. So just we will jast have to wait and see. lBl. Unique. Be Yourself.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:34 pm
brown bros THANK YOU for pushing our sport into the right direction..i truly see rolling getting just as big as boarding is not bigger thanks to u guys and dipskate..even tho im not into hip hop and jim jones whatsoever im not gonna hate this is great exposure..once again thanks
May 1st, 2007 at 10:42 pm
seriously some of you guys really are stupid. I can understand why you would still want it to be called rollerblading but I can completely understand why they would want to call it freestyle rolling. Skateboarders and BMXers, like what was said above, dont have to change their name because they have had those titles since they began doing what they do. People may ride bikes for joyrides and things but they arent called BMXers, they are simply people who ride their bikes. Skateboarders have always had their own sport. but we were a branch off of another sport. we had our own name but it was dumb and nobody liked it. Now the chance comes along to promote ourselves and here most of us are shunning it? I can understand if you keep saying rollerblading but dont put them down for trying to take us a step in the right direction.
I also think the whole culture around rollerblading that they are trying to suppost is great. I mean, I know some of you think that because b unique is doing it we are going to be looked at as a bunch of fake g kids who listen to rap music, but once people look into it they are going to realize it isnt even true. Plus its obvious the brown brothers took this into consideration, seeing as their last trailer had a diverse mix of music in it. Rollerblading really has more of a culture than any other sport I have known, why should we deny this?
And to everyone whos saying let our skating do the talking, I think we can all attest to how far thats already gotten us….. We need something to grab peoples attention, and not something that will make them generalize us “oh hey, its just rollerblading. like thats hard” If we are going to market ourselves, we need something that makes us stand out and not just look like a burnt out sport that the rest of the world views us as.
Im am completely down for anything that could possibly help us grow as an industry. To everyone who thinks that they are doing all of this for fame or something fucking retarded like that, CHRIS AND COURTNEY BROWN HAVE ALREADY TRIED TO DO MORE FOR ROLLERBLADING THAN YOU CAN EVER HAVE HOPED TO DO, so shut the fuck up and let them keep doing their best to help us grow. You dont have to agree with how they are doing that and I will respect that, but if you come on here saying that what they are doing is stupid, its obvious you are the one who is an idiot and you really dont care for rollerblading as much as you think, because obviously whatever we HAVE been doing isnt getting us anywhere.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:52 pm
hi, i rollerblade.
for short, i roll.
for explanation, i freestyle roll.
hi :)
May 1st, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Complaing about this is stupid, because it isn’t going to change anything, who ever is complaining about how Bunique is representing rollerblading needs to shut up, because Buniques presentation of rollerblading seems to be the one gettin all the positive reaction, I’m glad to see IBI getting things done.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:54 pm
vince z speaks the truth
May 2nd, 2007 at 1:09 am
I’m a freestyle roller. I prefer that term any day to a rollerblader. It’s actually our break from that so regular adjective. I’m down with the movement. I think the industry really needs it.
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:17 am
this isnt a simple name or description change of what we do, i was refering to b unique and dipskates visions on what rollerblading should be through their eyes.
its as if they are hi-jacking it and forcing everyone to freestyle roll. i read somewhere, i think it was the ramelle and calvin interview, that freestyle rolling is fashion and skating and has exsisted for 4 years. wow as long as b unique has been around….. all these connotations with freestyle rolling, b unique, new direction etc. are all orchestrated by b unique to inevitably make them seem like the saviors of rollerblading in the future.
like i said diversity is great but imagine 4×4 deciding to change rollerbladings name to something else? sure they would probably have more validity due who runs the company, but they have more sense than some tryhard streetwear label. but then again on the whole 4×4 wouldnt have the right to change anything like b unique doesnt.
speaking of which it’d be interesting to see what, other significant people (shima, elliot, arlo, etc.) & other non b unique pros think of this new description of what we do.
anyways my posts arent attacking b unique as much as they seem they do, i liked their old lines & films and im sure their new one will kick butt. but their new lines are bites from crooks and castles, 10 deep, BAPE etc. i dont like that, and i dont like how it seems that they want to be rollerbladings saviours and frankly im not gonna be a part of a so called revolution run by some 2 bit sweet wear label i dont believe in, and im sure im not the only one.
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:41 am
Hi,
Im Daniel, and im a Fuckin Rollerblader.
I have been skating for 14 years now, and will continue to do so until my body gives up on me. Through out my skating i always have, and always will PROUDLY call my self a Rollerblader.
See really that is the problem, if your not PROUD of what you do or what your called how is the public ever going to recognise it as a legitimate sport/lifestyle/whatever you want to call it.
Changing a name to something wacky like ‘Freestyle Rolling’ or ‘Aggressive Inline’ which nobody can understand or relate to will never bring Rollerblading Affermation. In all realness the people who Rollerblade these days are not doing it to be reconised and certainly not for money. They do it because they love it! It is unfortunate that the countless number of tallented skaters around the world will never make a living or recive exposure for the time and effort they have poored into their skating. But they never started Rollerblading to be reconised or get payed in the first place. Damm id love to be able to quit my job and skate everyday but thats not what rollerblading has ever been about.
JUST BECAUSE WE MAY BE GOOD AT WHAT WE DO DOENT MEAN ANYONE OWES US SHIT. So to all the Rollerbladers out there quit it with the whole ‘its unfair’ , ‘We deserve’ bla bla bla. If Rollerblading is to have its second comming, it will only be done correctly if it gets their on its own merits. Not change to better suit the publics everchanging opinions.
I dont like to draw comparisons but look at skateboarding. It has always been called Skateboarding and always will. Regardless if you talking about a guy cruising down a hill on a long board or the guy grinding a handrail. Why does Rollerblading need to be any different?
Fuck it anyways, who cares what is called. Im going to do it because i love it, what ever the public wants to call me.
And ill just add, i really like B-Unique as a clothing company and love the DVD’s even more. You guys do good things for Rollerblading as it is, it doent need to go further than that.
May 2nd, 2007 at 6:01 am
Why doesn’t someone come up with a better idea? - or do we ignore anyone that wants to be a so called rollerblading saviour (whoever it might be)?
Do we continue on the path of losing companies and losing money? for how long? Eventualy getting to the situation where there are only a couple of companies left and they can charge whatever they want for their products due to having no other competition in the market. We are a niche!
I think if all |B| etc were interested in was FAME they wouldnt pick inline, rolling, rollerblading, freestyle rolling, skating, fruit booting (who knows what to call it these days) to promote themself.
Whats the worst thing about rollerblading? telling your dad your gay!
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:07 am
A POIIIIL !
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:55 am
WORD VINCE Z!
Rollerblading has meant more to me than the majority of things in the last 5 years of my life. There is alot more too it then just skating, the fashion, music, the lifestyle, the art. The term “rollerblading” can’t truly express how vast it is as a culture, even though I am proud to call myself one. I believe Freestyle Rolling gives it that extra bit of flavor to the aquired taste that rolling embodies. It doesn’t matter that people don’t (or wont) necessarily like rollerbladers, but the fact that they can respect our art, what we do, in the wholeness that we bring forth, will be a major step.
I don’t like skateboarders or bikers, but when I see that they can respect other extreme sports/arts for what they do, I can’t help but give a bit of love back.
I Highly respect the Brown Brothers for their input in rollerblading /freestyle rolling. They are doing incredible things for the industry. I’m sorry if you can’t see what they are getting at, or are hating on it. Just keep it to yourself please. We don’t want any negativity
Peacee
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:13 am
Yo frankyB,
You talking some truth there man,
keep rolling alive yeh.
No matter what the risk,
or the hype ppz be bringing in.
When a skaterboarder claps when i do my shit at the skatepark,
i can help but do the same when i see a boarder laying some hammer down.
Worddddddddddddd
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:14 pm
this argument is getting so out of hand!
like someone said, you don’t have to TRY to be cool, you just are. on the other hand we do need a good name, i’m not saying freestyle rolling is it, but just plain rollerblading doesn’t cut it, it’s confusing to people.
another thought, saying you’re a “freestyle roller” or you’re going for a “freestyle roll” is gay beyond measure. haha, rolling sucks!!
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:26 pm
ckilla…
i am 23
i dont want to be ‘one opf the kids that people want to skate with’
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:38 pm
look.
something people need to have clarified to them.
i dont care what dipskate, or b unique for that matter does with themselves.
i just dont like (as wonntont was saying)
them supposedly trying to lead our sport especially when dipskate is only there for the ‘tony hawk dollar’
its gay.
and yeah ‘im going freestyle rolling..and im a freestyle rollerblader’ are gay terms.
they sound phonetically confused.
actions speak louder than words.
so im going to go out ’skating’ now
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:09 pm
I love that someone would write four paragraphs, but start their first sentence with ‘you’re stupid’ …AHEM VINCE Z
Rollerblading doesn’t need a name change. Rollerbladers don’t need to impress anyone. Rollerbladers just need to enjoy skating and having fun.
Don’t talk about Mindgame and other companies who are dead like you were an investor. Mindgames stuff was okay, it wasn’t the end all be all of rollerblading. 4X4 and other companies are picking up the slack, better wheels, better hardware, what did we even need mg for anyway (although I must admit they have been around for since the progression began and we are grateful).
Just love skating. Your passion will influence other people. Not market share, or the amount of people doing it.
I am glad to see other veteran skaters are on my side. Five years and under, you’re a grom, don’t speak till you know, our sole spots used to be 1 inch and under, so show us some respect! no disrespect to bunique and co, but they didn’t invent the urethane wheel!
May 2nd, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Our rollerblading already has it’s own name, aggressive inline.
May 2nd, 2007 at 6:56 pm
inline skating is the right definition in my opinion…
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:53 pm
nothing is wrong with starting a sentence that some of the people are really stupid. this isnt an english essay.
Rollerblading does not need a name change FOR US. We can continue to call it rollerblading, like I know I will. We just need a name that lets people know that we are something different. When I told people I was leaving for the weekend to go to a rollerblading competition in ohio, they all asked when I came back “so how was the rollerblading rink thing?” If someone asks what freestyle rolling is and you tell them, they now understand the difference between regular rollerblading and what we do.
What we are doing now ISNT working, and its NOT influencing people nearly as much as it should. Ill admit the numbers are growing, but its a very slowly. Most people are mildly impressed by rollerblading you show them. Ive impressed plenty of people by it, but at the same time they dont seem to realize truly how hard it is. Us just doing what we are doing isnt influencing anybody. Look at skateboarding, as its numbers started to grow, it created almost a ripple effect in itself and continued growing because it gained more and more exposure, and now look at where it is. I want that same thing for rollerblading. I dont care how many posers are in it, as long as my favorite skaters and the people truly pushing the sport can afford to make more money than the amount of their cell phone bill then I feel like we have done something right.
I am now and always will be a die hard rollerblader, loyal to the end. Which is why I feel that what b bunique is the right thing to do. You dont have to like b unique as a company or call it freestyle rolling, but at least support the movement so we can get gears of the industry turning.
May 2nd, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Vince, you are so right!
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:12 pm
Go Skate.
Dont Worry ’bout it.
Dipskate
hahaha
blah blah blah
hahahahahaha
Put ya $$$$ Up If We Are Wack……..
My Young Boys Will TEAR anyone apart.
Dont Think So?
Try……..
I got $5,000 on it.
haha
May 3rd, 2007 at 1:20 am
Hé si on s’appelait les palpzoob blinkers ? “Qu’est-ce-que tu fais comme sport ? - Je Palpzoob blinke.” Là c’est sur le gens se demanderait de quoi on parle !!! :)
Au moins on voit ce qui interesse les gens : polémiquer autour d’un nom, y’en a qu’on que ça à faire. Tant mieux ! Bon allez il est que deux heures du mat’ , j’crois que j’vais aller palpzoob blinker un peu avant de dodo :)
May 3rd, 2007 at 1:26 am
Wow, so i guess there is a market of high/college school kids wanting to listen to people pontificate and pose. (oh wait, thats most pop-culture)
somewhere someones trying to turn a paper in about mass social identity.
- inventor of the wheel… sike
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:58 am
How is rollerblading supposed to be taken seriously when we can’t take ourselves seriously? Skateboarding and all other sports are united. They support each other. How are we supposed to progress when someone tries to do something for the sport and all they get is hate.
|b|unique for life. and death.
May 3rd, 2007 at 6:46 am
wow dude so much lead up for nothing in the video honestly its not like he was about to do a big disaster or anyhting its a fucking p rail
May 3rd, 2007 at 6:50 am
seriously dude i could soyal that little ass thing first try and not need to pull my hair and shit fuck so over edited for no reason at all. and it isnt MORe then rollerblading, thats what it is thats always what it will be called, they think there little faction of gangsters can change the name.
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Freerolling??
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:16 pm
FUCK EVERYONE THAT THINKS THE TERM “FREESTYLE ROLLING” IS GAY. FUCK EVERYONE HATING ON DIPSKATE. THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE ROLLING MORE DIVERSE AND APPEAL TO A DIFFERENT CROWD. YOU GOTTA LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE. THAT “GANGSTER” FACADE JUST MIGHT BE WHAT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GET OFF THE STREETS AND START TO SKATE. MAYBE THEY WONT GET IN AS MUCH TROUBLE. ALL THE HATERS, START SKATEBOARDING IF YOU CANT APPRECIATE THIS. ITS A CHANGE, AND A CHANGED NEEDED TO COME SOONER OR LATER.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:17 am
yes a change came….. seeing as most of the early 2000’s nearly every single roller was considered “gangsta”. in fact you could say that tight pants are a change. its not that we dont want diversity as most of us opposing this term have said. its the fact you “gangstas” are tryin to lead us ALL towards “freestyle rolling” when most of us are content with rollerblading and being called rollerbladers and not giving 2 FUCKS about about the mainstream and pop culture thinks. like i said imagine if 4×4 dubbed rollerblading with a new “rocker” style term. i bet all you g’s would be happy…..
May 4th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
yes, all that needs to be said:
yes a change came….. seeing as most of the early 2000’s nearly every single roller was considered “gangsta”. in fact you could say that tight pants are a change. its not that we dont want diversity as most of us opposing this term have said. its the fact you “gangstas” are tryin to lead us ALL towards “freestyle rolling” when most of us are content with rollerblading and being called rollerbladers and not giving 2 FUCKS about about the mainstream and pop culture thinks. like i said imagine if 4×4 dubbed rollerblading with a new “rocker” style term. i bet all you g’s would be happy…..
May 4th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
screw you ramelle.
i was never saying im as good as your team
far from it.
your bullshit attitude and materialistic slant on the sport is what im despising right now.
your comment says it all.
all competitive..arrogant and stupid.
and yeah, i will go skate, but i wont be a twat gangster about it xxx
May 4th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
no one should start rollerblading only because he can identify himself with the gangster, rocker or whatever image. thats the worst thing that could happen to rollerblading. clothing, rap, and whatsoever has nothing to do with rollerblading itsself, and if people start rollerblading because of its “lifestyle” will make it uninteressting for other people because they dont identify with that image.
i mean hey, im sure we all agree that rollerblading is the dopest activity on earth, if were able to sell rollerblading as rollerblading itsself, without the layers of bullshit like music, clothing, attitiude and so on, it will be available for a bigger variety of people.
when i started rollerblading 9 years ago, i skated with gangsters, techno-freaks, nerds, rockers and smart college guys… all sessioning together. people i usually wouldn’t have anything to do with. but we had 1 thing in common, we all loved rollerblading.
giving rollerblading a new “look” will not change what it has been 9 years ago, the most fun activity ever made, thats what should get others started
May 4th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Look guys, I couldn’t even get through half of the crap that some of you guys are writing. But regardless of what you guys think about the clothing, hip hop, name changes or whatever, the Browns, B-Unique, Dipset etc, are helping push the sport.
The idea that people should skate because of the personal thrill you get from it is true. bUt you have to get them to try the sport first.
Using ‘Pop’ culture can help bring more money into the industry, and regardless of all this “Sell out” crap that people are chatting about, money will help our market.
Cut all the idealistic crap, and “Oh i don’t like that name”, or “Dipset is gay”. And think about the companies closing and guys like Aaron Feinberg getting fired. If any of you guys had watched him skate since his first win at the X-Games all those years back, then you would be more worried about the industry and finance, than you are about names and stupid sh*t.
The Browns are helping to revive the industry, regardless of if it’s by your preferred method or not.
May 5th, 2007 at 4:29 am
Another interview with the Brown Brothers
fashion.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.42/title.the-brown-br...
July 19th, 2007 at 12:31 am
lol Ramelle funny talkin bout put the dollas up lol…..naaa but 4real doe i dont see y ppl hatin on the movement….because they are doin suttin positive for rollerbladin…and kids who dont roller blades will start…..me for instance……im bout to cop some of those new deshi ch1s….but that doesnt mean imma be a poser or anything, imma do it 4real, …….real recognize real
and i see |B| unique doin suttin real for the community so i say. u dont have to like wat they doin but still support it… Oh yea and
-Dipskate!, Dipskate!, Dipskate!, haha