Rodney Mullen

Rodney Mullen is an American professional skateboarder, widely recognized as the godfather of modern street skateboarding for inventing numerous foundational tricks that revolutionized the sport. Born on August 17, 1966, in Gainesville, Florida, Mullen began skateboarding at age 10 and quickly rose to prominence in freestyle competitions, winning his first world championship at age 14 and securing 34 out of 35 freestyle titles over the subsequent decade.

Mullen's innovations, developed primarily in the 1980s, include the flatground ollie, kickflip, heelflip, 360-flip, casper slide, darkslide (invented circa 1992-1993), among over 30 tricks that form the core vocabulary of contemporary skateboarding. His technical precision and creativity in freestyle—often performed on flat ground without ramps—bridged the gap to street skating, influencing generations of skaters and earning him induction into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2013. As a member of the influential Bones Brigade team in the 1980s, Mullen transitioned from competitive freestyle to street-style demonstrations, further solidifying his legacy through videos, tours, and endorsements with brands like Powell-Peralta and Almost Skateboards.