Illegal Civ boss Mikey Alfred has taken a shot at YouTube skater Joa “Gifted Hater” Field following discussions about Field dealing with depression.
Joa has built his reputation around blunt commentary, criticism, and jokes about skaters, brands, and different parts of skate culture.
His approach has earned him a large following, but it has also made him one of the more controversial personalities in the scene.
While some people have continued clowning him online despite his recent struggles, we at ShreddER are not advocating for making fun of someone dealing with mental health issues.
The North Hollywood director’s criticism goes beyond Joa’s YouTube content.
He appears to believe that frustration over not making it as a skateboarder played a big part in the persona Joa eventually developed online.
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According to the Mid90s co-producer, that resentment helped shape Joa’s career and attracted an audience of people who could relate to feeling unsuccessful or dissatisfied with their own lives.
He also questioned Joa’s ability on a skateboard, suggesting that someone who spends so much time criticizing other skaters should be able to back it up with stronger skating ability.
Alfred also weighed in on Joa’s drinking, suggesting that he should stop drinking and smoke weed instead. He added that he believes things would eventually come together for Joa if he made that change.
The comments come from a figure who has spent years building Illegal Civ and has been deeply involved in skateboarding culture, making his criticism of Joa particularly personal.
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Joa has made his name by saying things other people in skateboarding may think but are less willing to say publicly.
That formula has helped him build a dedicated audience while also creating plenty of enemies along the way.
The Illegal Civ CEO’s take is essentially that Joa turned his frustration with skateboarding into content, found an audience that connected with his negativity, and turned that audience into a career.
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That interpretation will obviously be debated, especially by Joa’s supporters.
But with both personalities having strong opinions about skateboarding and the people involved in it, this probably will not be the last time their names end up in ShredER’s top stories.