Jesse Alba is a rad skater who, as you may know, makes really great cell phone edits. His videos stand out as they balance rad skating and comedic horseplay, in a way that's far more watchable than the mind numbing non-stop hammers and annoying antics of comparable videos past.* This past February a promo for Life Is Goodie, Jesse's latest project came out. From the use of Pure Moods to the dick shaking applause for tricks landed, we loved the trailer and knew we had to find out more about him. We talked to Jesse about his upcoming video, peeing on the street, his apartment flooding and more. Please enjoy:

Village Psychic: Jesse what's up man, give us your full name, age, tell us where are you from and what your best trick is.

Jesse Alba: Hey what's up hello, my name is Jesse Alba, I'm 21 and my best trick is a beanplant.

VP: When and why did you come to New York?

JA: I moved to New York at the end of last May because I wanted to skate cellar doors and hang out with my friends over here. I would only get to see them once a year, so it's nice to see them every frickin' day now!

VP: What is your living situation like here?

JA: My friend Natalie blessed me, I'm staying in her room while she's not there. The past year was a little wild, we had 7 people living in a 2 bedroom. It was me, my friends Nolan and Cruz in the living room/kitchen, two couples in the bedrooms and this motherfucker who goes by the name of Tio. There was some raw tension sometimes, but it's all goodie.

An early grab 5-0 past the bike lock skate stopper seen in 2015's Trust. Photo: Colin Sussingham — An early grab 5-0 past the bike lock skate stopper seen in 2015's *Trust*. Photo: Colin Sussingham

VP: I heard you recently had some issues at your apartment with plumbing...

JA: Yeah, that was pretty t-funked. Our apartment was on the basement level, and during the winter there was some sort of skenchy gas leak so they shut off all of the water/gas in the building for a week or so. By the time they turned the water on, the pipes above us had frozen and burst and we had water coming through the light fixtures for about an hour or so. I was able to move all the electronics, so luckily nothing got damaged. Then about a month later a pipe burst in a utility room and flooded both our apartment and the one next door. I woke up to my pants and shoes floating on the floor in a couple inches of water. The water soaked into the wood floor, so that place is going to have some beast mold soon. Glad to be out of that shinty apartment!

VP: Who do you skate with? Do you ever skate with your dad?

JA: I love skating with everybody out here, the bigger the crew the better! Usually I'm skating with Genesis Evans, Johnny Wilson, Cyrus Bennett and that crew. But also love skating with my dood Apk at LES alongside my other dood Tunker, he's the bomb. Skating with Kevin Tierney is always raw af. There's too many people to name!

VP: What did you do all winter? It got pretty harsh in NYC.

JA: I was pretty much just working and skating whenever I could, usually at House of Vans and that Long Island City spot. Some days it was nice enough to skate LES and some spots too, which was boss. I was in California from December to mid-January, so that was a nice little escape.

VP: So tell us a little bit about Life Is Goodie.

JA: It's pretty much just this past summer's worth of skating. Half the time I'm too lazy to bring the camera around because I wanna skate too, but it's going have parts from Genesis Evans and Chris Milic, with little parts sprinkled in between.

VP: Is your dad in the video?

JA: I wish he was in it! I still have never filmed a trick of him, I just want to skate when I'm around him since it doesn't happen too often.

We are excited for Chris 'Mango' Milic's part in Life is Goodie. Lipslide. — We are excited for Chris 'Mango' Milic's part in *Life is Goodie*. Lipslide.

VP: How did you come up with the title?

JA: The title just came from my friends and I saying 'Oh, what's goodie?' as a greeting, and my obsession with a clothing company called Life is Good. I realized that the electronics company LG uses 'Life's Good' as a slogan, which is awesome too. Pretty much it's all just a big joke that somehow worked out.

VP: Does your little brother Riley Piley turn up harder than you?

JA: Riley Piley! He's way sicker than I am and definitely turns up way harder. He busted his ass a few times just because he loves turning up so hard! Last time we hung out he ended up djing this house party and pouring beer/peeing under a pool table while everyone was still in the house. Somehow no one noticed.

VP: Between the mix you made for Jenkem and your use of Pure Moods in the Life is Goodie trailer, we are stoked on your musical taste. What are your three go-to albums?

JA: Oh thanks brah! It's constantly changing, but right now I've been listening to Debut by Bjork. Coastal Grooves by Blood Orange is amazing, I almost like it better than his second album. Also Sade's Diamond Life.

In case you didn't believe him, here's proof that Jesse really is down to pee anywhere.

VP: We heard you are down to pee anywhere, is that true?

JA: Haha, I guess I am. I don't really mind if anyone sees my dingus so I'm down to let it rock wherever. Usually I don't think and end up peeing at the spot, and it'll leak into where people are skating. Grant Yansura used to love when I did that. I like distance peeing too, and peeing off of things is dope, like off bridges or roofs. really sick stuff.

VP: Distance peeing is definitely what is up. I have a long running bet with a friend that I can pee off of the Williamsburg bridge onto the cars going across the bridge, have you ever tried that one?

JA: I never actually have, but that's a dope idea. I've lived in Bushwick the entire time I've been here but I am moving to Williamsburg in May, so I'm sure I'll give it a try this summer. Peeing while skating is sick too, especially when you get some dribbles on your griptape.

VP: Is anyone hooking you up right now? Do you want thank some people? Plug Pillow Talk?

JA: Welcome Skateboards has been blessing me for the past year or so, everyone there is the best. Thanks to Jason, Shane, Daniel, Nora, and Kevin for the bomb lace ups. Andy Henrie has been blessing it with Converse lately, so thanks a ton to that dood! I also wanna give a major shout out to Dustin Dollin, keep yo mothaf*ckin head up. I can't forget to thank my dude Grant Yansura too for all the bomb opportunities he blessed me with, he is the homie 4 life. Gotta thank my family too, they are the best for blessing me throughout my childhood and teenage years. Als0 thanks to my dude Frenckles for just being the best doggy in the world!

VP: So lastly, give us a run down of the video, premier date, where we can buy it etc.

JA: The video will premier at Upstairs Bar on 4/20 at 9pm. There will be parts from Chris Milic, Genesis Evanss, myself and Nolan Benfield. Copies will be up for sale at lifeisgoodie.bigcartel.com

Thanks Jesse Alba for talking with us.

*The CKY videos do obviously hold a special place in our hearts, but they are pretty fucking annoying.

Life is Goodie - Talking with Jesse Alba