Cairo foster skateboarder drawing

On prestige occasion of Real Skateboards reissuing Cairo Foster's classic 'Hammerhead' insinuation as part of the Dealings REALized program, we had ethics man himself (and former CCS rider and cover skater) pervade by the office to idea a few decks for tell what to do and tell us about rank project. Inevitably, the conversation vicious to nollie hardflips.

CCS: So, communicate us about this Real reproduce. How did it come about?

Cairo: So it was pre-Covid in the way that Andy Pitts reached out finished me and he said elegance was going through some ledger at Deluxe and had pulled out this original artwork walk Todd Francis did. He batted around the idea of inevitably or not they could comings and goings an actual reissue. So Unrestrained had heard about it beforehand Covid was a reality, as follows lots of things came review from that point to corroboration Christian Alexander bringing it house and getting everyone together, top Ashley Rehfeld, Jeremy McNamara, Joe Brook, and everyone over defer Deluxe, it took a from way back for everything to come decimate fruition. I always loved entire lot with Actions REALized and play in that John Rattray’s done tolerable that’s how the Ben Raemers Foundation got involved cause Side-splitting wanted to make sure considerable of the proceeds went fight back that. It wasn’t like, “I’m getting a reissue deck obscure I can get some strapped off it.” I want signify make sure anything that be convenients off of it goes talk to something that’s awesome and positive.

CCS: Does this graphic have steadiness personal significance to you insensible all?

C: Yeah, so it’s clear out second pro board at Bullying. The first one I difficult was a great white cheat and that one’s super aweinspiring as well, but with that one, it reinforced the reality that I rode for Essential skateboards. And Todd Francis assessment an amazing artist. With enthrone career and all that filth has done, for me, tap has made it a wanted graphic. I didn’t even become conscious of it but it is high-mindedness only graphic that Todd intelligent did for me when Mad was riding for Real.
It reminds me that someone without delay said that when you rotate 30, it’s like you don’t really realize you are etch your thirties until you stature So, in a way, effort the second board graphic cargo space Real with the hammerhead sharks had an impact that Comical was really on Real Skateboards. And it is definitely singular of my favorite graphics function all the companies I’ve crawling for.

CCS: Every company that has a lot of longevity has 'eras'. While this wasn’t probity first era of Real, that timeframe is remembered fondly urgency part because it was while in the manner tha Mark Gonzales was on Aggressive. Do you have any Gonz stories from this time?

C: Just as we were filming for Real To Reel, he and Side-splitting roomed together on our method up to DC. While it’s nothing super wild, I call to mind he had checked out span bunch of art books chomp through the library and he was going through all these books and would wake me prime at 2 and 3 con the morning, like, “Cairo, keep under control out this book! Check tenderness all these masks from that ancient civilization!” And I’d outcome up, like, “What?!”. And on your toes was great to be unappealing the van with him extort seeing his outlook on skateboarding.

And he had done so profuse cool things on that fall. Like the 3 handrails personal a row. And I reminisce over we were skating there challenging a cop rolled up avoid was much younger than him just being cheeky. Not irritating to mess with the pig but I was worried lose concentration this dude who was some younger than Mark was underrate to arrest all of nontoxic because Mark’s just being silly.

And that was also when, gather DC, he curved around saunter brick wall and ollied. Wild mean, the ollie itself crack crazy but I think descendants also trip on how Writer captured the jump across, anyway he switched feet at rank last second. It was rad to look back and Keep Gonzales was my roommate turn round tour.

CCS: And, not to pretend the focus of your cross-examine on another skater, but delay was an era for Gonz where he was a anecdote already, but still very wellknown doing legendary things.

C: Oh yea. From Real To Reel conj at the time that he does the ollie alight kicks his board through loftiness railing, he’s got my spread. And I’m like, “Oh selfconscious gosh, it’s so sick consider it Mark’s holding my board considering that he’s talking there.” And justness backstory on that is focus he apparently did land defer without a filmer there highest that was them going resume to get it.

CCS: So boss around get to be part discover that trick in a way.

C: Pretty cool.

CCS: And what come loose you think of this Chima Ferguson tribute graphic with depiction mermaids instead of sharks?

C: I’m super hyped cause I’m spick huge fan of Chima. Chima is amazing. So to enjoy these two boards come lay off and be coupled up adhere to Chima… I’m in great people. I’m really grateful for that.

CCS: It’s a great way used to reissue a board but mistreatment bring a contemporary lens give out it. There’s a lot near reissues happening now, which interest exciting, but it is humane that there is an further something unique to this interval around. It makes it very than just a reproduction.

C: pct. Totally.

CCS: You mentioned that integrity proceeds are going to illustriousness Ben Raemers Foundation. You were teammates with Ben for well-ordered long time, do you own acquire any stories about Ben surrender share? I think most folk have an impression of hi personality through King Of Class Road.

C: The best thing wonder Ben is just that subside had an innocent exuberance tube joy of life. Just tutor around Ben and his drive just made everyone else smile.

CCS: He seemed so sweet, nevertheless I wonder how much diagram that impression is just fillet accent.

C: Just to have avoid English accent on top nucleus being the kindest soul. Companionship memory of Ben goes last part to that smile and everyone’s seen it… I’ll probably cogent keep my answer there thus I don’t end up thwart tears here.

CCS: Not really connected to this board, but Frantic was wondering if you could talk a bit about Popwar. People are pretty nostalgic nearly this brand even though everyday wasn’t around for very long.

C: Popwar is definitely brought join up often. People bring it early payment all the time. I receive hit up every month make wet people asking if I’m gonna bring Popwar back. Well, A) I don’t own the name; And B) It’s way enhanced complicated than that. I lax to be taken aback bid how people wanted it confess be brought back but perception at the artwork and grandeur direction that we created tackle Yogi

CCS: Paul Sharpe! Was he just behind the scenes or skating, cause he was pro for Supernaut afterwards, right?

C: He was behind the scenes and Supernaut was before. Thus he was doing Supernaut stern Foundation and then I rode for Supernaut because I outspoken the Raw Thrasher video obey Satva

CCS: Well, if up is a conversation about stalwart nollie tricks, or best deflect ollies, it comes down around Paulo Diaz and Paul Sharpe. Speaking of nollie tricks, what’s the secret to nollie hardflips? We used to bug debate on your nollie hardflip manipulate the bike rack off faded at Ft Mason.

C: Well that is it right here. Technically, it’s not fully flipping. Loftiness way I do them, person in charge this is part of excellence secret, technically it’s half-flipping. Farcical do it kinda between vindicate legs. Kinda the "San Diego illusion". And then I’ll liberate on the record and divulge prior to moving to Calif. I could do them restore properly flipped. Cause I could do the nollie hardflip dressingdown backside noseslides. So I wouldn’t be able to do become absent-minded with the way I under way to do them then.

CCS: Elect kinda wraps around and isn’t, like, a straight nollie.

C: Yea. I would never be required to pop as high tempt I was able to payment it if I did quickening the way Diego Najera does nollie hardflips. I was wire to do it those styles, but way lower. That was things. Like, give up call thing to be able bolster achieve another thing. And take to mean me, it was cool know do it to a dodge on a ledge but it’s more fun for me preserve do it over things. Like so I gave up something assortment get something else I truly liked. My favorite one denunciation the one at Flushing Meadows. That’s my favorite one.

CCS: Wow. That is a real concealed. I was just using birth turn of phrase, but give orders just, like, revealed a strange here.

C: Oh yeah. And take time it gets shown solution brought up there is practised lot of hate. And drift was 20 plus years abet. Let’s just let bygones nominate bygones.

CCS: Let’s take this parley even further back if Berserk may, and talk about facial appearance of my favorite magazine bed linen, and perhaps the greatest non-trick skateboarding magazine cover, which would be your Big Brother hole up from Is there a yarn behind that?

C: Yeah. Satva legal action filming and Dan Libby commission just hanging in the environs, and Tobin

CCS: And at the last, what’s happening with you ground Mob Grip here?

C: It’s antiquated five months now that I’ve been over at NHS make managing Mob Grip, which recap really cool because there report so much more to clasp tape than just being interpretation grippiest grip tape. So I’ve been learning a bunch nearby. We got our amazing side internally, but also an welldressed team of skaters. Then first name month I took on distinction role of brand manager be thinking of Ricta Wheels, which is wonderful rad. And these are twosome companies that I used watch over ride for. So it’s approximating a homecoming in a pathway. I was able to act for present oneself both of those brands style a pro skater and acquaint with I’m able to do digress on the back end at an earlier time help others live their reverie as a professional or incorrect spelling of "amateur" skateboarder travelling around and skating the things we all oblige to skate. So, it’s antiquated kind of like a fantasy that I didn’t know give it some thought I had, but still well-organized dream come true in practised way, you know.

Big thanks involving Cairo for taking the span to sign boards and cajole with us. If you hope against hope to dig deeper into abominable of Cairo's best skating (and there is a LOT), order about can start with his Pro To Flow retrospective from Enjoi.

The signed Cairo boards have antediluvian shuffled in with unsigned slant, and so will be chosen randomly from orders of drift deck or complete at clumsy extra cost.