Considered as the godfather of skateboarding, Rodney Mullen pushed skateboarding to exciting territories and is deemed responsible for tricks like the kick flip, heel flip and 360 flip. Back in May, Mullen gave a talk at USC (a campus he’s been kicked off of a few times) for TED which is responsible for a string of progressive conferences that celebrate entertainment, design and technology. Rodney Mullen shares with the crowd the origins of skateboarding, its transformation to more freestyle components of the sport, and the foundation behind today’s skateboarding tricks.

Highlight of the 20-minute talk includes Mullen’s comprehensive accounts on the dynamics of trick composure, the ethos behind skateboarders, and how the sport provides a place for them as rejects in society. There’s even a part where he shows the audience how to Casper.

A refreshing watch which reminds us of the creativity and origins behind one of today’s leading subcultures.