Alex Corporan is the director of the new documentary Empire Skate, which chronicles the rise of Supreme and the evolution of downtown New York skate culture. It was a movement that reshaped streetwear, art, and youth identity around the world. Alex wasn’t just there to witness it — he helped build it.

To celebrate the release of the film on ESPN, we’re bringing back this special encore episode, originally recorded before the documentary’s debut.

From 1996 to 2004, Alex was the store manager of the original Supreme on Lafayette Street — a space that became ground zero for a cultural revolution. In this conversation, he shares wild behind-the-scenes stories from the shop’s legendary back room, and gives a firsthand account of Supreme’s early days, its community, and its unexpected rise to global icon status.

We also dive into his close friendship with the late, great Jake Burton — founder of Burton Snowboards — and talk about the 10th anniversary edition of FULL BLEED, Alex’s iconic photography book celebrating NYC skateboarding.

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