[ JAPANESE / ENGLISH ]

Photos_Ajiem Serr
Special thanks_Vans, Mark Khor

VHSMAG (V)：　When did you get into skating?

Rubianda Rachman (R)：　When I was around seven or eight. I was watching a lot of random YouTube skate videos, and I was playing the Tony Hawk game. After that, I just got interested in skateboarding.

V：　I read that your dad is a famous musician in Indonesia. Did that help you pursue your dreams since your dad did the same?

R：　Yeah, for sure. I would see my dad play and produce music back in his days. I was inspired by what my dad has been doing in music. The band is called Ada Band. It's Indonesian pop music from the early 2000s.

V：　What was the video that you watched when you started skating that got you hyped?

R：　 When I was younger, I was watching stuff like Baker has a Deathwish, Chronicles 2 and even Rowan’s (Zorilla) Certi-fried Baker part. Even today, I watch a lot of Baker videos, like that T-Funk and Tyson (Peterson) part was fire.

V：　Who were some of the skaters you got influenced by?

R：　There's too many... From Indonesia, Absar (Lebeh) , Mario (Palandeng) , Dede (Bayu Satya) and Phrabawa (Junior). Outside of Indonesia, I guess Tyson and Rowan. I like how Rowan skates. He's so flawless.

V：　Yeah. I can see Rowan in your skating. What's the skate scene in Jakarta like?

R：　It's growing. Many skaters are coming out from Jakarta. There's also a lot of new buildings with spots that have good ground but generally the ground here is pretty rough, especially like the ones in Bali.

V：　What's the reaction of the general public? How do they see street skating?

R：　Some people will get mad and go like, "What are you doing!?", but the police in Jakarta don't really care actually. It’s usually the security guards that kick us out. Police are chill and don’t really bother us. If you skate at a private property you might get a ticket but other than that, you just get kicked out.

V：　Who are your sponsors?

R：　I skate for Motion Skateboards from Bali, Tight Hardware from Thailand and Vans.

V：　How did you get on Vans?

R：　At first, Mario talked to someone at Vans about me, and after that, they just started flowing me shoes.

V：　So you got on Vans through one of the skaters you got influenced by. That's nice.

R：　Yeah, he also skates for Motion too.

V：　You had Youth Manifesto part in 2021 and the KUTA 911 video last year. It seems you've been super productive. What's your day-to-day like?

R：　Right now I’m still based in Indonesia, I’m in Bali a lot because most of my friends who I skate with are there. I just skate with my friends all day, hangout together and film, then go to the beach.

 

V：　Compared to those two videos in the last couple years, how do you feel about your Lava part? Everything looks more refined and bigger.

R：　Youth Manifesto was like a lot more ledge skating stuff, and all the clips are filmed in Indonesia (Jakarta, Bandung and Bali). In Lava, I’m skating a lot more rails.

 

V：　When did you find out that you were going to have the last part?

R：　I guess towards the deadline. I was stoked.

V：　How long did you film for?

R：　I have some clips in there that were kept from the Youth Manifesto part but other than that, almost everything was filmed in less than a year, because our first trip for Lava only started in April 2022.

V：　How much of that part was filmed in your hometown?

R：　Maybe 30% or 40%. Other than Indonesia, we filmed in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Good times. Singapore and Malaysia had a lot of great spots if you compare it to Indonesia, but Singapore, they’re a bit strict when it comes to street skating. You can get fined there at some spots. We did have some sketchy moments. Police were checking our passports but we got away with it. You can even get a fine for spitting and chewing gum in Singapore. Singapore for me was something else (laughs).

V：　What was most challenging from Lava?

R：　Maybe the last trick. The run-up to the 50-50 was narrow and had this wavy curve. Really tight. At first I was just looking at the spot with Juno (Junnosuke Hasegawa) from the last trip, I thought it'd be good for my last trick. So, we went back to Singapore to try it. I was trying it for about an hour. It was more of a mental battle for me because those curves were harder than the actual grind.

 

V：　What was most rewarding?

R：　Probably just the chance to skate the spots that we did, and having new experience with all the guys from the APAC team. Just super glad to be a part of the Lava video project. Thanks Vans for bringing me around, it was the best times!

V：　I personally like that 50-50 on a rail kickflip out. That was beautiful.

R：　Thank you, I was hyped on that too! That spot is in Jakarta.

V：　You've skated with Japanese skaters for this project. What was it like skating with them?

R：　Yeah I skated with Daiki (Hoshino), Juno, Shor (West), Toa (Sasaki) and Hina (Maeda). They’re the best! I enjoy watching Shor skate, and I’ve actually hung out with Daiki a few times before this. I had a Vans trip with him to the States too, so it’s always been a good time with Daiki. I had two trips with Juno too, so the same goes to him too!

 

V：　So Lava came out and you had the last part. What's next?

R：　I might be doing another episode with my crew back in Indo called Holiday Route. But let’s see, I’m down for whatever that’s coming. Keep skating and being on the road, that makes me happy!

 

Rubianda Rachman
@ruubianda

Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2004. He's the face of Vans APAC team and one of Asia's best young talents. Recent work includes "Youth Manifesto" and "Lava".