Pop an ollie and innovate! | Rodney Mullen | TED

[@cr7rulz97]

The way he talks about skateboarding at 45....just like a little child..... That kind of love, even after so many years.... Now I see why he is the greatest ever

[@peterlustig8021]

like a child with 35 years of experience scary child

[@JerseyToTheBone]

He truly shows us just how much life at 40 or 50 for that matter isn't any different than when your a younger person. The body lives as long as you allow it too! But the mind is genuinely the motor that drives the motivation to stay on the path of each man or woman's journey!

[@jackdonovan6719]

The way he talks and moves his hands kinda reminds me of Jesse Eisenberg in a lot of his movies

[@vinnychase9865]

He has a big heart for skateboarding thats where the excitement comes from

[@ThreeTon14]

Marijuana. Things way simplier than you describe.

[@dabosaurouslivestream5182]

“No one guy is the best” - The best

[@penismuncher420]

Dabosaurous Livestream hahaha yes!!!!

[@sarahbahr1273]

@@penismuncher420 "you're only as good as your weakest link." -Humble is a great word for this man. He owns a good soul, this man.

[@sarahbahr1273]

I'd love to see his TedTalk!

[@alexsullivan5002]

@@sarahbahr1273 Humble is the precise word I thought of as well. Truly a man who has impacted the WORLD of skateboarding, yet you'd NEVER hear those words from him. A lovely soul indeed. Precious few of us will ever encounter a man such as him, let alone have the opportunity to give as he has with no expectation of reciprocity.

[@frankystrings]

the best know they aren't the best. the best put in enough work to be respected amongst their peers and commoners but they haven't quite mastered who they learned from. but carved their own niche.

[@LashanR]

The way he goes from childlike excitement and incoherence to pure eloquence and wisdom on a dime blows my mind

[@cryptekwizard8336]

@Lashan...My thoughts exactly. It’s like he has been able to retain his inner child, and nourish it rather than neglect it. And it payed off in spades. Financially, spiritually and emotionally...he appears to be in balance with his universe. There is, indeed...much wisdom just emanating from this person. We could use about 50,000 more of him. An amazing human being with zero hubris.

[@jaydgreen1]

I would say that he skates the same way, "...he goes from childlike excitement and incoherence to pure eloquence and wisdom on a dime."

[@sluggish._]

Ok

[@GOSH1406]

there's where wise-wannabes slip... without that 'childlike excitement', some people don't fall from a skateboard trickin', but fall from arrogance.

[@ryanr.3925]

That's autism

[@ch3fski]

That was, hands down, one of the greatest things I've ever watched. Just the way he talks, the way he acts, his mannerisms, the way he laughs like a schoolboy, the excitement and the love for skateboarding that's still there after all these years, amazing.

[@Ali-et9oz]

The way he described the skate tricks was WILD! It was like seeing someone with synesthesia describe their abilities. Just wildness. BECKONING A 360 FLIP lol I wish he hadn't restrained himself in describing tricks because of the crowd

[@CA-or9ix]

It's true, he's clearly a legitimate genius. Just of a kind and with an aim we've never seen before.

[@tedboyle8709]

I hear you loud and clear. We should all strive to be like Rodney.

[@151forShizzle]

i felt the same 101%

[@kuniosolis]

You mean like a skateboarding Michael Jackson?

[@some______guy]

Mullen has been credited with inventing the following tricks (years included): Godzilla rail flip (1979) 540 shuv-it (1979) 50/50 Saran wrap (1979) 50/50 Casper (1980) Helipop (1980) Gazelle flip (1981) No-handed 50/50 (1981) No-handed 50/50 kickflip Kick flip (1982) 540 double kickflip Heel flip (1982) Double heelflip Impossible (1982) Sidewinder (1983) 360 flip (1983) Switch 360 flip 360 pressure flip (1983)[52] Casper 360 flip (1983)[52] Half-cab kick flip (1983)[52] 50/50 sidewinder (1983)[52] One-footed ollie (1984)[52] Backside flip (Backside 180 Kickflip) (1984)[52] Ollie nosebone (1986)[52] Ollie finger flip (1986)[52] Ollie Airwalk (1986)[52] Frontside heel flip shove-it (1988)[52] Switchstance 360 flip (1990)[52] Helipop heel flip (1990)[52] Kick flip under flip (1992)[52] Half-cab kickflip underflip(1992)[5] Casper slide (1992)[52] Half flip darkslide[52] Handstand flips[5] Primo grinds and slides

[@Treaxvour]

Not to mention the flat ground Ollie.

[@koenphung7058]

What about dragon flip? (360 dolphin flip)

[@aarondrumm3100]

Thanks for making that list.

[@aarondrumm3100]

I can't tell though... I have a feeling that Mullen invented the 360 flip. Google says Jason Lee did.

[@jladd2589]

@@koenphung7058 that was chris chan

[@materialistadialectico4884]

He's more than a skater: he's an artist.

[@lukasfx7542]

gonscla92 honestly dude

[@boogieheads]

Bob Ross of skating

[@cameronreid817]

ethan Ohr couldn’t have said it better

[@neville2308]

This reminds me of the scene in Harry Potter Goblet of Fire “he’s more than an athlete! He’s an artist!”

[@neville2308]

Oh and true. Dudes a total artist ❤️💜

[@PrincessaAnastasiya]

His excitement and passion is so heartwarming and contagious.

[@NJOverclocked]

I know right? He's so unique and genuine.

[@brunofranca3718]

yes, welcome to our world hahaha this is yoda and i am luke, master mullen is the einstein of skateboarding ;) i love him !!!.

[@cloudrivas]

that's drugs lol

[@homeboyhernandez9615]

that's not excitement that's crack

[@0dyss3us51]

Was thinking the same damn Rodney is the GOAT!

[@fullstackburger]

How such an absolute legend can be so humble is amazing to me. He literally made skateboarding what it is today and has absolutely no ego about it. It blows my mind

[@SirCanuckelhead]

Very rare do we get such a visual of someone pushing a niche thing to new heights, stay basically at the top the whole time, add to it, stayed so long without turning and even the villains love the guy he is just so happy and passionate.

[@eswarjuri]

He just seems to be very shy as well and as he said, skateboarding stays skateboarding, no matter how good you are.

[@6Diego1Diego9]

I think he's autistic

[@forcefull635]

this guy has always been my idol since i was 14

[@GlazeonthewickeR]

Can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. Once you realize kindness and empathy is everything, ego becomes pointless to chase after.

[@jamesoconnor9452]

It’s tough to truly understand until you’ve skateboarded, but his balance and coordination are superhuman.

[@MSC8_8]

It’s incomprehensible how hard what he’s doing is lol. He’s so next level it’s not even funny.

[@connerlilley3057]

If there is a reincarnation of Jesus Christ it’s Rodney Mullen lololol love you Rodney

[@adognamedbird]

More like godly 😂

[@a.lame.username.]

Incomprehensible !

[@codyblair2633]

It's...it's like as if he was dancing in the early days.. I thought of Michael Jackson immediately.. The innovation.. Balance and rhythm.

[@raider97nation12]

Dude is literally the Leonardo da Vinci of skateboarding, he made 90% of today's Street tricks... His brain processes differently than the rest of us💯

[@flamingbeaches3752]

just HAD to put the 100 emoji

[@Bilbus7]

Yeah he's lucky to be given everything

[@TWHowl]

He just embraces joy instead of competition or proving anything

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

I understand what you mean by this comment but Da Vinci was a master of many different subjects, not just one.

[@Bollibompa]

@@Bilbus7 Given?

[@AslanW]

He's so goofy and spacey, then he drops these knowledge bombs and amazing observations, all with this kind of barely contained enthusiasm and juvenile optimism. I can't help but be amazed at how much wisdom he has extracted from his passion and experiences. He's definitely an enigma. I can't find the words to describe it, it's just.. Yeah.

[@JerseyToTheBone]

Feel you brother! Rodney is a sorta hybrid of Socrates /Einstein/Vaudevillian mixture. Strange on the surface but wildly interesting and evoking!

[@shikeridoo]

i wanted to comment that he just seems like a simpleton mid through the talk. but then i understood :)

[@ShroomStreamz]

Aslan it’s called being an absolute legend

[@johndessoye]

Being the "creator" is the life of Rodney. Think of him as the guy that started every trend in skateboarding since the beginning. imagine being the creator, and seeing your creation grow to the levels that it has. Amazing joy. Rodney is one of a kind. I love Deawon, but Rodney did all his tricks 20 years ago, and more.

[@RestorationsFOD]

Well said, it’s hard to put into words what Rodney has done and how people feel about him

[@seanno9744]

What I love about Rodney is that even when he’s just standing he looks like he’s on a skateboard. Bent legs, balanced, loaded up

[@peeron6829]

Thats what happends when you skate your whole life. He is a Legend

[@colerichardson20]

LOADED UP!

[@controlZchannel]

He stands like he's always on a board.

[@countryroadstakemehome]

lol he does ey

[@alternator7893]

I'd like this comment if not for my like for consistency

[@h3nry27d8]

He is.

[@bradbradleys6091]

You get bowlegged from always riding horses. I reckon hes boardlegged

[@matoisajwz]

@@johnnyparsnips7641 Better to have a fucked up posture because of skating than most people who have fucked up posture from doing nothing sitting whole day. Rodney is also skinny so its more noticable. I bet that even with his "skateboard damage" he can do more than most people of his age.

[@Zeviander]

His conclusion is just downright inspirational. "There is an intrinsic value to creating something for the sake of creating it. There is this *beauty* to dropping it into a community of your own making and seeing it dispersed and seeing younger, more talented; different talent, taking it to levels you cannot even imagine, because that lives on." Truer words have never been spoken.

[@olivierpreziosa1707]

this is such a crazy beautiful sentence !!! thank you for picking it

[@thoughtsauce7225]

This sentence made me cry. Damn straight to the heart and what I inspire to do.

[@billie_vanilli]

Matteo Ricci As simple as it may sound, perception really boils down to a binary system, pessimism vs optimism. You can choose either one when you look at virtually any situation, and it's entirely your own choice.

[@infinitr7021]

Things are what we make them.

[@godswill2260]

That is the definition of what a true LEGACY is.

[@TheGoofygoobr]

He so genuine, such a good guy, when he shows a picture of "the best skaters in the world" he just proudly says "those are my friends" made me so happy for him

[@XrpAndy]

Being super depressed lately… life has been hard for me. But watching a grown man with such a child like enthusiasm and energy gives me hope. Almost tears me up a little

[@seanfrance3182]

Keep going. You’re not alone. 👏🏾

[@XrpAndy]

@@seanfrance3182 thank you brother 👊

[@lilwaffles714]

Peaying for you

[@BasDirks]

Hang in there :) It'll be all right.

[@yurilopes420]

grab a skateboard, put some headphones in, and go around your block you'd be surprised how good that is for your mental if you dont skate, run, bike, anything, just leave for a second with no purpose "create just for the sake of creating"

[@nessmalone]

Rodney Mullen is a lovely, gentle and humble human being. I wish there were more people like him.

[@SquirrelASMR]

I love him too, but he's so cringey lol. He's still the coolest guy in a sweet way.

[@user-qh6qd6ti4i]

There is! Its in you who he is. Find a passion and look for change. Its in you

[@YellowTissueBox]

you call it cringe, i call it, non-ironic enthusiasm and it is the height of passion.

[@jimbowen8973]

It's not just that he is humble....it's that he is unbelievably great at something - and super humble.

[@joemamma7904]

He’s not humble at all lmao

[@danielbeavers8701]

Chad muska made skate bording cool and hip. Tony hawk made it popular. Rodeny Mullen made it possible.

[@MarCho8683]

true

[@lifeofkima]

@Troy Simoneau I see what you did there

[@carloszapallo]

Agree

[@eric_t123]

@Troy Patrick haha good one

[@HapsoroRenaldy]

man. these hit me deeply. so true.

[@GreatestMKfighter]

Rodney Mullen isn't a skater, he's a Jedi master with a skateboard.

[@awakingtyler9286]

He brought balance to the streets He is the chosen one

[@joaoaugustolandim]

@the_bearded_schlub hurr durr

[@dylanweichert2871]

Fact no printer copy no paste

[@Ordinary_Red]

Fricking correct

[@lennonvihaan6148]

i guess im asking the wrong place but does anybody know a method to log back into an instagram account..? I was dumb forgot the password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

[@zarate1om]

It’s insane how quickly he flips the switch from bubbly and chuckley to genius and serious. One minute he is the happiest man alive, next he is smarter than everyone in the room. The man is on another plane.

[@jeremiahjohnson400]

Looks like he's flyin alright lol

[@Ranakade]

I read up that he's also into mathematics and other academics aside from skateboarding lol.

[@skull1161]

@@Ranakade a lot of more complex tricks is understanding physics and stuff that relates to how gyros work so im not surprised, considering he invented like 90% of the tricks existing today

[@IETCHX69]

I'm 52. I still skate.Since 1975. I am freaking GLOWING right now. Thank you Rodney.

[@IETCHX69]

I agree and endorse.

[@OsiRixxx]

:D

[@vipset87]

wow

[@alvarogutierrez8251]

Hope you still 🤘

[@ziggy5141]

IETCHX69 freaking heck

[@unrooolie]

Rodney Mullen is hands down the greatest skater of all time. He created an entire style of skating

[@maxijgo23]

Yeah Kenny, Rodney is the pillar of the community.

[@RepublicOfUs]

Yo, hey man! Good to see you around.

[@jonnynice8366]

Tony Hawk

[@mainsmain]

@@jonnynice8366 lol Tony created like 2 or 3 tricks

[@jonnynice8366]

@@mainsmain *two or three of the best tricks

[@Terra101]

Just by looking at his legs, i believe hes stood more on a skateboard in his life than on the ground.

[@ultrex6864]

can you tell whats wrong with his legs ?

[@Terra101]

Valentin Toldi No, can you?

[@MA-es2nd]

+Exiphi he is always standing like he is gonna ollie

[@505_chill_official]

He is pigeon-toed, it is the opposite of duck-footed. :)

[@Anohail]

Could also be the build up scar tissue. Its a crazy story.

[@zodiac909]

Even though he is praised, I feel like he still does not get the credit he deserves. This man is a living legend

[@seanfrance3182]

So true. But I think that’s special in itself. Those that know really appreciate him 1000%. His fans are for life

[@roffo]

lol

[@joshvaldez192]

The GOAT

[@sharksmate]

It's often said about the greatest minds in history that their greatness was not perceived during their lifetime. It took decades to measure the scope of their greatness.

[@Nuffsed81]

It's all Tony hawks Tony Hawkes Tony Hawkes, Th is a legend but Rodney does deserve his name to be heard more. Only skaters know the name but general public knows the name TH.

[@slickwillie3186]

5:52 onward discussing the Primo. He literally says the FALLS are so fun. This man sees failing something as EQUALLY fun as landing it. That the JOURNEY to success and innovation is just as fulfilling as the REALIZATION of it and culmination of the work. Imagine if we all took that into our hearts and ran with it. That failure was to be CELEBRATED, not mourned. I love this man with all my heart. God bless you Rodney. Thank you.

[@Alejandro-fm5wo]

Damn, this is a really good point and I’m glad you said it.

[@slickwillie3186]

@@Alejandro-fm5wo Thank you, it means more than I can say. I'm trying really hard to keep things like this in mind for myself. I don't like myself much and I feel like a failure mostly. Hearing him say that gave me a little bit of that hope back.

[@Alejandro-fm5wo]

@@slickwillie3186 Well that's nice to hear, and I hope that you can continue to regain hope.

[@slickwillie3186]

@Aloysius Redillas Same, I found it really inspirational and needed it right at that moment. I had just been diagnosed with anxiety. Started having panic attacks. Playing THPS made me happy. I remembered Rodney from the old skate vids I loved as a kid. And found this

[@BiLLY_KaSh]

@@slickwillie3186 You really are a wise person to process reverse-analogy on his statement. Indeed failure and pain make you grow and that's what matters the most.

[@mg-by7uu]

"Landing Primo is the worst!" -Every skater ever except one "Landing Primo is awesome I want to do it on purpose!" -Rodney Mullen

[@SadButter]

"[casper is] simple as that, right? No biggie." And I just watched a video about casper which is an episode of a series called "Impossible tricks of Rodney Mullen."

[@reindeer7263]

Landed primo on a heel flip yesterday😆

[@phxnigtmare]

@@SadButter that was for the casper slide, which is 1000x harder. caspers in general really are pretty easy, try em out.

[@rainererdmann1828]

*Except 2 @Jonny Giger

[@xpavlicek]

[@itsstucat]

"There is an intrinsic value in creating something for the sake of creating it- there's this beauty in dropping it into a community of your own making and seeing it dispersed and seeing younger, more talented- just different talent, take it to levels you could never imagine. and that lives on."

[@aCidg0es1337]

I love how he gives this whole speech with his legs slightly bent like he lives and walks and sleeps on a skateboard. Mullen is a legend

[@comicbookprodigy995]

Good lord, Mullen has an excellent vocabulary and skill for forming sentences that make it easy for the audience to understand. His speech flowed like sophisticated butter. Absolutely one of the greatest athletes of our time. A true virtuoso.

[@MrPeteBaker]

Most organic human I ever did see. Made me cry.

[@csquared4538]

He indeed is a carbon based lifeform.

[@idkanymore6634]

@the_bearded_schlub you’re subscribed to dr.disrespect come on now don’t preach about cringe

[@BigMoney00187]

As he’s talking about skating and not even on his board he’s subconsciously loading up for the tricks he’s thinking about. The man is a true master.

[@zenatman]

I love how rodney is talking like he didn't invent 99% of skateboard tricks🤣 humble god mode

[@AlienTrees]

I can't like this comment because right now it's at 360 likes.

[@yuhlingjugg]

@@AlienTrees now its at 400 🙃

[@deddyirawan3079]

He even reshape the board it self.

[@treverdrew6993]

@@deddyirawan3079 really? That's insane. I'm a fan of skateboarding but never really skated for for than a year over a decade ago, never really got further than an ollie onto a curb lol but I knew Rodney was a straight up legend. I'm just recently learning just how deep that legendary impact on the entire sport goes.

[@gravitronlocksport9925]

@@treverdrew6993 Yeah, sort of. The modern "popsicle stick" skateboard shape mostly came out of World Industries, the company Rodney help found after leaving the Bones Brigade, in the early 90's. After freestyle died, Rodney spent a lot of time in the shop working on board shapes. You can see the influence pretty clearly if you look up some of Rodney's last freestyle pro models from the very early 90's. Most boards then were still the flat tail, single kick, fat nose looking things that came out of the mostly vert focused 80's. Rodney's freestyle boards look a lot like modern boards, just with less of a kick nose. Mike Vallely (also part of World Industries) played a huge role too, popularizing the double kick configuration.

[@cryptekwizard8336]

This is possibly one of the beautiful, honest and insightful talks I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Rodney speaks so eloquently, and conveys thematic analogies of which I would expect from a linguistic expert. I could ALMOST see this man beaming with childlike delight in the true art he created, and the rippling and evolutionary effects thereafter. Love how much emphasis he put on the importance of creating/becoming part of a tight-knit community, where respect and humility thrive. I clicked on this on a whim, and was expecting a half-witted approach to lecturing and lots of “uhmmmms”, “like’s”, etc. What I got was a sense of peace and tranquillity knowing that people like Mr. Mullen exist and create. He sees beauty in the art of taunting with physics, and pushing the craft forward...Anyone who has contributed so much to a cause, and changed the way the world perceives it is a true pioneer. I’m just stoked seeing his delight in the art as it moves forward. He seems like he has never pushed down the inner child, but has instead nourished and challenged it. He still has that spark I so often see gone in the eyes of most humans. Sorry for the long winded comment,but that made my day. Be well. Stay well.

[@sallopez5071]

This is exactly how I felt about watching this. I never skated in my life but I always was interested in the culture. This is one of the best Ted talks I've seen.

[@ricardomoreno1786]

I agree

[@dannywilliams3764]

Rodney Mullen should win a Nobel Peace prize. What he did for skateboarding is phenomenal. He's brought so many people together with his humbleness and creativity. And how he shredded like no other! The Michael Jordan of skateboarding. He changed the game, and couldn't be more angelic. A true messenger of God

[@dannywilliams3764]

@Scumbag what was funny about my comment. I posted it before he brought up the Nobel. That kind of stuff happens to me alot. It trips me out.

[@octocreepy]

Skateboarding and the culture around it defined and shaped me from 1984 to 1994, my pre teen and teen age years. Rodney and the Bones Brigade were my Idols. We went hard with skating, didn't care about drugs or alcohol. Would like to personally thank these guys some day for inspiring us to do something really neat and fun and so rewarding. Was the best of times.

[@attk177]

The mad scientist of skateboarding. Absolute legend

[@adiazwan3172]

the way he talk shows how much he loves skateboarding . the best ever

[@crossbytedelafade6073]

Rodney's grasp of technicality and motion on a board is on a whole other level. The way he thinks and operates is most definitely at the genius level. He was so far ahead of his time. When everybody was riding ramps on a big fat board with tons of concave he was on the street riding boards that were much closer in size and shape to the standard boards used today. A big difference was that the boards he was riding didn't have any lip on either side. They were flat. He is "The Godfather of modern skateboarding". What a hero!

[@fictionmyth]

Luckily, one Rodney Mullen is enough, because this world surely will never see another. I don't know if it's his slightly off center personality, his amazingly honorable thoughts and ideas, or his beautiful view of the world that makes me appreciate him so much. I just know that I do.

[@zachb99]

Tyler Durden I didn't know that. He was gifted an amazing talent

[@pierrechevarie9920]

@@allensmith.aaffect.1626 its in the bones brigade doc

[@Rainchild33082]

Rodney Mullen is a gift to humanity.

[@HORRORBOISHA]

This makes me cry. This is the beauty of skateboarding. I can’t explain it.

[@itscaptainfalcon]

+1

[@denisea.869]

I’m a middle aged woman and this is the best Ted talk I’ve ever seen! This guy’s passion and energy is totally infectious! Love him.

[@decoeric]

I met Rodney at an event after he gave a talk. He was once of the nicest, must genuine people I have ever met. I grew up with the Bones Brigade and talking to him about that influence he had on me as a skater back then and watching the Bones Brigade movies and then going out and trying to do those tricks, he was appreciative and honored. I felt like if given the chance he would have kept talking to me for hours. It was a wonderful experience and one I will never forget. I would love to sit down and talk to him again some day!

[@TheCynicalDude_]

You know all those tricks that you can do in the game tony hawk's pro skater? The stuff where you can put together like a 20 piece combo that seems impossible in real life: Kickflip to manual to grind to hard flip to manual...... this guy can actually do that stuff in real life.

[@emeraldkat2167]

It's even funnier because the stuff he can do, no one could in the game even. It never quite got that good at putting them together like Mullen can.

[@TheCynicalDude_]

@Emerald Kat I could do like a 20 move combo in that game... or more.. and hold grinds and manuals for days lol Completely unrealistic to my real life skating skills.

[@emeraldkat2167]

@@TheCynicalDude_ I beat the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, with no issues. Being able to manual made it so you could put together hundreds of tricks. My friends and I kept a running competition to see who got the highest combo. Yet still, it never looked like Mullen on a board.

[@pseudonayme7717]

@@emeraldkat2167 Rods combo meter has been ticking up every day since he was 10 😄 It's prolly like, 50 billion points before he even collects his combo bonus 😁

[@emeraldkat2167]

@@pseudonayme7717 hahaha Word has it rodney will hold the high score, if ever he stops or falls. It's been 19 years (since TH2 release) and he's still going on.

[@Mike-hj7gg]

everytime i would play tony hawk pro skater i would pick Rodney, his unlockable videos were mindblowing to me.. such a legend.

[@dannywilliams3764]

I second that. I would always try to copy his style and tricks. But I sucked. One thing that I did get from skateboarding was a community of good people. When I was young the older skaters gave me their old boards. Any time I seen a kid that look like they could use a set up. I'd always give them my back up. We all respect and help each other.. for the most part.

[@Bigjuice117]

Those old Mullen videos from Tony hawk were so good

[@jeremysteelman2900]

Rodney Mullen is the reason why you press up, then down in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

[@screamingscarlette]

Oof

[@markolivares6943]

🤟🏼

[@Mrzayskates]

Frfr

[@miguellf7687]

Manual o or nose manual 😁😁😁

[@eggnokio]

I usually press down, up does that make me special?

[@stephenhenderson7546]

its crazy how much you can feel his passion

[@Litfilmz]

Fr I think he might be the most genuine person! You can tell he truly loves people and has so much respect and care, He’s a true idol of what badass men can be! No ego no selfish pride just 100% pure heart and good intentions

[@yoursubconscious]

seriously, his voice. It is just so real it is hard to believe

[@ineedearthsol7280]

dude is he crying or laughing

[@Pusfilth]

Motivator Warrior definitely not a fake voice it’s an actual voice

[@frostyhkd]

His brain is constantly working so hard he’s in pain lol.

[@amityjinx3790]

When you here Mullen say tre flips are basic that's how you know he's the godfather

[@libtardlunatic2019]

Amity Jinx hear-here. ...your welcome .grammer police

[@mattd6085]

*you're welcome, *.grammar .grammar swat team

[@franckydookie]

Thanks, Matt.

[@apeirophobehotline4746]

Well that escalated quickly...

[@drewbocop]

Matthew Aldred You just got trolled

[@danielbeavers8701]

He has litterly been skating so long his body has took the shape of riding a skateboard

[@onepunch5907]

Usually what happens with us skateboarders

[@diegosotomiranda4107]

That happens with a lot of sports, footballers legs, tennis players dominant arms and shoulders for example

[@Apollyon_Rev911]

I noticed that😄. He is the best.

[@Chadowgon5]

@@diegosotomiranda4107 Football not so much

[@marcsheppard1240]

He has a disability in both feet at his toes that affects his walking

[@silv3r7ongue97]

This man is a true genius. We must listen to what he says. Practicing these things just make you better in your craft. Master the basics and innovate. And then innovate again. And then innovate some more.

[@rammsteinrulz16]

He's still a fun, goofy kid in a 50 year old body and the wisdom that comes with it. #BeLikeRodney

[@tibowze4209]

Autism and passion have to do something with that

[@user-ib6zp3xh3h]

@@tibowze4209 much better than being more bored as you age

[@voided_reality6863]

How can one guy be such a fucking secret genius? He comes off as a total surfer dude and then you listen to him in an open forum and he just spits out pure intelligence. It is remarkable. Truly one of a kind.

[@10calvinrosemr.73]

He's also the nicest person in the community

[@Luis2Munchiez]

this man skates in cursive

[@hobogrifter]

No, he just switched on /gamemode creative

[@FloresRain]

Lol

[@1dashcamboatsandcars]

He really turned the z into a r. Perfect cursive.

[@mommymillionaireclub3951]

LOL best comment

[@migueld660]

Underrated comment

[@user-qn7nv6sl4i]

im 25 and I've skated since I was 5. I truly believe that Rodney Mullen is and always will be the greatest skater of all time.

[@YouSoRusso]

Mullen is such a genuine, nice, kind person. He just makes me smile.

[@YaroLord]

if you wanna catch a glimpse into how insanely good this man is... actual pros in current tournaments can't pull off even a tenth of what he did 20 years ago the tricks he calls 'basic' or 'no biggie' take skaters from weeks to months to learn, and most don't even bother because they're aware of how difficult they are

[@venom5552111]

Well the boards he Did them on were shaped differently too

[@slavcevic]

@@venom5552111 you give any pro today his board 30 years ago and watch them fail his tricks

[@pcteee]

@@venom5552111 that literally takes away nothing from the difficulty of his tricks tho...... and the fact that he invented em himself without having a coach or someone teach him. cmon man... that kind of negativity is just so unnecessary

[@sk8erkenny]

How long did it take Rodney to land the tricks compared to your average skater?

[@leo_b3942]

@@sk8erkenny it most probably took an insanely short amount of time for him to learn new trick and you should keep in mind that he invented most of the tricks he was calling a no biggie which is crazy

[@Nabium]

I came on thinking this would be an interesting talk about skateboarding but not relevant to me, and came out thinking this is the most important talk I've ever seen in my life. This man is a creative genius, and anyone working on something creative would be wise to sit down and listen carefully to what he's saying.

[@Seamussor]

Rodney has always inspired me, still 10 years removed from skateboarding his creative vision inspires me as a musician. Passion inspires passion.

[@ericlopez2971]

"These basic tricks, 360 flips, we take that, we make it our own and then contribute back to the community the inner way that edifies the community itself". "There's some sort of beautiful symmetry, that the degree to which we connect to a community is in proportion to our individuality, which is what we are expressing by what we do". He's describing what street skating means, and how we become one with our environment, our city. This is a very big reason I love skateboarding so much. It is the best and only way I know to truly feel your environment or city from the core. He definitely gets it. Rodney Mullen is one of the truest to Skateboarding! He has greatly influenced and shaped skateboarding. Your mark on the world Rodney will always be realized, know, and respected. Thank you.

[@lusio7182]

I love how excited he gets when he sees he's own tricks.. its like its not even his lol

[@jetthreat389]

It’s like Jackie Chan when he sees an old stunt he did

[@91son92]

He remembers the feeling of landing it when he sees it

[@a.lame.username.]

Invented pretty much every trick we just saw. Humble as a Jedi Knight.

[@Bald_Thoughts]

Rodney Mullin does to skateboards what Hendrix did to guitars...made them sing.

[@am1xedguy178]

I'll co-sign that. 🤝🏼🤝🏼

[@micohdeguzmandmd]

Word

[@jf13579]

Damn

[@zenatman]

Honestly... Terrible comparison. As an actor , morgan freeman..ooops Hendrix was OK. And as a guitarist... They are great, but... Not even close to best or inventing. Mullin is beyond Jordan status.

[@Rosecain27]

@@zenatman Hendrix isn’t technically the best, but he changed everything

[@sparhopper]

I was lucky enough to skate w/Rodney at *_Del Mar Skate Park._* As an older guy who wanted to make Skating _my life too,_ but with a disabled spine now, I really needed this. *As inspirational as watching him skate in the 80's*

[@walmartian]

i saw him in 1998 but he didnt act this happy

[@xblueexilex111]

walmartian Probably real focused

[@johnnycomparaz1]

I Just dropped a couple of tears watching him express himself so humble, being the creator and being the godfather of skateboarding! This guy is the best ever...!!

[@whanowa]

Rodney and Tony are so different but still both so awesome in their own ways.

[@Thetwoandonly]

whanowa Or Gates and Jobs.

[@whanowa]

Or Rick and Morty.

[@SimbaBrank23]

Peter and Brian?

[@pladampa]

beavis and butthead jk

[@ravesto3206]

Mullen is so much better. Tony hawk is a bully and is all about his money. He doesn't respect other people. It's like the x games. If your actually a true skater, the x games is just a joke.

[@breakit46]

18 minutes felt like 18 seconds. What a spellbinding person, magical.

[@GarrettLoganGriffin]

It was over so quickly. I could listen to him speak forever. He’s captivating.

[@MRREE-zw6xc]

True that went by fast. I feel like i can listen to him all day talk about skateboarding.

[@DodderingOldMan]

Rodney Mullen must have just about the most incredible inner ear in the world. His sense of balance... wow.

[@MrID36]

That and muscle memory.

[@holdmybeer]

Being ambidextrous would help.

[@H8edsinclair]

And that's putting it lightly I started skateboarding in 1986 after seeing him win the 86 freestyle cup I still have that VHS cassette !

[@KishanPatel1997]

and an incredible inner voice

[@D9Wx]

MrID36 sure, but many many MAAANY people have tried to do what mullen does with equal amount of tries and fails, but still theyr not there.. Geneticly manifactured for balance ;)

[@rodimusmaximus3912]

Rodney Mullen skates like a video game in real life. Man's out here stitching together lines with manuals IRL and getting 10,000,000 points.

[@JeffBailey00]

What a genuinely wonderful human being Rodney is.

[@User_92020]

That's Kim Jong-un

[@bustincue4u299]

The energy and enthusiasm that Rodney shows for what he loves is what could save the world. It’s intoxicating to see a person at the top level of their field.

[@2RG_]

It's insane how effortless he makes these tricks look. I skated for years and was not even a fraction of a percentage as good as Mullen. He is God tier

[@daniel-kq1oe]

This guy is such a good presenter... doesn't let the audience get in the way of his storytelling feels like he's talking to a friend

[@KishanPatel1997]

this is one of the best ted talks of all time

[@Anantko]

This is the TED I know and love. People at the top of their game talking about it. Thank you for bringing back the real TED.

[@joemcbee]

Anantko I’m used to TED talks being tech guys talking about how interesting they are. For Mullen, the proof is in hours of video! Not to mention him being an entrepreneur worth millions. He may seem goofy or whatever, but he’s one smart savvy man.

[@punkisinthedetails1470]

Yup. Flooded with pseudo influencers with cookie cutter uninspired delivery and content speaking like they are at the top of a game they invented and noone else plays

[@punkisinthedetails1470]

@@joemcbee Right on Dangerous person. Cool name. Yeh, too many TEDsters talking like Steve Jobs with vacuous content sold by clickbait titles. "How I retired at 12 years old and live on five bucks a week and you can too"

[@quymoto]

Who's excited to play as Rodney Mullen in the new THPS 1+2 ?

[@lolfunnyguylol]

hellz ya, that is what brought me here :)

[@AlexGAlexG]

Literally him and nobody else

[@JelloTypeR]

He had the worst stats in the game. It makes him laugh to this day. Mullen is a true genius

[@oogabooga_]

@@JelloTypeR even as a kid the fact his signature was the darkslide made him to go-to guy on that game, 21 years later looking into it (thanks youtube recommendations) i'm sticking with my original skater pick.

[@kindkidbk]

MEEEEEE

[@bigboredthing]

It is literally impossible not to smile when listening to this guy talk about skating. He is the sweetest dude ever.

[@Jallenbah]

Rodney Mullen is the reason I started skating. I saw footage of him back when I was 11 years old, and I'm still doing it now at 24. I work as a software developer and the parallels he draws between hacking / open source and skateboarding I think make a lot of sense. Both programming and skateboarding have resonated with me, probably because they are so similar in what they represent on a creative level.

[@Ceb773]

Same.

[@franckydookie]

I've always loved skateboarding and informatics. I think they are some common points between us (bad english, sorry)

[@Nayapeaks]

Franckydookie Same !

[@inneraesthetics]

You should check out Rodney's interview on Impact Theory. :)

[@PushupsNMushrooms]

Rodney Mullen inspired me as a kid to skate. I lived in a small rural town, one of like 3 or 4 skaters there, and there are no ledges, rails or anything. We saw Rodney and suddenly an entire other world opened up to us. We could do anything on any garage floor or picnic table. Thank you Rodney Mullen. You were my first hero.

[@ArkadianDream]

He never fails to leave me awestruck. It's not even what he says per se, it's the way he conveys it and the way he is, plus what he's saying. What a guy.

[@bdaquatics7584]

There will never be another Rodney Mullen. On or off the skateboard. He is and will always be one of a kind. National treasure

[@TheAznian]

watching him and listening to the pure joy in his voice while he's talking about skating is why I'm so into skateboarding now

[@dbadgones]

The earth doesn't deserves Rodney, he's the best ever...

[@jhonnytest3233]

Wow

[@jada90]

"The degree to which we connect to a community is in proportion to our individuality." Awesome

[@wyattpielow2065]

one thing about Rodney that no one gives him credit on is how well spoken he is, he's able to communicate his emotions and feelings in a such a way that make them easy to understand.

[@shtzweak]

You know you’re amazing when your old skate parts are still better than most new skate parts

[@flatheadwarrior]

He's an artist and pioneer and has such enthusiasm for it. Never stop being you Rodney.

[@Robertlavigne1]

I've loved Rodney Mullen since I was a kid for his crazy innovative style. Now, I'm so impressed by his ability to present his story and connect it to a larger audience. What a standup guy!

[@rich185]

I started skateboarding when I was young just because I saw one video of Rodney Mullen doing all these amazing tricks and I will never forget that. He is definitely one of my heroes and an inspiration!

[@SpooN12344321]

same :D

[@patricio1487]

Rodney always was my favorite character in the games, you could tell by his video that he skated very different. I dont know why, but I always thought he was a serious man in real life. I was so fucking wrong, he has an amazing view about life also.

[@franckydookie]

Yes and he's very funny too ! *lands a casper while speaking* "Really easy, you see ?" x)

[@theshoes7488]

My opinion would be because what he does is sooo intense looking. And it’s hard to make out his face. Just my cents.

[@Chronon88]

I was always amazed by his videos on the Tony Hawk Pro Skater games. It's so incredible how someone can do equally impressive stuff to the high jumps and spins other skaters do, with such fine tuned skating trickery on a flat ground!

[@ToSobrietyAndBeyond]

How stoked he is on skateboarding and the tricks he talks about after all these years is incredible.

[@bluedreamasmr4339]

he speaks like how i imagine the great geniuses in history spoke, so quickly and with great passion and emotion with a dash of crazy that is so inspiring

[@captainhands3558]

The childlike joy and enthusiasm for this thing he's done for decades is pretty inspiring.

[@bilibili149]

He's so humble, so joyful, so pure hearted, so happy with his life and so inspiring, his smile makes you smile and his sweetnes makes you wanna hug him, a guy who cares and gives back to the community that loves and respects him. That's a good person right there

[@9ine1ne7even]

If you actually listen and pay attention this has a really deep literal meaning, a great move by TED to put him on here.

[@redshedllc9054]

I remember seeing Rodney mourn for the first time and my eyes almost popped out of my head. What he was doing in the early nineties when I first started skating was unheard of unthought of unseen. And that resonated in so many kids of the generations to come that you have 13-year-olds winning a x games gold completely dismantling what everyone thought we knew about skateboarding and it all started with people like you so thanks a lot man you're great!

[@19FlyingWombat76]

I`m 45 and BC of Rodney (in my eyes the best Skater in history) I`m still skating till my bones give up. Thank you so much Rodney to help me get the Sun shining through the best sport in a dark life! I never was even really good in Skateboarding but it changed my life, as to show me, that you don`t have to be the best or even good. All what matters is the joy that it bring`s into your life! And to spice it up is the fact I have "Glasbones" = more than 250 broken Bones and over 100 by Skating......and I regret not a single second BC it brought light in a dark life and helped me to get over any border.

[@mordie31]

Damn bro, similar condition to the character in the movie Glass? That's crazy dude but respect from a fellow skater

[@GetH0NEY]

Respect bro. Hope you're still pushing.

[@19FlyingWombat76]

@@GetH0NEY Nope Mate. I`m a crazy freak anyway and did Boarding over 25 years and I have the condition "Glasbones" aka "Osteogenesis Imperfecta" and had way over 80 broken bones with my Board BUT it was an addiction to me so I didn`t care......now I`m old and have more brain = I stopped ruin my body anymore ;)

[@TWOxTONE_773]

The excitement and passion in his voice while watching his tricks is so inspiring.

[@ext93]

Rodney seems a little nervous on the stage but doesn't realize what what a king he is. I seriously love this guy. He was instantly my favorite skater when I got THPS3 and a board for Christmas back in 2001 when I was 7. They had those 411VM videos on that game, and that was the first time I saw legitimate skateboarding videos. I would watch Rodneys part 5 times in a row every day for months. His style always blew my mind. We have the same birthday. I hope I can meet him some day, I just want to give him a hug and let him know that he was important for my life even though I don't skate like him. I try to apply his approach, ingenuity, and kindness to my life. If I made a list of role models, he's in the top 3.

[@123InDaPlaceToBe2]

This guy is a poet! The way he uses his words and the way he explain things are like.....magical! Go Rodney! I'm not at by any means "skater" guy but man...this guy is awesome!

[@jeengyim3072]

Rodney Mullen is the creator of all tricks that has came..and still to this day at 53 or 54 years old still killing it and motivating us to continue 🤘🏼

[@KennyEvansUK]

Never expected to hear such an inspirational, heartfelt talk here. I mean the guy is so good at public speaking, he draws you in with his quirky character then delivers some truly deep insights and shows off his awesome intellect. What a treasure!

[@2px_]

i have never heard somebody talk so passionately about something. you can just tell they’re in love with it. it’s always so delightful to see

[@TheTalmon18]

Man he speaks as if hes a mathematician Truly great diction and an erudite discussion

[@Sampsonoff]

R/imverysmart

[@jerrystoner04]

he has a pHD in physics

[@Sampsonoff]

Wheelie Wonka wtf no he doesn’t

[@nhatnamtrinh5017]

The last sentences beginning with "And if there's anything I can give you..." are just beautiful. There's even humor.

[@frroosstty4336]

The world doesn’t deserve Rodney man I’ve watched this 10 times and his childlike joy combined with his profound knowledge of skateboarding and the inner workings of life never ceases to make me tear up.