From the storefront of Supreme, a young New York skate shop on Lafayette Street, to the brick banks below the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, film student Roman Brian Umali III used these spots as the backdrop for a beloved cultural icon credited as one of the greatest videos in skateboarding history – the Zoo York Mixtape. With snippets of freestyle sessions from rappers like Fat Joe, Ghostface Killah, and Busta Rhymes serving as the soundtrack, the Zoo York Media project flawlessly combined the skate and hip-hop worlds during the birth of a new facet of skate culture – one centered around art, fashion, and the raw street moves that set the NYC skaters apart from their “rivals” in California. Feeling singled out as the only Filipino skater at the parks in Houston, R.B. Umali packed up and moved to the Big Apple where he began filming the diverse street skaters of lower Manhattan. Umali quickly entrenched himself in the East Coast culture, causing heavyweights in the rising industry to begin taking notice. Zoo York, a budding skateboard brand built to elevate NYC’s status in a crowded landscape, gave Umali the chance to film respected skaters like Zered Bassett and Harold Hunter who helped turn the local brand into an international streetwear sensation. The newly formed crew of Umali, Bassett, and Hunter would eventually go on tour together, traveling the country and spreading their undying love for skateboarding to fans from all walks of life. With the help of Converse Skate, SNIPES is extremely proud to honor the prolific filmmaker R.B. Umali in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and show our appreciation for the influence of these true Zoo York legends.
Known as the crown jewel of East Coast skateboarding, Zered Bassett grew up in Chatham, Massachusetts playing ice hockey with his childhood friends, until one fateful afternoon when Bassett saw a group of kids walking around town with double kicktail skateboards in hand. Inspired by the new school look of the boards designed for tricks and kickflips, Bassett and a hockey teammate both purchased new skateboards and hit the parking lot each day after practice. At 15 years old, Bassett traveled to the nerve center of East Coast skating where he became a part of the Zoo York brand with legends like Anthony Correa, Jefferson Pang, and of course, Harold Hunter. Growing up in the Campos Plaza housing projects in Manhattan, Harold had an eye for struggling skateboarders that were new to the city and in need of his teachings. Whether they were rich or poor, young or old, Hunter zoomed around the block skating “goofy-footed” with his left foot at the tail of the board, entertaining fans and leaving an impression on everyone he encountered. When the two first met at the Zoo York office, Harold gravitated toward Zered and treated him as his little brother. Their chemistry along with the other skaters on the roster helped the young company’s influence skyrocket far beyond its intended audience. With Harold Hunter the skating pro, Zered Bassett the up-and-comer, and R.B. Umali the passionate filmmaker all involved with the brand, the stars were aligning for Zoo York to become a household name amongst skate fans all over the world.
R.B. Umali began filming the Zoo York Mixtape on location at the Supreme storefront and Brooklyn Banks in 1995 with just a handful of skaters, but the cast for the video quickly grew as word of the epic skate project spread throughout the five boroughs. With his Hi8 camera in hand, Umali captured footage of hardflips, rail grinds, and lipslides throughout Manhattan determined to display the intensity and strength of street skating that the west coast lacked. About a year into the project, Zoo York co-founder Eli Morgan Gesner presented the idea to set the street skating footage to studio clips from The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show – an underground New York hip-hop hub that gave unsigned artists a platform over the radio waves in the mid to late 90s. This amalgamation of skateboarding sights and hip-hop sounds helped change the skating industry as we know it. The Zoo York Mixtape debuted in 1997 at the New York Underground Film Festival, but like most cult classics, did not reach the peak of its popularity until later when thousands of copies of the full-length feature were sold across the country. The impact of this treasured visual gem is still very much felt today as New York skate culture still includes a particularly diverse group that doesn’t require expert skill to take part in the fun.
After the success of the mixtape was realized with Zoo York placed firmly on the map, Harold Hunter, Zered Bassett, and R.B. Umali began their adventures driving to their tour destinations together with Hunter and Bassett cracking jokes and keeping the energy up during the ride. In 2003, the three skate enthusiasts helped to produce the first skateboard reality TV show Skate Maps which took the New York skaters around Europe, showcasing their talents to an entirely new audience. Sadly, the journey came to an end for Harold when he was suddenly died in his apartment on February 17th, 2006. Once news of his tragic passing became public, an outpouring of love came from skateboarders in every part of the world as they shared laughs and retold stories about Harold and how he affected their lives. Although the skate world still feels a void from the loss of Harold’s presence, Bassett and Umali are committed to keeping his memory alive with their support of the Harold Hunter Foundation. Bassett continues to skate and photograph while releasing custom signature colorways of skate shoes through the Converse CONS skate program. Since creating the Zoo York mixtape, Umali has built up an impressive portfolio of film and video production work, creating projects for major brands like PUMA, New Era, and Christian Louboutin while continuing to explore his passion for the documentary medium. The artistry and creativity of Umali in the 90s helped to elevate skate culture not only in New York, but across the globe as well, paving the way for top skateboarders to capitalize on their talent in athletic, performance, and fashion spaces. R.B. Umali continues to drive culture by capturing moments behind the camera, proving that those who go for broke, stay in the moment, and show warmth to everyone they meet are destined to become legendary in this lifetime.
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