Chad Muska, born on May 20, 1977, in Lorain, Ohio, is an American professional skateboarder, musician, and entrepreneur. His journey in skateboarding is nothing short of legendary, with a career spanning decades and numerous achievements. Muska’s passion for skateboarding ignited early in his life, and he never looked back.
Chad Muska
His father was of Hungarian and Swedish ancestry and his mother is of Serbian ancestry. He has a sister, Lyndsey who is two years younger than him.
Early Influences and Career Beginnings
As a young person, he observed neighborhood kids skating and became captivated by their moves. He even borrowed their boards to try out tricks. This early exposure ignited a passion that would drive him to pursue a career in skateboarding. His interest in skateboarding blossomed after he relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, where his father lived. This move provided him with ample opportunities to explore skateboarding culture and improve his skills on the vibrant streets of Phoenix.
While in Arizona, Muska first met and spent time skateboarding with professional skateboarder Erik Ellington prior to both of their careers. Muska eventually moved to Mission Beach in San Diego, California. Armed with very little money, a sketchbook, and a portable cassette player, he immersed himself in skateboarding and art. Following his move to Mission Beach as an adolescent, Muska was mostly homeless and spent a significant period of time sleeping on the beach; in 2012, Muska explained: "I had nothing and those were, I can still say, by far, the happiest days of my life.
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Muska's dedication to his craft paid off as he quickly gained recognition in the skateboarding community.
In the early 1990s skateboarding was mostly slow, flat ground flip tricks. Very few people went big. It wasn’t until Jamie Thomas and Chad Muska came around made “Going Big” become popular. The origins of this Muska / Thomas powerhouse started at Toy Machine Skateboards. The 1990s godfather of skateboarding, Ed Templeton put both Thomas and Muska on Toy Machine.
Muska has also identified Jamie Thomas as a major influence and described him as an individual who is readily able to identify others who are willing to work at their skateboarding diligently. Muska explained, "I'd just watch what he was doing ... he's talking and they're listening to him, you know? ... just still to this day. Like, I mean, just because, for me, skateboarding was never about just progression; it was about, like, the individual, and the person, and what they brought to, to skateboarding. Not many skaters could have a career as long as he has and still maintain that idea, you know? Like, still, he is skateboarding; that is, everything, is Mark-it's freedom; it's not caring about anything; it's about going on your board and enjoying yourself; pushing yourself physically, mentally, and having as much fun as you can possibly have.
Skateboard Deck Innovations and Sponsorships
Maple Skateboards was Muska’s first-ever skateboard deck company. He appeared in the 1994 video Rites of Passage. Maple was Muska's first-ever skateboard deck company, showcasing his innovation and commitment to the skateboarding industry.
After parting ways with Maple, Muska joined Toy Machine, which is prestigious among professional skateboarders. Muska filmed for the Welcome to Hell video, a 1996 project primarily driven by Thomas, and he was expected to receive the highly regarded last part of the video.
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Following the issues at Toy Machine, Muska joined the then-fledgling Shorty's brand. Muska was chosen to develop the Shorty's skateboard deck division and the company thrived as a result.
As Shorty’s popularity started to fizzle (there was actually a backlash against Shorty’s for a while), Chad went into producing music. In the mid 2000s Chad seemed to disappear from skateboarding. There was a little news about him hear and there, but skateboarding had moved on to Baker and Flip. Chad was seen wearing a glove on one hand similar to Michael Jackson, which only lead to more strange rumors and gossip (but hey any publicity is better than no publicity).
Later, he joined Toy Machine, a prestigious team among professional skateboarders. Muska played a crucial role in facilitating Elissa Steamer’s sponsorship. This experience solidified Muska's reputation as a leading figure in the skateboarding community.
Shorty's Skateboards
One of the most famous street skaters of the late 1990s and early ’00s, Chad Muska is as well known for his style both on and off the board, as he is for his involvement with the break dancing, hip-hop and graffiti scenes.
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Shorty's Era
Soon Chad Muska became the main skater for Shorty’s Skateboards. This when things got really interesting. For about a four year run, Shorty’s was probably the most popular skateboard brand out there. I would gauge this “Shorty’s Era” to be from 1998 to 2002. And unlike the punk/heavy metal images of Toy Machine, Shorty’s was more urban and hip hop. This was definitely attributed to Chad Muska’s style.
Shorty’s released Fulfill the Dream, chronicling the Shorty’s team back then: Steve Olson, Brandon Turner, Peter Smolik, Toan Nguyen, and a cast of little grommet skaters.
There was an article written about Chad Muska that really helped his popularity. I remember my friend reading it and it really helped people identify with him.
Note - this story is most likely not entirely correct: Chad grew up in Arizona. In order to skate he would save his lunch money to buy skateboard decks. And in order to eat, he would scrounge up all the change from the couches and seats where his dad’s buddy’s would sit and get drunk watching sports. I guess they would get a little sloppy and change would fall out of their pockets. He used this change to buy whatever food he could afford. The article portrayed how much skateboarding ran threw his veins and why he pushed himself so hard to make it as a professional skateboarder.
A lot of skate shop owners will tell you that their number one selling deck of all time was the Muska Silhouette deck. Like the Osiris D3s, every kid around the world wanted this skateboard deck. It was simply a black silhouette of Muska sitting on a curb with the Shorty’s logo running down the side of the board. The board came in three sizes: 7.5″, 7.75″ and 8.0″.
Chad also got a pro model shoe on éS Footwear, which became the best-selling skate shoe of its time. In 1999, Chad left éS for Circa, which released many successful Muska pro model shoes over the next few years. Chad made many appearances in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series of videos games, which also featured his own original music. In 2005, Chad left Circa and took a break to party in Hollywood.
In 2006, he left Shorty’s, getting sponsored by Element, KR3W and Supra Footwear, which were worn by Pharell, Lil’ Wayne, Kanye West, and Jay-Z.
Chad Muska Cover Shots:
- Chad Muska Thrasher Cover Oct 1995.
- Chad Muska- Transworld Skateboarding Cover, Sept. 1999.
- Chad Muska Frontside 50-50- The Skateboard Mag Cover, Feb. 2007.
Key Figures Behind Shorty's Skateboards:
- Tony Buyalos: Founded Shorty's Hardware with April Hamrick, focusing on creating better skateboard hardware.
- Chad Muska: Joined Shorty's and spearheaded the development of Shorty's Skateboards, bringing creative control and team input.
Shorty's Accessories:
- Black Magic Grip tape
- Doh Doh Bushings
- Ghetto Child Wheels
- Black Panther Bearings
- Backpack with built-in speakers
Muska Industries and Current Ventures
Growing up as a young skateboarder in the early 2000s, one name was prominent in every skateboard magazine and video: Chad Muska. From his legendary ghetto blaster backpack to his stylish Circa pro model shoes, iconic Shorty’s pro model decks, and Ghetto Child wheels, Muska’s influence was everywhere. As one of the legendary skateboarders, his impact on the skateboarding world has been profound and lasting. Known for his distinctive style, both in his fashion and his tricks, Muska has consistently captured the attention and admiration of fans and fellow skaters alike.
Muska Industries is more than just a company; it is a reflection of Chad Muska’s personal involvement and dedication to design and production. Despite maintaining affiliations with former sponsors like Shorty’s Skateboards and Es Footwear, which have reissued his iconic pro models from the early 2000s, Muska has poured his heart into creating products under his own brand. At Muska Industries, the offerings are as unique as the man behind them.
Among the standout products is Muska Skateboards, featuring autographed boards adorned with Muska’s iconic Shorty’s graphics. These are not merely skateboards; they are collector’s items, each carrying a piece of Muska’s legacy. Additionally, Muska Industries boasts a range of limited apparel designed by Chad Muska himself. A notable example is the Ghetto Blaster shirt, a nod to the days when Muska skated with a boombox on his backpack while representing Shorty’s Skateboards. Another highlight is the Ghetto Child wheels-inspired pants, with only 55 pairs ever made, emphasizing the exclusivity and appeal of Muska’s designs.
During a recent interview on The Nine Club, Muska revealed his plans to expand Muska Industries by launching Muska Footwear. Muska Industries is not just a brand; it is a continuation of Chad Muska’s legacy, offering fans and skateboarders alike a chance to own a piece of skateboarding history. As a skateboarder who grew up watching Chad Muska, seeing him back with his own brand feels like a trip back to my early days of being inspired by his skating. Now, as an older skateboarder, I can truly appreciate these products coming from Chad Muska.
Personally design-wise, I'm definitely all over the place and I'm thinking of so many new and exciting designs, but it's hard for me to find places to sell a lot of the stuff, because it will be too crazy for what the shops want, especially on the skateboarding side ... I mean, the same thing happened with the Skytop I and eventually all the shops that thought it was horrible and said they would never wear it couldn't deny the fact that people wanted this product ...
In 1997, Muska founded the skateboard wheel brand Ghetto Child. Started as a friendship between Chad Muska, Tom Penny and Sean Sheffey, Ghetto Child went on to sponsor some of today's most relevant skateboarders. In 2004, Ghetto Child went on a hiatus, ceasing distribution.
Following his move to Element, Muska stated, "I am very excited about joining the Element family! I look forward to this new chapter in my skateboarding career...
After he left C1RCA, Muska subsequently founded the Supra footwear company in 2006 with Angel Cabada from One Distribution (owner of the KR3W apparel brand). The Supra footwear brand has been endorsed by Muska since the company's inception, and Muska's first Supra signature model-the "Skytop"-was one of the first team rider models that was released.
Supra expanded into Mexico in 2014, and Muska opened the brand's store in Mexico City in November/December.
I'd like to think that I've brought something to the table. I caused a little bit of a stir at times in the industry when I think it needed it. I think what was cool is that he was pushing skateboarding in a direction that I wasn't ... and I was pushing towards bigger handrails, bigger "hubbas", and, kind of, unconventional skate spots. And so I think, the two of us, kind of got psyched off each other, you know? next thing I know, he was hitting, grinding bigger handrails; I started frontside flipping over handrails, you know, like? ... And just as people, I think, like, he remains-I don't have to see the guy for ten years and we'll still be best friends ... You meet people over the years that you connect with and are inspired by, you know?
Transworld SKATEboarding magazine listed Muska as the 12th most influential skateboarder of all time in December 2011.
Chad Muska Silhouette skateboard Deck Autographed
His impact extends beyond skateboarding; he’s also known for his involvement in breakdancing, hip-hop, and graffiti scenes. He is a multifaceted artist with a wide range of creative interests.
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