Bloody business
Tony Hawk is selling 100 skateboards painted with his actual blood
The skate legend literally sold his soul to water company Liquid Death, which produced the limited-edition decks.
Liquid Death, the water company which claims to “murder your thirst,” has teamed up with Tony Hawk to create a limited-edition run of 100 skateboard decks — infused with the skating legend’s blood. Each board boasts a vial’s worth of Hawk’s DNA, mixed in with the paint for the decks.
“I am deeply thankful to have a connection with my fans, and I appreciate how Liquid Death connects with theirs,” said Hawk in a press release. “This collaboration is taking those connections to a new level, as I have literally put my blood (and soul?) into these decks.” Liquid Death actually owns Hawk’s soul, according to the brand: The skater previously signed a legally binding contract selling his vitality to Liquid Death, and consumers can too if they want exclusive access to merch and private events. Contracts are binding for all eternity, the brand says.
A pricey piece of Hawk — Blood-infused skateboards are less commitment than soul-selling, but equally gory. Painted red for obvious reasons, the decks feature a graphic of a man whose head has been replaced with a can of Liquid Death. He’s holding a bloody axe and the skull of a bird while his nipples have been switched out for eyes. You shouldn’t expect the design to make sense — the decks are covered in Hawk’s blood, after all.
Owning a piece of the skate legend won’t be cheap, though. Only 100 skateboards will be sold, with each retailing for $500. A portion of the profits will benefit anti-plastic nonprofit 5 Gyres — keeping in line with Liquid Death’s goal to reduce plastic waste — and Hawk’s organization The Skateboard Project, which helps fund public skateparks.
“I take pride in knowing that organizations fighting plastic pollution and creating skate parks worldwide will be supported through our efforts.”
Philanthropy, but make it punk — Leave it to Tony Hawk to make philanthropy hardcore: He’s literally donated a piece of himself to make this project possible. It’s unclear how Liquid Death, a water company, came up with this idea or convinced Hawk to give blood for skateboard decks — perhaps the deal was struck after the skater’s soul was sold — but at least the profits are going towards good causes? “I take pride in knowing that organizations fighting plastic pollution and creating skate parks worldwide will be supported through our efforts,” said Hawk in a press release.
Liquid Death may have been inspired by Lil Nas X and MSCHF’s Nike Air Max 97 sneakers, which were filled with genuine human blood. The water brand seems to be seeking a similar viral reaction — but by omitting Satanic references and Nike infringement, its skateboards will likely be more successful than the demonic shoes.
Vampires, skaters, and philanthropists alike can buy one of the 100 blood-infused skateboards on Liquid Death’s website, where they can also order cases of the brand’s grungy-labeled water. Please only ingest the latter.
Update: All 100 blood-infused skateboards have now sold out. Check out the campaign video below, featuring none other than the man (Hawk) himself.
