STREET MEMO: Top Picks With Slick Nick
STREET MEMO
Top Picks With Nick "Slick Nick" Hall
Interview by Stephen Serrano
Photos by Todd Taylor
Nick Hall is a certified legend in New Orleans skateboarding, I got an opportunity to pick his brain about growing up skateboarding in New Orleans, in his words:
“When I was younger you could basically say skating was whack. Everywhere I would go it was ‘Why you doing that white boy shit!?’ I got jumped in middle school for being different. Always got made fun of for my shoes. Even when they were fresh AF.
As far as the black community goes, I truly think when you don't see people who look like you partaking in an activity you know nothing about, you tend to feel like it's not for you. Or you can't do it.. but that's why skating is sick. If you're down to get down, you're down. Ya kno. It was kinda funny that by the time I graduated high-school, DGK was getting known, Ice Cream was poppin off and doods who made fun of me in the past would come to the skateshop and act like we were old friends or something. Or people who clowned me before now want me to show them ‘how I make my feet stick to the board.’
I'm proud to be a black skateboarder and always have been. Even if it's kool AF now. I just hope that newer generations of skaters always remember you're only as kool as your Kickflip. Besides that no one cares. Keep chasing the stoke. And skate for your friends. Make them laugh and scream in hype. Don't be so selfish.”
As the homies call him “Slick Nick” Nick helped pave the way of acceptance of skateboarding in the city of New Orleans, with his passion and love for this shit. In this Street Memo we get an opportunity to see Slick Nick’s picks of his top 5 skateboard videos and why they’re important to him.
5. Cheese and Crackers.
Because who doesn't like having fun on a mini ramp. Plus Mike Carroll killed it.
4. Video Days.
When I watched it as a kid, I was enthralled by the way Mark was just cruising and made skating look like something I could do.
3. The Aesthetics Video.
Ryde Or Die was one of the first times I saw people that kinda looked like me and the skating in that video was like a paradigm shift for me. Like not all skate videos had to be heshed up. That's where I fell in love with watching people skate to a beat. As far as videos go. Times was different.
2. Transworld "The Reason".
Why?! Hardflip double flip. Watch the credits. "I'm a ruff Ryder sk9boarder."
1. I'm gonna have to say Menikmati.
All the parts were just too good for the time. Like I feel like that video set a standard for skate videos for awhile. Like the "DC video" and "Yeah Right" had to be incredible videos just to meet the mark Es set with Menikmati.
Honorable mentions would be thrasher's "Shotgun" video and Transworld's "Sight Unseen."
Because "All Hail Cardiel!"
STREET MEMO:
Top Picks With Nick "Slick Nick" Hall
Interview by Stephen Serrano
Photos by Todd Taylor