When Paul Rodriguez suddenly appeared on his street-league appearance in Portland with a gold-painted deck, the rumor mill seethed. For a long time, rumors spread about what P-Rod would start after his farewell from Plan B. Primitive skateboarding was the answer!
Rodriguez is now getting off to a flying start with his own skate company, with the goal of creating the best decks with the most comfortable concaves, the best materials and thickest designs.
Understatement has no place here, because those who dive head-first into the business with a completely golden deck - the pro-model of P-Rod himself – probably have a lot in store. In terms of the business model itself, he ventures into new territory and offers their team riders more financial freedom by offering them higher shares from the Pro-Models.
You’ll hear more and more about Primitive through the grapevine, but to get all the latest Primitive skateboard decks, T-shirts, hoodies, caps and more, we’ve got you covered here in the skatedeluxe Online Skate Shop!
Paul Rodriguez - The Face of Primitive
Just by looking at his biography, you could have seen that it was only a matter of time before the Californian launched his own deck brand. As one of the most successful skateboarders of all time, he even managed to gain notoriety outside of the skate scene. With his technical riding style, he managed to skate to the top of the contest scene, as well as film some street parts that remain impressive to this day.
A clear career milestone was his part in the Transworld video "In Bloom", from which P-Rod got a lot of attention for the first time. In other parts, he amazed with his unbelievable switch tricks, among other things.
After being named Rookie of the Year by Transworld Magazine, P-Rod was a household name in the skateboard world. Thanks to his skills, he managed to win almost every well-known contest at least once. From his medals at the X Games in the early 2000’s to his current victories in the Street League Series, Paul Rodriguez is always guaranteed to grab a top spot.
From the Primitive Store to Primitive Skateboarding
Another reason why the founding of Primitive Skateboarding is not surprising is P-Rod’s entrepreneurial streak. Under the name Primitive, he, until recently, ran a shop in Los Angeles together with two friends, as well as a successful streetwear division. Along with Joey Brezinski, he is also one of the minds behind Andale Bearings. Rodriguez, the bustling businessman he is, even co-founded his own beer brewery, the Saint Archer Brewing Co.
The Primitive Skate Team
Paul Rodriguez, Bastien Salabanzi, Shane O'Neill, Carlos Ribeiro, Trent McClung as well as AM's like Franky Villani and Robert Neal make it clear that the skate team from Primitive has high standards. The Primitive Team unites skateboarders with a lot of creativity and individual style, which ensures diverse edits and massive footage. The "Opal" promo video alone is proof enough and the numerous clips from the brand show that the team simply does not run out of ideas.
Refined Product Design
A quick glance at the Primitive Decks will show that they don’t just slap their logo onto one deck after the next. Instead, you’ll find rapper Biggie Smalls, Cleopatra or simply some nice comic book illustrations on those 7-plys of maple wood. The series in which the graphic was engraved into the bottom are particularly exclusive. In addition to the decks, griptape and hardware, the primitive online shop at skatedeluxe also has plenty of streetwear and accessories. Primitive may have been originally launched as an apparel brand, but now you can find the finest wood in the skateboard biz under the name.
