Mission Statement

Zered Bassett’s tenure as a central figure of East Coast skateboarding spans generations. In many ways, he represents the bridge between the old New York and the new. The fact that he has endured longer than many of the brands that he’s been associated with is a testament to his dedication to his craft, and shows a resiliency that mirrors the streets where he honed it.

Originally from Cape Cod, Zered was a child prodigy who was discovered at an Invisible demo in Massachusetts as a tween. This landed him on Sixteen, and later flow for World Industries. It was during this era that Brian Brown’s brother sent Zered’s tape to Zoo York, where it landed in the hands of Jeff Pang. He was offered a spot on the team, which was accepted after getting some solid advice from Jahmal Williams.

From there, Dr. Z made the move to the Big Apple, where he was molded into the legend that he would ultimately become under the tutelage of Harold Hunter, Danny Supa, Vinny Ponte, and the rest of the O.G. Zoo heads. His progression is well-documented in RB Umali’s E.S.T. video series, and culminated in Vicious Cycle, which is still considered by many to be his magnum opus.

Zered would ultimately spend a decade as a card-carrying member of the Zoo York Institute. During this time, he turned pro, received a signature shoe from DVS, and a sponsorship from Red Bull. In addition to becoming the face of New York’s next generation, he was easily in the top-tier tax bracket for professional skaters. This afforded him luxuries, including an apartment in the city and a Cadillac Escalade. But all that glitters is not gold. And the rapper’s lifestyle is rarely built to last.

By the end of the aughts, Zoo discontinued Zered’s contract; DVS released him from its roster; and Red Bull followed suit a few years later. He was on the verge of packing up, and moving back to Cape Cod. But the New York hustle sustained him via collaborative projects with UXA and Uniqlo before landing spots on the rosters at Expedition and Converse.

Currently, Zered is comfortably chilling as a pro for Alltimers, has a couple of signature Converse shoes under his belt, and is pursing his art and photography in Brooklyn. Lee covers all of the bases of Dr. Z’s legendary story during Episode 21 of Mission Statement.

Aaron Herrington represents a long and illustrious lineage in our culture. Escaping small-town U.S.A. to chase big-city dreams is a time-honored tradition in skateboarding. Like so many before him, Herrington gravitated to San Francisco at the tail end of the aughts to immerse himself in the downtown scene during the height of the HUF D.B.C. era.

Fresh out of high school, the Corvallis, Oregon native found himself living in weekly hotels in the Tenderloin, and working odd jobs to get by while honing his craft on the streets synonymous with names like Carroll, Hufnagel, and Busenitz. This period laid the groundwork for everything that would come after.

A couple of years later during a trip to New York, Brian DeLaTorre convinced Herrington that a pre-GX1000 San Francisco was dead, and N.Y. was where things were happening. It’s hard to leave the city, period. Even harder when someone is convincing you to stay. He made a pivotal decision at Tompkins that afternoon, which would alter his career trajectory permanently.

Once planted in N.Y., Herrington was scouted by Josh Stewart. This landed him the opening part in 'Static IV,' and an introduction to Pontus Alv. He would ultimately turn pro for Polar in 2014, a couple of months before the video dropped. 'Static' and Polar cemented Herrington’s status as an underground king. They were also the start of his ongoing collaboration with Theories of Atlantis, which has endured and evolved over the past decade.

When the streets are watching, going mainstream is inevitable. Herrington was introduced by Converse not long after turning pro; colorways and international tours ensued. The kid from Corvallis had officially arrived as one of the world’s premier professional skaters. Unfortunately, there was a dark side that came with that. Herrington has publicly addressed issues with alcoholism and mental health that he battled during those years, which resulted in him going sober at the end of 2017.

Soon after, he unveiled Chrystie NYC—his clothing imprint with Pep Kim. The brand has dropped two videos, and developed a formidable team over the past couple of years. And the design aesthetic speaks for itself. With his leg cast from an injury this past August freshly removed, Aaron dropped by the studio for a two-hour conversation with Lee that covers all of this and more during Episode 20 of Mission Statement.

William Strobeck, known simply as Bill by those closest to him, is this generation’s Spike Jonze. In 2014, he singlehandedly changed the direction of modern skate videos with the release of “cherry”. It was the first full-length from both Strobeck and Supreme, and had a similar impact to Jonze and Mark Gonzales’s Video Days when that debuted in 1991.“cherry” introduced the world to a group of skaters that would go on to become icons. At the time, most videos felt like blockbuster movies that were far removed from the D.I.Y. spirit that birthed them. With street life vignettes that feel like you are watching the sessions live, Strobeck brought back an aesthetic that was lost sometime during the transition from standard to high definition. It had clearly been missed.Bill’s trajectory was foreshadowed over a decade earlier. Before Tyshawn Jones, Na-Kel Smith, and “BLESSED”, there was Anthony Pappalardo, Brian Wenning, and Photosynthesis. He cut his teeth during the Josh Kalis and Stevie Williams era at Love Park. And his footage helped craft the Sovereign Sect’s look during its golden age. With that sort of pedigree, no one should be surprised by what Strobeck would go on to accomplish after. But Bill didn’t get to where he is today without a little bit of luck. His Alien Workshop years were the start of an ongoing collaboration with Jason Dill. This friendship has landed him in “the right place at the right time” at multiple points during his career. The connection with Dill and a breakup with a longtime girlfriend were responsible for transplanting Strobeck to New York in 2002 after a seven-year stint in Philly. And N.Y.C. would prove to be a key element in the progression of his craft. There were still shades of the old New York during those initial post-911 years. Bill, Dill, Chloë Sevigny, Ben Cho, Leo Fitzpatrick, Dash Snow, the Razo brothers, etcetera’s gallivanting between Max Fish, Sway, and The Hole is well-documented in the archives of Patrick O’Dell’s Epicly Later’d blog. They seemed to be the heirs apparent of the Downtown scene created by Warhol, Basquiat, Futura, Jim Jarmusch, Debbie Harry, and the rest of the legendary denizens of ‘80s L.E.S. Mingling with artists, designers, actors, and fashionistas allowed Strobeck to further develop his eye for what’s cool. This influence is highly visible in his output over the past six years. Instead of just showcasing tricks, Strobeck creates a mood through providing a glimpse into his subjects’ lifestyles. It’s more in line with what Larry Clark and Mathieu Kassovitz did with KIDS and La Haine, respectively, than a traditional skate video. And it works so seamlessly with Supreme’s branding that it's hard to imagine anyone else making its films. Currently, you’d be hard-pressed to watch one of the dozens of skate edits that are released weekly and find one that doesn’t borrow a little (or a lot) from Strobeck’s work. If those that shape the culture is the underlying theme of Mission Statement, there isn’t a more fitting guest for our 2020 season premiere.

William Strobeck, known simply as Bill by those closest to him, is this generation’s Spike Jonze. In 2014, he singlehandedly changed the direction of modern skate videos with the release of “cherry”. It was the first full-length from both Strobeck and Supreme, and had a similar impact to Jonze and Mark Gonzales’s Video Days when that debuted in 1991.“cherry” introduced the world to a group of skaters that would go on to become icons. At the time, most videos felt like blockbuster movies that were far removed from the D.I.Y. spirit that birthed them. With street life vignettes that feel like you are watching the sessions live, Strobeck brought back an aesthetic that was lost sometime during the transition from standard to high definition. It had clearly been missed.Bill’s trajectory was foreshadowed over a decade earlier. Before Tyshawn Jones, Na-Kel Smith, and “BLESSED”, there was Anthony Pappalardo, Brian Wenning, and Photosynthesis. He cut his teeth during the Josh Kalis and Stevie Williams era at Love Park. And his footage helped craft the Sovereign Sect’s look during its golden age. With that sort of pedigree, no one should be surprised by what Strobeck would go on to accomplish after. But Bill didn’t get to where he is today without a little bit of luck. His Alien Workshop years were the start of an ongoing collaboration with Jason Dill. This friendship has landed him in “the right place at the right time” at multiple points during his career. The connection with Dill and a breakup with a longtime girlfriend were responsible for transplanting Strobeck to New York in 2002 after a seven-year stint in Philly. And N.Y.C. would prove to be a key element in the progression of his craft. There were still shades of the old New York during those initial post-911 years. Bill, Dill, Chloë Sevigny, Ben Cho, Leo Fitzpatrick, Dash Snow, the Razo brothers, etcetera’s gallivanting between Max Fish, Sway, and The Hole is well-documented in the archives of Patrick O’Dell’s Epicly Later’d blog. They seemed to be the heirs apparent of the Downtown scene created by Warhol, Basquiat, Futura, Jim Jarmusch, Debbie Harry, and the rest of the legendary denizens of ‘80s L.E.S. Mingling with artists, designers, actors, and fashionistas allowed Strobeck to further develop his eye for what’s cool. This influence is highly visible in his output over the past six years. Instead of just showcasing tricks, Strobeck creates a mood through providing a glimpse into his subjects’ lifestyles. It’s more in line with what Larry Clark and Mathieu Kassovitz did with KIDS and La Haine, respectively, than a traditional skate video. And it works so seamlessly with Supreme’s branding that it's hard to imagine anyone else making its films. Currently, you’d be hard-pressed to watch one of the dozens of skate edits that are released weekly and find one that doesn’t borrow a little (or a lot) from Strobeck’s work. If those that shape the culture is the underlying theme of Mission Statement, there isn’t a more fitting guest for our 2020 season premiere.

Sam Smyth and Lee Smith met via San Francisco’s Embarcadero scene roughly 30 years ago. The duo were nearly inseparable from the start. From sneaking into raves in their teen years, to becoming roommates in L.A. in their 20s, to Lee hosting Sam during his trip to show his son New York for the first time as mature adults, the duo have shared many key life experiences. What’s most interesting about their maturation story is that skateboarding’s culture serves as the backdrop through it all. Whether you’re spending your New Year's Eve reflecting on the past and meditating on the future, or preparing to paint the town red, this episode contains a little inspiration for everyone.

Over the past 12 years, Alex Olson has gone from being the new kid on the block to one of the most influential in our culture. His skateboarding speaks for itself. Beyond that, and perhaps more interesting, is the success that he’s had with his Bianca Chandôn and 917 brands. Olson seems to navigate the world in a different way than the typical pro. He isn’t scared to go on creative tangents in the realms of photography, music, and fashion, and is “woke” to the point of practicing daily meditation and adopting a plant-based diet. Packaged together, all of this makes for the most layered guest that we’ve had to date. Lee Smith peels back a few of them in the latest episode of Mission Statement.

Over the past 12 years, Alex Olson has gone from being the new kid on the block to one of the most influential in our culture. His skateboarding speaks for itself. Beyond that, and perhaps more interesting, is the success that he’s had with his Bianca Chandôn and 917 brands. Olson seems to navigate the world in a different way than the typical pro. He isn’t scared to go on creative tangents in the realms of photography, music, and fashion, and is “woke” to the point of practicing daily meditation and adopting a plant-based diet. Packaged together, all of this makes for the most layered guest that we’ve had to date. Lee Smith peels back a few of them in the latest episode of Mission Statement.

Jahmal Williams embodies skateboarding in its purest form. The Boston native discovered his craft almost by accident in the ‘80s. Since then, he has compiled a body of work that’s a testament to his personal style and creativity. The culmination of this journey is Hopps—Williams’s skate company that was founded roughly 10 years ago. The brand pulls from street culture, fine art, jazz music, and the urban landscape to create an unfiltered look at the intersection between skateboarding and these key elements of modern society. Lee Smith sits down for a lengthy conversation with the East Coast legend that explores his life experiences and the evolution of his creative process in Mission Statement Episode 08.

Jahmal Williams embodies skateboarding in its purest form. The Boston native discovered his craft almost by accident in the ‘80s. Since then, he has compiled a body of work that’s a testament to his personal style and creativity. The culmination of this journey is Hopps—Williams’s skate company that was founded roughly 10 years ago. The brand pulls from street culture, fine art, jazz music, and the urban landscape to create an unfiltered look at the intersection between skateboarding and these key elements of modern society. Lee Smith sits down for a lengthy conversation with the East Coast legend that explores his life experiences and the evolution of his creative process in Mission Statement Episode 08.

23 years ago, Leo Fitzpatrick cemented his position as a cultural icon after starring as Telly in Larry Clark’s Kids. He was only 17 when the movie came out. Since then, he’s had parts in critically acclaimed films and television series including: Bully, The Wire, and Sons of Anarchy. You can catch him currently alongside Jonah Hill and Emma Stone in Netflix’s Maniac. Leo has also made a name for himself in the art world as the curator at Marlborough Contemporary in Chelsea. Through it all, he has remained true to his roots by keeping a close connection with skateboarding. He just might be the perfect person to illustrate how all of the worlds mentioned above intersect in a very unique and organic way. Lee Smith gets the full story from Leo in Episode 04 of Mission Statement. It’s a good one to say the least.