ethiopia skate

The title track from The Very Best’s latest album Makes A King.

Featuring Ethiopia Skate, started two years ago by a peer group of young skaters, led by then 16 year old Abenezer Temesgen, who shared only 7 boards between 25 youth in Ethiopia’s capitol, Addis Ababa. With time they connected with older skateboarders Addisu Hailemichael, Buzeyo Julien, and Yared Aya who each brought their neighborhood crews to the mix- creating a citywide network of youth interested in skating. With no place to buy skateboards, the crew created the beginnings of a skateboard scene and start a community organization to support it.

American photographer Sean Stromsoe documented this process by taking photos and making videos to inspire the movement. Since then, Ethiopia Skate has been able to get over 100 kids skateboarding with boards donated from Austria and America. They use Instagram to connect with various skaters and travelers, even getting the attention of CNN- who did a story on the movement in 2014.

In a place where there are no proper skate spots, this generation shows how to make do with what you have- power sliding down steep hills in the Piassa district or dropping in on their homemade mini ramp. They aim to buildEthiopia’s first public skatepark and spark a movement that lasts long into the future.

Shot & edited by Sean Stromsoe
Produced by Ethiopia Skate

tvb on pitchfork

soooooo shar was there, but did not make the pitchfork footage. if you haven't seen esau in action this is a nice teaser. i love how the 101 is in the background of the interview bit. making me more homesick. 43 more days until home time.

i got...

...and it's making me very happy. drinking simpler times pilser and putting this on repeat. tvb is playing cmj. who is in? you can get this happiness here in person if you live in ny or online here.

tvb at mighty

best soundtrack for summer: the very best at mighty. shar's been digging the tunes of this pairing of malawian singer and london-based deejay. i first heard of him on a mix from all songs considered early this year. his sound infuses tradition african beats with some the popular names of indie rock, like vampire weekend and mia. they are the best tunes for the summer of '09. i'm still not sure why it's not infusing the streets and more importantly beaches. dowload it off their myspace page. you won't be sorry.

so kids of the east coast get your arses to lpr for his set tonight. you won't be sorry. look it's esau shedding his jacket to get into his groove. you don't wanna miss that.

lastly listen to esau's new track with ezra koening of vampire weekend off his official album to get you in the pre-concert mood.