With the BSA (Brooklyn Shortboarders Assn.) Boys skate video “Whole Bitch” premiering this Friday we wanted to catch up with Jake Keenan for a little interview. Jake originally from Traverse City, Michigan is a beast on the board and a super cool & friendly dude off. Here’s what he had to say about ninjas, New York life and Whole Bitch in where he actually skates a mega ramp.

“Whole Bitch” premieres at The Gutter (200 N 14th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211) on May 20th at 10pm. Watch the promo embedded below.

If you could compare American Ninja Warrior to skateboarding what would you say?
William Spencer or Daewon Song because that shit is American Ninja Warrior in the streets.

Was skating the mega ramp a ninja experience?
It was not, it was a life or death experience. It’s not something you can really just walk up to and do it.

So I understand you cut your hand open on the ramp, how come you didn’t check for nails first?
Because it’s Woodward West and with how much money they make I didn’t think about fucking nails. I thought the nails would be checked before I went there because they’re a million dollar company so I don’t know why they would have nails sticking out, personally.

That’s a really good point, I agree. Uh, so what was the experience like going over the actual ramp itself?
It was ten times bigger than I thought. I thought it was like a snowboard jump and I snowboarded before I started skateboarding and hitting jumps going really fast is normal. So I thought, fuck if someone can get me to the mega ramp I would be so down to do it. Then it actually happened and I got to the mega ramp and it was like hitting a snowboard jump except you’re on four wheels and you’re not in the snow. There’s no powder around and it’s wood. You’re wearing duct tape and pads everywhere. You need it too because it will burn your flesh. My ID is halfway melted and I still use it because every time someone asks what’s wrong with my ID I get to tell this story of me melting my ID on the mega ramp.

You’re wearing duct tape and pads everywhere. You need it too because it will burn your flesh.

What’s been the best experience for you in skateboarding so far?
Meeting super rad people like you, and being on roofs in New York and skating ditches in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Things like that are sick.

Ha thanks man! So tell me about Whole Bitch, the video premiering this Friday.
Um, There is amazing people in this video. So many characters and so many dudes that people thought were burnouts but they are actually really positive and productive. They skate really hard but on Sundays they go to McCarren Park and drink beers and skate with their friends. It’s going to be a really good video and I’m super stoked on it.

Hell yeah dude. So what’s next for you now that this video is done?
Possibly moving out west and skating SF.

Why leave New York?
Because of the fast paced jobs that I have to work. Also, dealing with shitty assholes in coffee shops that want quadruple macchiatos with pistachio milk and it fucking bums me out!

dealing with shitty assholes in coffee shops that want quadruple macchiatos with pistachio milk and it fucking bums me out!

Do you feel like the old New York is gone?
I feel like I would come back here if the rent gets lower and actually allowed people to stay. That would be great.

Where did you grow up skating?
I’m from northern Michigan and my mom bought me a board at a garage sale. It was a purple & black Veriflex. I started skating on it and ended up going to Tidbe Island for spring break where my mom bought me a Powell Peralta Danny Wainwright deck with twilights and Powell wheels. I came back to Michigan, not even knowing who Danny Wainwright was. I found out he had the highest ollie in the world and I respected him ever since.

How old are you now and how old where you when you started skating?
I’m 26 now and started skating when I was 13.

In one word why do you keep skateboarding?
I wanna say something good but it sucks too. Like so many people say it’s so amazing and it changed my life, but it did. But there’s also so many shitty things that happened within skating that yeah I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for skating but yeah. Skateboarding fucking sucks haha. You have to eat so much shit and feel so much pain but you keep doing it because if I died skateboarding then my parents would both know I died doing something I love to do. So the one word I should use for skateboarding is abusive. Domestic violence because my skateboard abuses me and I say I hate that thing but I love it and I don’t want to leave it.

one word I should use for skateboarding is abusive. Domestic violence because my skateboard abuses me and I say I hate that thing but I love it and I don’t want to leave it.

Can you to describe the most memorable moment you’ve had skateboarding?
God damn, man. I guess when I was 18 I won this contest in Traverse City, Michigan… my hometown. It was the cherry festival. We’re known for our cherries, Trevor City is the cherry capital of America.. I won the contest on my 18th birthday and I ended up going to a Pink Floyd tribute concert called “Think Floyd.” I took acid for the first time and “Comfortably Numb” was playing during the fireworks. So fireworks on my 18th birthday, on acid after winning the contest… and I got laid that night. That’s my most memorable moment, cheers.

Do you have any thank you’s or shout outs?
I want to thank Amy Gunther for her true spirit and Erik Ellington for his quality stories and his awesome background. Also, thanks to Brad and Chopper Dave at Vans, Chris at RVCA, and Alex at OJ Wheels. 

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