Full episode on Patreon. Harley Flanagan is an iconic figure within the New York Hardcore scene. At age 13 he founded the Cro-Mags; one of the most influential hardcore punk bands of the 1980s and 1990s. At age 11, Flanagan began his involvement with music drumming for the New York punk band The Stimulators.

Flanagan’s early years were spent in New York City's Lower East Side, where he lived through the realities of the time. By age 10, he was living on the streets, often staying in abandoned / burnt out buildings within a neighborhood ravaged by economic decline, gang violence and social unrest. This existence would profoundly influence his later music. Many of the songs in “The Age of Quarrel” describe the day to day living of those years. 

Flanagan is a black-belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Renzo Gracie, having started training at the gym early on when they were located above a methodone clinic. His love for the art and deep relationship with both Renzo and the late great Ryan Gracie led to a home-like environment in the gym, where he eventually spent time working as a professor. 
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Full episode now on Patreon. Devon Turnbull is a designer and artist best known for his work in high-end audio and clothing. In the audio world, Turnbull is widely respected for his custom-built, DIY high-fidelity speaker systems. Much of the foundation for his approach to art and design stems from his time spent writing graffiti throughout the New York scene. 

His company, Ojas, specializes in handcrafted speaker designs, often using horn-loaded and tube amplifier setups that cater to serious audiophiles. His speakers have been showcased in galleries, shops, and personal listening spaces, ranging from places like Supreme, Lisson Gallery and fashion boutiques as well as collaborations with brands like Prada and Loro Piana. 

His approach is deeply influenced by Japanese hi-fi culture, where simplicity and analog purity take priority over mass-market digital sound. Through his work, he promotes active, deep listening; where music is not just a background noise but rather a central activity that is experienced with full attention. He often sets up listening rooms where people can engage with his speakers in an audiophile-focused, meditative setting.

Before Ojas, his time spent making clothing helped produce Nome de Guerre, a now-defunct but highly influential New York-based brand that blended military and workwear aesthetics.

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Full episode now on Patreon. A-Trak is a DJ & record producer who, at the age of 15, gained wide recognition becoming a World Champion turntabilist in 1997. Coming from Canada, A-Trak and his brother Dave 1 were deeply influenced by the graffiti scenes of New York, Montreal and various European cities. He is widely celebrated for significantly contributing to growth of the electronic dance music scene during the late 2000s / early 2010s. Meanwhile, Dave’s band Chromeo became a trendsetting sensation and earned a Grammy nomination. In 2007 they both co-founded Fool’s Gold Records, an independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York. A-Trak's work has been featured alongside Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Cam’ron, Lupe Fiasco, Daft Punk, amongst many others. Now, A-Trak & Dave 1 also make music together as The Brothers Macklovitch.
*Artwork of A-Trak and Cam’ron by Kunle Martins for “U WASN’T THERE”
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Full episode on Patreon. Christian Hosoi is a style icon within skateboarding whose rise to fame stemmed from the style and power he approached skateboarding with. Skating at an early age with the likes of the late great Jay Adams, Tony Alva and Shogo Kubo; Hosoi turned pro at 14 years old and subsequently lived a lifestyle immersed in attention and glory from the media of the day.

Hosoi’s career declined in the 1990s due to a long struggle with drug addiction, which culminated in his arrest in 2000 for trafficking 1.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and a subsequent prison sentence of nearly five years. During his time in prison, Hosoi turned his life around, finding faith and committing to sobriety. Since his release, he has shared his story of redemption while continuing to skate and influence the industry.
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Full episode now on our Patreon. GREY PVC is a legendary graffiti writer who has suffered with severe addiction to various substances and today has reached a point of stable sobriety. Through methadone, GREY was able to get off of street-drugs and develop sound and stable routines; today, he is no longer on methadone. He speaks openly about his time spent in Kensington Philadelphia buying and using drugs. As the drugs consumed his entire life, he began aggressively shoplifting to fund his drug habit. For a time, he considered himself a functioning addict. Eventually he was overcome with illness to the point where he could not physically stand up, this weakness in his body became the gateway to the sobriety he has today. 

Most known for his iconic graffiti painted throughout San Francisco and New York City, GREY placed an emphasis on the traditional aspect of tags and throw-ups. After a 5 year break from painting to focus on tattooing, GREY began painting the New York City transit, which eventually led to his investigation.
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Full episode on Patreon. ZE is a legendary graffiti writer from South Brooklyn, known for his hardcore bombing style and partnership with the late great RUSH ACID. He gained mass appeal in the early 1990s for his aggressive straightforward approach to graffiti, hitting elevated tracks, motions on subway cars, trucks and streets with legible handstyles and classic New York style throw ups using primarily chrome paint.

ZE is part of the ACID Crew (Attack Crush Invade, Destroy), a graffiti crew that has made a significant mark in the New York graffiti scene, with members like the late great RUSH, HOJO, DECO, GOUCH and SOBER. ZE's partnership with RUSH is particularly noted for the style and visibility of their work across Brooklyn and other boroughs. The duo's consistency and dedication have cemented their legacy in NYC graffiti history.
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http://livingproofnewyork.com

Full episode on Patreon. ZE is a legendary graffiti writer from South Brooklyn, known for his hardcore bombing style and partnership with the late great RUSH ACID. He gained mass appeal in the early 1990s for his aggressive straightforward approach to graffiti, hitting elevated tracks, motions on subway cars, trucks and streets with legible handstyles and classic New York style throw ups using primarily chrome paint.

ZE is part of the ACID Crew (Attack Crush Invade, Destroy), a graffiti crew that has made a significant mark in the New York graffiti scene, with members like the late great RUSH, HOJO, DECO, GOUCH and SOBER. ZE's partnership with RUSH is particularly noted for the style and visibility of their work across Brooklyn and other boroughs. The duo's consistency and dedication have cemented their legacy in NYC graffiti history.
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http://livingproofnewyork.com

Full episode now on our Patreon. Erik Ellington is an iconic skateboarder who is one of the original members of the Baker Skateboards and Deathwish teams. Ellington, alongside his peers, revolutionized skateboarding with legendary videos like Baker 2G, Baker 3 and The Deathwish Video. These videos presented an unfiltered view of skateboarding at the time with energy that is nearly impossible to replicate. The footage often showed them not just skating, but also fighting, partying, and struggling with the highs and lows of their lives.

Ellington has been open about his personal struggles with substance abuse and subsequent sobriety after years of living the lifestyle seen in the videos. His story of positive change and optimism has left deep influence on skateboarders world wide.
With involvement in art and design throughout the multiple facets of his life, Ellington was instrumental in developing pro model skate shoes during his time with Emerica and later Supra Footwear. He played a key role in popularizing Baker’s classic aesthetic, and as one of Deathwish’s creative forces, his vision helped Deathwish become one of the legacy companies within skateboarding.

As a natural expression to other interests in his life, he has been designing luxury footwear with Human Recreational Services, as well as working on ‘Ellington’, a clothing line which will launch in due time.
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Full episode on Patreon. Todd Francis is a renowned artist, perhaps best known for creating the Anti-Hero Skateboards eagle logo, one of the most recognized symbols in skateboarding. His work often combines humor, social commentary, and a gritty aesthetic, resonating deeply with skaters who embrace skateboarding as a countercultural expression. 

The Anti-Hero eagle logo, designed by Todd Francis, encapsulates the brand's identity: raw, uncompromising, and steeped in skateboarding’s punk ethos. The design is simple yet powerful, featuring a fierce eagle clutching a ribbon with the brand name. The eagle logo is instantly recognizable, even beyond skateboarding.

Anti-Hero was founded by Julien Stranger in 1995 as a response to the corporatization of skateboarding. It was during the early days that Todd Francis began doing art for Anti-Hero. The eagle logo became a badge of honor for skaters who aligned with the brand’s ethos of rejecting the mainstream, instead embracing the rebellious, street-level essence of skateboarding.

Anti-Hero's early skate videos, such as Fucktards (1997), Cow (1998), and Cash Money Vagrant (2003), are revered for their cultural impact on skateboarding. These videos embraced a no-frills aesthetic, authentically focusing on the raw realities of skateboarding. Todd Francis’s artwork can be seen in all of Anti-Hero’s videos alongside legends like Julien Stranger, John Cardiel, Tony Trujillo, Frank Gerwer and Peter Hewitt. The artwork of Todd Francis has left a lasting impact on skateboarding culture, inspiring a generation with flashing memories of Todd’s artwork side by side a stylistic approach to street and transition skating.
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Full episode now on Patreon. Alexis Lacroix is a skateboarder riding for Vans and the Montreal-based skate brand, Dime. Coming from the Canadian skate scene; often participating in Dime’s innovative events like the “Glory Challenge” which blend skating with unconventional challenges. His free approach to skateboarding has drawn international attention.
A few years back, Alexis would travel the United States and Europe, performing music on the streets to get by. This minimalist approach to travel and sustenance allowed him to live on the road for extended periods of time, living a life where he is guided by intuition. He attributes this time period of travel as an eye opening experience that revealed to him a spiritual side of life. With years of coming up skating hyper-urban environments, he now is drawn towards connecting with what he considers to be a more “natural” side of life. Placing importance towards raising a family, he is contemplating things such as moving away from the city and even farming; all in an effort to further connect with the natural elements of life.
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