Skate or Die
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About
Skate or Die is a slang catchphrase in skateboarding culture meaning if you're not skateboarding you may as well be dead.
Origin
In 1988, Electronic Arts released Skate or Die for computers and the NES,[1] marking the first time the phrase appeared in popular culture.
Several popular answers on Urban Dictionary for the phrase trace the origins back to the 80s. A definition by Clay1[2] mentioned the phrase was popular in the 80s but had become for "posers."
Spread
The phrase continued to see use in skateboarding culture, appearing on various items of merchandise.[3] In 2008, a French film titled Skate or Die was released.[4] There have also been various image macros created referencing the phrase (examples shown below).
Aladdin Image
One of the most popular image macros to use the phrase is a Didney Worl picture of Aladdin with the text "It's skate or die, dude. You either skate, or you die" laid over it. The first known post of this image came on January 7th, 2014, on the Tumblr account babylizard.[5] It has since gained over 176,000 notes (shown below). This image has grown into a meme on Tumblr, where it has inspired several variations.
Various Examples
Search Interest
External References
[1] Wikipedia – Skate or Die!!
[2] Urban Dictionary – Skate or Die
[3] Zazzle – Skate or Die
[4] IMDb – Skate or Die
[5] Tumblr – babylizard
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