There’s been a lot of noise in the skate world lately, especially after Lord Williams (formerly Stevie Williams) aired his thoughts about Eric Koston and Nike.
According to Lord Williams, Koston copied his style with the Air Max 95 release, and he claimed Nike straight-up took his “Run, Skate, Skill” slogan without giving him any credit.
It didn’t take long before things started flying online, with people picking sides and jumping in with their opinions.
But instead of adding fuel to the fire, skate legend Clyde Singleton jumped in with something more grounded and full of perspective.
Singleton, a respected voice from the 90s skate scene and someone who’s experienced the ups and downs of the industry, posted publicly about both Lord Williams and Koston's beef.
He said that they are both legends. Don’t let outsiders turn this into something it doesn’t need to be.
Here’s what he posted:
“since yall too scared to speak the truth:
@steviewilliams & @erickoston. you guys are both, skateboarding icons. don’t let these people play yall like this.. being a veteran crash out (90s platoon), I understand Stevie’s frustration. while also understanding: letting my emotions get the best of me- has rarely worked in my favor.
if they want a ‘show’, show them yall can work it out.
because, in the end. everyone should’ve stuck with skateboard shoe brands.
hope you both can move forward, in a positive light. much respect.
it’s the mighty, mighty @wcrponskateboarding
stay tuned • stay dangerous”
It was a real moment. Singleton wasn’t picking sides. He was just keeping it real.
He’s been around long enough to know what it feels like when the industry takes something from you without giving credit. And he knows that lashing out in the heat of the moment usually just makes things worse.
That line about sticking with skateboard shoe brands hit home for a lot of people. It’s been a thing for years. Big companies jumping into skateboarding, copying the style, throwing money at top names, and cashing in while smaller skater-run brands get pushed aside.
Koston and Lord Williams aren’t just random names in an online beef. They helped shape what skateboarding is today. What Singleton said was bigger than any one argument.
Bottom line? Skateboarding belongs to skateboarders. Not everyone is going to agree, and that’s okay. But when real skaters get turned against each other for outside interests, everybody loses.