Loveletters Season 10: Natas Love Note | Jeff Grosso’s Loveletters to Skateboarding | VANS

Natas Kaupas was one of the skaters who led the charge in the mid 80's away from the backyard ramps to the streets. We wanted to take a moment to insure no one ever forgets how radical and influential NATAS was.
Music Credits:
White Limo
"IMG. 1247"
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About Jeff Grosso’s Loveletters to Skateboarding:
Legendary skateboarder, Jeff Grosso's Loveletters to Skateboarding. Jeff pays homage to some of the most influential people in skateboarding. Sit back and feel the love.
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Loveletters Season 10: Natas Love Note | Jeff Grosso’s Loveletters to Skateboarding | VANS
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[@witchywoods267]

I miss Grosso so much, and I think the way this show was put together is solid good

[@barkeep11]

When we were kids we all wanted ollie like Natas. Next level inspiration!

[@bassage13]

We all walked around looking at huge stuff and saying "Natas could ollie that!"

[@gigapus5050]

Hard to believe someone could get that boat off the ground that high 😮

[@mckinleyrichard4395]

Seriously, this is about 28 minutes too short.

[@Shamrockjason]

Agreed

[@Rolling2Quarters]

My thoughts exactly. So disappointed.

[@johnfodo4129]

Right WTF

[@newnum2]

True. There is also this video about Natas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmXNYqmBeNKljqc The note format rather than full letter might be a good way to sneak around Neil Blender not wanting to do one.

[@lewisgrimes7171]

100 💯

[@cryptomnesiac]

Skateboarding owes Natas so much, one of the most important innovators and early inspiration for me personally.

[@bootyliciouszapper5555]

Skateboarding gave Natas fun and a future

[@saulgood2548]

Nas and Gonz for me.

[@mc540flip]

Still love his Streets On Fire part to this day!

[@mackm3875]

Natas was king for a while when I was young. Homie was MURDERING IT.

[@grakkerful]

In an age when parks had closed and magazines were filled with footage from backyard ramps, those of us with only a launch ramp and a curb within a 2 hour drive would scan Thrasher for images of streetskating. Often it was only a passing mention in an interview or article. Gonz and Natas were like unicorns. By the time videos started showing up, they were legendary and the comment "Natas could ollie that" was said around the world.

[@isaacpulido9134]

I was there

[@thirdlegstalliano]

Natas really could ollie that!

[@theswitchbladenewwavekingr3835]

Saw Natas once here in New Jersey. He skated a demo at a long gone shop called Earth Surfer. Too watch this guy do what he did in person was,as Grosso said,mind boggling. Plus he was totally cool and hung with us locals afterward. Way ahead of his time.

[@gonzo13ist]

Ralph Rivera got my first board from Earth Surfer in1989.

[@galeriavaldes1727]

That boardslide on the rail of the car was the megaramp right then and there. This was such a sick clip.

[@simonvance8054]

I love Natas' style.. seeing him in Wheels of Fire was one of my biggest inspirations!..

[@fintanoclery2698]

There's an ice cream shop in my hometown with two of those cows out front, spent countless hours trying to ollie them and the things still show the battle wounds to this day.

[@sn1000k]

Thank you Mister Kaupas & thank you as well Grosso.

[@Psymon1471]

that slappy hurricane rail grab was unreal! Even by today's ever increasing standards

[@lewisgrimes7171]

Miss you Jeff! Natas >Goat

[@bargerkenneth]

This is arguably the most important Love Letter yet. Watch it twice. Pay attention. Take notes.

[@masterpaine9161]

I had a Schmitt sticks jeff gross board in 86. The clown with the blocks. Loved it

[@bubbadagger]

Natas been my fav over 30 yrs.style king of the century

[@joeantolak4629]

And make a Neil blender episode whatever it takes

[@fertiloser1382]

Yess!

[@majorrenob247]

Neil said he doesn’t want them to💔

[@s.a.l.1974]

Bring him back from the dead to make a neil blender episode

[@joeantolak4629]

Grosso was still alive when I typed that comment

[@hosoiarchives4858]

FINALLY! Hosoi Cab and Natas are my 3 all time faves

[@faunaflage]

Natas deserves a Letter, not just a Note. Natas was influential in all sorts of ways - he embodies skating's creative side. He drew on his grip, others' grip, and did graphics for people before starting 101. He wore band t-shirts rather than his sponsors' t-shirts to expose people to great bands. He had the first signature skateshoe. Invented the Wallie and countless ollie variations. Became a graphic artist and lead creative at a bunch of surf and skate-related media places. The Note is nice. A Letter is better.

[@faunaflage]

@thomas thompson : that's rad. I can see Natas doing that. If you still have his x-rays, make t-shirts.

[@seekah1]

Perhaps a revised extended pt2 is in order for such a legend...and a LL to Phelps is urgently needed as well.

[@croulantroulant3082]

I was shocked when I finally saw Natas in person, around 99. Dude is big! But he's graceful so you don't notice it when you watch him skate in video.........

[@RajonTV]

The best show in skateboarding.

[@LostandfoundLasVegas]

We want a Phelper love letters damnit!!!!

[@Thatsnotmynametoday]

Very short but two quotes tell you everything you need to know. "Skating was one way, and then there's Natas and Gonz and literally overnight the entire landscape changed" and "I don't know what else to say". Pretty much sums it up.

[@pauljames4510]

0:55 I had that board when i was 12 with gullwing trucks and slimeball wheels with NMB and NSK bearings thats a blast from the past for me then i snaped it then went full on bmx and never looked back

[@anhiirr]

born after this era.....looking back......watching his santacruz parts.......man skateboarding defined......i could never be the gonz.......but i could at least pretend im natas when im hauling ass tic tackin around cutty cracks etc. It really teaches you how to appreciate skating and style over trick and spot selection the dude could skate anything and id be mesmerized. And both of them drew graphics man they set the standard so god damn high

[@OtBe]

Damn, And here I thought they were all going to be longer now after episode 1 being extended. Would've loved to see an in-depth dive on Natas.

[@SixStair]

this is a different format- we do a long one then a short one--- Love Letter is long- Love Note is short....

[@wesleyhanson2003]

I remember the day Natas was introduced to the skate world. The guy is phenomenal!!

[@dejiita]

id like to send a love letter to the grossman.

[@seanvolk4202]

Natas...so cool

[@KopaszJack]

how about an episode on Frankie Hill? or some ACME skateboards?

[@SPGRAMPA1]

Franky hill is still killing it Skateboarding!!

[@holdengriswold7701]

Grosso Forever.

[@MegaAppl3]

This was tight. Very big influence on me. Anything he was doing I was doing. Great start to my Thursday morning 🐆

[@fingey1]

I can remember going into my hairdresser in the late 80's with a Natas SMA ad in Thrasher and saying to him "give me this". If i still had that much hair on my 52 year-old head i'd do it again tomorrow.

[@MattC73]

Natas rules! Rest In Peace Grosso forever

[@mosmith3026]

Gonz next!!!

[@nigelgeiger6020]

Guerrero +Natas + Gonz + Mullen= modern skateboarding.

[@joeantolak4629]

Way too short . Not even 3 min for a skate legend somebody blew it . But inspiring clips were much appreciated

[@SixStair]

ha! tell Vans to up our budget!!

[@mc-cc8xl]

This is a treat. Thanks all around.

[@CT-nb5lm]

Skating was special in the late 80's.. So much innovation.. Shuv-it's & curb dancing was a lot more fun to me then what followed with the Tre flips and kickflip into everything. im part of both eras but had more fun with the 80's part 4 sure... Id say my skating today @ 45 year sold is more like my 1988 style but without the sketch I had then.. I think 99% of 40 year old rippers today effortlessly destroyed sketch from their skating. *Natas Foot injury was brutal.. I blame the evil board graphic ;D Dude was popular af 1 day then the next he was gone and stayed gone.

[@CT-nb5lm]

Roger T Groh hell yeah.. That video esp the curb skating had a major impact on all of us kids.. ESP when he 50/50 grounded then switched it to a rail side... The best part of this was it was instantly learnable... -I like that Natas part, and the OG Lance Mountsin part where he rips that curb. One of the early Powell videos.. Man,,everyone loooved Lance. -yeah, I feel ya, I didn’t have none of that stuff growing up either.. Just plaza curbs.. but sht got fun once we started making our own railslides outta pvc coping pipe.. *and then sure enough, some dude in my neighborhood made a 20 foot long PVC rail slide and we would haul ass,,then 50/50,,then slam the back truck into a feeble or Smith..like a ‘chink-chink’ on a mini ramp.. Actually a whole summer was spent on that rail slide.. We hooked it up to the launch ramp... Probably my happiest time skating.. All before we went tech with the kickflips and sht..

[@CT-nb5lm]

Roger T Groh I remember The Gonz savanahSlammah contest where he skated to that awesome song. That was probably the biggest impact ...I k ow you know the one I’m talking about.. I think his elder was sliding up the handrail... His style,grace and how advanced he was totally impacted me.... Rewatch it again Rog..like the beasties on L2ill I had no idea how ahead of his time he was until later..

[@CT-nb5lm]

Roger T Groh kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWanoHtpmJiUg5I

[@CT-nb5lm]

@Roger T Grohhit me up after you watch it(again)

[@CT-nb5lm]

Roger T Groh oops,,I said “watch it” unaware you’d already watched & posted lol my bad man.. -I’m in NewEngland and winter sucks for sure.. If I ever get the money and/or time I want to build a huge garage. Think Barn size. Big enough for a sweet 4 foot mini ramp and a small street course.. but would probably be str8 with just the mini.. best part if I don’t haveta make it with bad transition.. I hate mini ramps t That are practically very and too gnarly to anything more then the basics.. Switch this to email Rog.. so I can discuss my area to ya w/ some privacy.. [e-mail]

[@sarayudas]

We miss you Jeff...

[@thirdlegstalliano]

Natas was gnarly

[@tylernewman9356]

That Photo of Natas and Gonz.

[@gonzo13ist]

I hope it’s longer than 11 minutes!

[@adamboulton164]

Natas is the Godfather in my eyes. Most people will say The Gonz. The Gonz was like his apprentice though. Wheels of Fire and Streets of Fire are the best videos of all time IMO

[@WolfWould]

Remember Lost Angels? Adrocks brother had that truck with NATAS on the tailgate.

[@almostjeffrey3133]

I've never clicked so fast. Thank you Vans and Grosso for bringing great content for all these years.

[@rippedtorn2310]

Remember seeing that shit back in the day??? Still not over it man ..him ,Gonz and Ray Barbee were and are the shit.

[@SeyePhi]

you know your good when the king of skateboarding talk says " I don't know what else to say really."

[@donovanlopez5733]

Lookin good Grosso! Natas was the Truth!

[@johnzig1386]

When Natas does that HUGE ollie to 5050 on the curb (or whatev, not the point) into the camera's face? Look how fucking HARD he crushes that thing! Look at how much impact that board flexes to absorb!! THAT was Natas! Curb destroya! Anything with a grindable edge must've spoke in hushed, horrified whispers of the BEAST WITH FOUR WHEELS, baby curbs, ledges, and rails crying at night from nightmares of Natas n Gonz grinding them and their families to dust...

[@sid627]

So awesome

[@fattybourgeois1014]

Too short!!! Another good one Grosso keep em coming

[@roccomarziano3035]

We need a love note to neil blender

[@vinneyboombotz727]

Hey Jeff remember when those super small wheels where the rave in end of eighties/ ninties!!!??on a mid to wide deck for street skating?? I hated them...i kept my red kryptonics going and going.

[@cr1138]

Everybody - In the midwest, in corn country - had the transworld where Natas introduced the ollie

[@krasnibor]

The first Thrasher I ever saw was the September '84 issue with Natas on the cover. It is a cliche to say, but it completely changed my life. Just, BAM, guess what, anything is possible. Those limits don't exist. Skateboards go up.

[@chrisalford1821]

both legendery game changers

[@cjwolfedrums2077]

Amen🙏🏼

[@edwoodsix6]

you gotta love Natas...

[@georgeclifton5684]

I remember when he came to Benicia at the old park.

[@chrisdee7511]

TG/Hensley/Vallely too!

[@mpclive5693]

Is this a teaser?? Come on now!!

[@DinoXaviz]

GONZ LOVE LETTER ??!!

[@davidvanvliet193]

LEGEND. G.O.A.T.

[@voltaire2001]

So what this means is that there is a love letter to Natas coming. As you were.

[@manfrommontreal]

It's a shame that this video is only missing an endless loop of Natas's Streets of Fire part

[@cron205]

I had a natas kitten board in 89

[@edwardbernays8617]

omg, you guys totally forgot the ollie out of the hurricane grind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In season 20, do another natas one and put it in , please, thanks,!

[@edwardbernays8617]

why the fuck is my comment all the way down here? (natas natas vans grosso grosso whats the code whats the function word)

[@adz6539]

The Wall Rides!

[@bon6461]

"Literally like watching a magician"... Huh bro!!! 🤙

[@brendangeraghty8865]

I'm 6'4" & always loved seeing tall, burly dudes rip like Natas..Roskopp, too. And BA, of course.

[@75YBA]

GROSSO!!!

[@connorwright9803]

Can we get a love letter to Natas

[@eduardonogales9627]

Role extremamente criativo

[@succpigeon6762]

I have the same birthday as natas

[@trinitydiaz4804]

Amen

[@terrybates5509]

RIP Grosso

[@cron205]

I like the 1987 natas gym contest

[@max-I-am]

What’s the song in the background?

[@nicholashall6312]

Does anyone know where to find the song in this

[@lawrencesmokingangele8785]

Hey man , you owe him a 12_ pack ! Dude killer harvest!!😎 Come to the pipe , in Santa Cruz, under the freeway?,. I'll be there,.

[@radmutt1115]

I cant find the song

[@ohheybigbabysweets]

Where the fuck is the Phelps letters ! They need a damn hour long special

[@romanizaboss6641]

sk8'd w/ them @ Shell bowl and Gemco bowl... O'side!

[@pigdog237]

Over in the UK, the rumours were "Natas can ollie this high!" "No, Natas can ollie THIS HIGH!". PS is this video set to private or something? Seems impossible to search for - had to use the direct link from Anti Hero's instagram...

[@SixStair]

it's top secret until tomorrow--

[@grakkerful]

I was living in Germany in the '80s and it was the same there. "Natas could ollie that!"

[@SixStair]

@@i_am_not_exp2414 We make them and Vans promotes them-- we are not in the meetings about "releases dates" and "platforms" and "synergy" etc.

[@sammeehan4323]

The Ollie over the cow blew my mind. I would always go to surf Ohio and stare at it and wonder how the hell he did it

[@CULTCOLLECTIVE]

Fucking great editing @ 0:18

[@patricksalish]

Rest In Peace Pablo Ramirez

[@ariekanibalie]

I always thought the Firehose song in SoF was ironic as I doubt anyone with have a brain EVER doubted captain Natas' ability

[@egsmachine]

i love you right now

[@bhotsnax]

"Natas could ollie that"

[@fleshnbones3428]

what is that song??

[@woodiethedog]

The White Limo is the band and the song is actually "The Filthy Son", not "IMG 1247" from the album Whips and Chains. You can find it on Spotify, iTunes, and all the other places.

[@fleshnbones3428]

​@@woodiethedog awesome thanks - no wonder i couldn't find it

[@61936]

I find it absolutely absurd how high he could Ollie like Ollie over a trash can on a board with no nose is just wild like you can Ollie over a person standing and Natas jumping a trash can will still be more absurd to me

[@michaelpimental4353]

Where is the love letter to Craig Stecyk?

[@randyrusso3793]

What about Frankie Hill

[@Kkidzz]

When Grosso is humbled...... damn......reaching for a Letterman index card .

[@mcgmcg4629]

Time to bring back those skate berets. We all have thinning hair an have a excuse to wear one now.

[@adamdisalvo9247]

It's raining today no skating for me😭