Have you ever heard someone yelling, "Do a kickflip!" while passing by a skateboarder on the street? Here's absolutely everything you must know about the popular shout.
Skateboarding is a unique sport with a rich, vibrant, and urban lifestyle.
The sport's penetration into society and mainstream culture is impressive, thanks to its popularity among youth of all social and economic upbringings.
Skateboarding is inclusive and open to anyone who just wants to have fun on a skatepark, boardwalk, or city street.
The internet became sidewalk surfing's perfect platform for showcasing its show-off and vanity sides.
One of skateboarding's latest jest is "Do a backflip!" the shout riders hear coming out of nothing while riding their skates.
It can happen anywhere - on the streets, in a skatepark, in a parking lot, on the boardwalk, or even inside a mall.
In most cases, it's someone driving a car yelling out of the window at a nearby skateboarder.
Occasionally, it could be a skateboarding star cruising and giving away free merchandise or new boards to the lucky anonymous rider.
The yell can trigger all sorts of reactions.
Some will promptly try to land the maneuver invented by Curt Lindgren and made popular by Rodney Mullen; others will react negatively or ignore the shout.
There are also those individuals who aren't actually interested in witnessing a skillful kickflip. Instead, they are expecting to watch the skater trying, failing, and falling for their amusement.
So, is it a challenge? Is it pure mockery? Is it a way to socially engage with a fellow skater? Is it a jest?
All skaters have different reactions and feelings about what "Do a kickflip!" represents.
The Origin of "Do a Kickflip!"
The origin of the yell "Do a kickflip!" is not 100 percent clear.
It has certainly emerged in the 21st century but has been kept under the radar and off the skateboard culture until it became viral online.
On May 1, 2018, skater-entrepreneur Eric Koston and The Berrics released a video on YouTube that boosted the prank/challenge.
Chase Gabor shot Koston driving a car in East Los Angeles and yelling the famous saying at passersby.
The video ignited a wave of shouts worldwide, and soon after, several skateboarding stars and pop culture VIPs followed suit.
Tony Hawk, Chad Muska, Chris Cole, Leandre Sanders, Jason Acuña, Olan Prenatt, Ryan Sheckler, Steve-O, Chris Joslin, Leticia Bufoni, Steve Berra, Danny Trejo, Jack Black, and others did it, gathering multiple feedback and engagement from the community.
National "Do a Kickflip!" Day
The success of the YouTube video series led to the creation of the National "Do a Kickflip!" Day, on April 29, coinciding with Eric Koston's birth date.
The first celebration took place in 2019.
Since then, on this day, skateboarders worldwide have celebrated by posting videos of themselves successfully executing kickflips alongside the hashtag #nationaldoakickflipday.
The Louis Vuitton T-Shirt Worn by Lionel Messi
In 2023, Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi wore a Louis Vuitton "Do a Kickflip!" t-shirt designed by Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection.
The casual clothing piece was a product of the luxury brand's Fall-Winter 2021 collection titled "Ebonics / Snake Oil / The Black Box / Mirror, Mirror," inspired by themes of identity, diversity, and representation.
Abloh, with a background in streetwear as the founder of Off-White, has frequently integrated skateboarding elements into his fashion creations.
The shirt sparked discussions and speculation on social media.
Some praised Messi for his bold choice, while others criticized the expensive and exclusive nature of the shirt.
The Deck and the Memes
The skate industry quickly transformed the famous yell into a commercial opportunity.
The "Do a Kickflip!" skateboard decks featuring the banter were inevitable.
The famous urban yell also generated many memes around the "Do a Kickflip!" topic. Here are some of the funniest ones:
