Skate Icon's Malibu Wagon Lowrider Mixes Bosozoku With Louisiana Soul

How does a skateboard icon in New Orleans end up building a Japanese-inflected Chevy Malibu wagon lowrider? For Philly Santosuosso, there simply was no other way.
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“I don’t know where that attention to detail came, but when it comes to the cars, for me it’s like nah, it’s gotta be this way. And most people have no idea what I’m talking about,” he says. “They’re like, ‘what, you spent three grand on used Japanese wheels?’ I’m like yeah, but you don’t understand. You can’t do this any other way.”
Philly owns Humidity Skate Shop in New Orleans, and he’s been on the scene for decades now as a skater, designer, and all around creative force. Skateboarding was first a refuge from a chaotic home life, then a second family, then a career. Lowriding? That’s his next chapter.
“I want everyone to, when they meet me, be like, oh nah, like this dude put in work to get where he is at. I really respect the game and I want to earn everybody's respect,” he says. “When I started like showing up, I threw a barbecue for everyone before I even had a car cut.”
The path to the Malibu wagon started when he discovered lowrider bikes as a kid and was immediately obsessed with the style. That naturally led him to lowrider cars, but as he got older, he couldn’t afford his own. Instead he got hooked on JDM culture [“A Civic was like 1500 bucks.”] as discovered through old Option VHSs a skate friend used to carry around in his trunk.
One day, he saw photos of an old slammed Chevy C10 pickup in Japan, and it sparked something in him. He sold a bunch of his stuff and went all-in on buying and building a Monte Carlo lowrider and getting into the lowrider scene in New Orleans.
Not long after, he found this old Chevy Malibu wagon on Facebook and knew it was the canvas he’d been looking for. He decided to build it with his own personal mix of New Orleans and Japanese Bosozoku style, and man, it’s beautiful. Almost as beautiful as Philly finding a new family for a new stage in his life.
“It's just that growing up and being 39 and still skating, a lot of people my age aren't doing what I'm doing or living that life of being a skateboarder and putting that first,” he says. “The overall camaraderie and brotherhood of lowriding is another thing that I think was missing in my life.”
Follow Philly on Instagram → / wavytrillbaby
Produced, shot, and edited by → / tomgorelik
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[@Jerseydoosh]

There is nothing better than taking the oddball car and making it work your way. The stranger the set up, the better. Wish this man many many happy miles

[@chadscott9138]

100% not my style, but can tell it brings this guy and this community pure joy, so I’m all about it. Party on.

[@konradkantor]

Don't know anything about cars, but Philly is a rock solid dude. We've worked across the street from each other for almost a decade. One of the most infectious personalities in a city filled with them.

[@Che1seabluesdrogba11]

The Japanese lowrider scene is pretty crazy and damn interesting

[@davidc9135]

Wow brother from another mother. Growing up I was also into skating, graffiti and lowriders

[@808vws8]

This is what car culture is all about! Wrenching on something that instills happiness,friendships&ohana into one's heart&soul. Much luv&respect from Hawaii 🤙🏽

[@calebthomas8109]

Phil is a great guy, one of the realest dudes I’ve met

[@adamfrbs9259]

A wagon on hydraulics makes about as much sense as the absolutely slammed on coilovers 3rd Gen Prelude I had. It was slow af, but fun, could drive under the train traffic control arm with ease, it was lowwwww. Every bump in town memorized lol.

[@kimryanf]

Hella respect to Phil. Dude is a real one from day one. Sick car. Dope skating. Wish we were closer coming up in 90s NOLA.

[@mrmoonlight9829]

"I love this car, who cares what anyone else thinks?" Damn right!

[@dim_jean]

Love this Malibu so much. Thankful to see it in person!

[@davidmcdermott3415]

Very well done, nice work. As a skater who grew up on the west side, both lowriders and skating have always been part of my life.

[@NinoBone]

Wavy is a real G!

[@grimcity]

Philly is one of the best people! Dirty south skateboarding up! Humidity up!

[@TheBudsTalkShow]

I met Philly at the JetLife Store August 31st and dude is legitimately a cool, honest individual. Much respect to the homie. 🍾

[@impslap7620]

Great job on this wagon. I have one sitting in my warehouse and I've been going back and forth between lowrider or performance build. You have swayed me to the lowrider build...

[@themadscientest]

JDM meets lowrider is such a vibe.

[@ryanchock4149]

JDM Bosozuku + Lowrider= Something sick!!

[@PSTA]

ALWAYS LOVED and wanted one of these malibu wagons.

[@DirtySk8RatStaney]

Man’s got skills on a board too!!!…. That back smith was Steezy!!!

[@rongarcia6695]

You can thank the Mexican American Chicano people from California they are the original people who started all this lowrider culture that's Wear it all started at in southern California this is wear it all came from

[@KennethGerecke-k8w]

But where at.. ?

[@rongarcia6695]

@@KennethGerecke-k8w Lowriders started in Los Angeles in Southern California that's Wear it all started

[@johnzero8923]

The Drive 🚘

[@-DC-]

If you know you know, Awesome Build 😘

[@favi31]

Yeah, 98 Civic Sedan, building to have a lowrider setup. Why? Because! I Love Honda/Japanese cars, and Love my LowRider culture! This is my setup and not for pleasing anyone else except me.

[@mcradical6283]

Very cool, i had no idea, just goes to show. Thanks for making this

[@HenryStix619]

he’s not the only one ! skating/lowriding

[@therealpoka]

He's the only one who's lowriding and skating whilst running a skate shop, designing clothes for Butter Goods and Cash Only and having designed a Vans Half cab skateshoe on his resume. So others might be skating and lowriding but he's rolling on another level.

[@tRumpisaliArandhasalOwiQ]

Awesome and original… beautiful ride. 👍😎

[@thomaspreszcator]

Stoked I came across this page great video

[@keshlopez8598]

Yuhhhhh!!!!! Yo that wagon is not my toucb but its his and thats what lowriding is about!!! Your own personal touch there is no two lolos that are the same!!! Luv that wag and the stance nd way it hits them switches it looks helllaa strong and ready for w.e!! Props!!!

[@scottsvintagefire]

Hands down best dude ! Much deserved

[@jonhcosta]

Sick car 👌👏👍 love this project

[@TheRds797]

Dope, and I LOVE the playboy antenna

[@ChickenCharms]

This was rad! Awesome

[@JuanJuarez-ev1uu]

Love that station wagon ever since I saw the one menace 2 society at the beginning

[@Jonivan7]

Dude I want a low rider now

[@gibbonsgomez4434]

They’re pretty cheap besides the frame issues but I think my cousin sold his for like $4,800 to someone in Alaska

[@alejandrogonzalez6385]

Nice wagon bro I just sold mine bro they said man don't cry I cry I love my wagon but I was in that situation family o wagon much respect and love from Los Angeles 😎😎😎

[@chapel976]

The torture of that gen Malibu: fixed rear windows. Kids hot in the back? Hope you optioned Air Con! :D

[@solomedia8914]

Dope Wagon!🔥

[@mrdarryljones1]

Beautiful!

[@MindofMatter]

We love this car too

[@CPMUNSEY]

Dope build!👌🏽🔥🔥

[@ae86nick72]

This is literally me I did the same thing and once I found low riding I have never looked back.

[@Eduardo-fr1no]

Dang bro had on the Nike sb sea crystal high 🔥🔥

[@thatDOGbites88]

Hells yeah bro!!! that’s cool AF 🇺🇸✊🏼

[@haroldcounts7460]

Oh yeah ❤, very nice car

[@Beezy_Builds]

Shout out to Spitta!

[@IanB22]

This thing is amazing....

[@mssohanpaul1977]

Nice car!

[@djtraintxk]

Seeing that Trill Burger food truck got me hungry

[@cliftonjackson441]

Who else looking to see if spitta in the video?

[@Cale442]

Right, when they are showing Lowriders in the N.O., first thought is Curren$y, then he has on a Cruise Life shirt, yep, was automatically looking for him, but i see all his cars 😁

[@drive]

he’s in it! 3:29

[@worldsgreatestraymonddange3806]

You seen the cars in the background

[@Cale442]

@@drive Yeah, saw him later in the video, was excited to see the new vid, I have been enjoying the variety of folks you guys have been having on the show, love seeing all of this car culture!

[@WysDizz]

I’ve seen this car on raps and lowriders 🔥🔥🔥

[@Talkurtalk1]

Cool vid

[@AGTG33]

Nice build brother

[@vsci79]

Hope the lady who he got this car from has a tear in her eye (in a good way) if seeing this 😎

[@nikoenciso01]

Exactly what I thought a damn hot wheel 😂❤

[@arthuralford]

Having lived in New Orleans, I don't want to see what happens when he hits one of those potholes other places call craters

[@kirkbattlejr8205]

I still want a lowrider too I'm going to build one

[@greeneyedchul0]

I love it cuz it’s different

[@christianglez4658]

Bad ass🔥🔥🔥

[@slumone6458]

Sick AF

[@Elevated805]

Dope.

[@JerzeyBoy201]

Phil! 💪🏾💪🏾

[@fxui]

Boso? where lol I don’t see any bikes?

[@pckldplmfshcm]

There are Boso styled cars, which you obviously noticed as well that there are zero in the video. Not the kind of mistake I'd expect from this channel.

[@22047850]

Philly🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@amgone75dm]

Sick passion but nothing to do with bosozuku.

[@wesharris07]

Yo this goes super hard! (Pause)

[@6516383]

Cruise life 🤙🏽 ✈️

[@MalibuWaGOON]

MaliWag Gang 💪🏽

[@roofabombay1338]

Do you bro. 🔥

[@TundeEszlari]

Perfect content, keep It up. 👍

[@MrSlushierGravy]

Basically what he’s trying to say is colliding two worlds into one. But a steering wheel and light up sign does not come close to Boso.. it’s not a motorcycle..

[@darylcameron2063]

Got the same car in my garage. Just doesn't look like this....Yet.

[@BassRacerx]

This is sick!

[@ChocoThunDuh]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@souljahshyne2k9hunniddegre72]

G shit shout out PHILLY

[@jameswalley7234]

Does the front never sit flush?

[@joseph_the_human]

Im building a 90ies style Mini Truck as my daily work truck, With 🔊 BASS. Because why not?

[@robsoultrain1061]

💪🏾💪🏾💯🔥

[@redlight3932]

bros gotta put a rail for his rear bumper to tie everything together im doing something similar so people can skate my car at seshes or shows

[@keshlopez8598]

Yoooo not even a skater but thats a hellluva idea!!!! If i was yalll i would put a hitch on it and make the rail able to come off/on so when your at shows you can have the option to present it w/ or w/out…. Just a thought but your original thought is were its at

[@allovertraveler]

I'm sorry but any of those cars have anything related to bosozoku other than he saw a truck in Japan lowered, this more like cholo's ramflas or bombitas lowriders to it.

[@DosHemperor]

Do a kick flip ,- pop a wheelie

[@EBell-mw6we]

Why you cut the car 😮

[@brentmemmer6164]

Dope

[@Masterdebater-q5c]

It’s not a true lowrider if “Still DRE” isn’t bumping through the speakers

[@EricLee-tq1yu]

Cruise Life CC

[@planetwidefilms]

But the down side of lowriding is that iit IS by definition a gang! And of you have just one disagreement with the wrong sour member, that sour member will turn the entire gang against you!

[@willismoore156]

Skate icon... lol.. never heard of dude

[@PusanCG1]

This is not bosozoku at all not even anything about it

[@geovaniolivas7373]

Let's be real. Lowriders are trash.

[@CornflakesYognaut]

what

[@2dub2steady]

Build one. Then see if you still feel that way.

[@geovaniolivas7373]

@@2dub2steady Okay.

[@charlielong7989]

Let's be real. This dudes comment is trash.

[@gamby16a]

You have no idea how many people disagree with you. From what I've seen, people from every corner of the car hobby agree that lowriders are rad. So much work goes into them.

[@pckldplmfshcm]

There's nothing Boso about this car. At all.

[@ralphmontiel]

Nevermind

[@MGCAChevyway]

I have a 1985 4door Cutlass sedan im going this same way with it.Thank for the motivation.Simple & clean🫡🫱🏾‍🫲🏻💯