A new movie is about to tell one of the stranger crossover stories between skating and music.
California $chemin’ follows Silibil N’ Brains, a rap duo from Scotland who were part of the Dundee skate scene before creating fake American personas and breaking into the music industry.
The whole thing was built around a California image pulled straight from early 2000s skate culture.
Watch the New Trailer Here:
From Dundee to the spotlight
Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd grew up skating in Dundee, where hip-hop and skateboarding overlapped in the early 2000s.
When they stepped into music, they leaned into that influence. Their personas were built around a West Coast image people already recognized, which helped them gain traction, get signed, and eventually tour with Eminem before everything unraveled.
The film, directed by James McAvoy in his first time behind the camera, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025. It’s set to release in the UK on April 10, 2026, with no confirmed U.S. release yet.
Photo: Silibil N’ Brains
The look then and now
Their background in skating gave their image something real behind it. The California look they presented matched what people expected at the time, which helped make it convincing.
That same style shows up clearly in the film. The trailer leans into early 2000s details, including pieces from brands like Shorty’s.
That era’s mix of skating and hip-hop made that look instantly recognizable.
Now those same styles are coming back around. Baggy pants are everywhere again, older brands are getting a second life, and that early 2000s look is starting to feel current again.
That lines up with the timing of this film, putting an old story right next to what’s happening now.
Photo: Silibil N’ Brains
WHO GETS A PASS AND WHO DOESN’T?
Part of what makes this story work is that Bain and Boyd weren’t just dressing the part. They actually skated, and that gave their image something real behind it.
But even today, you still see people in music leaning into skate style, sometimes as part of who they are, sometimes just as an image.
You’ve got someone like Lil Wayne, who’s been skating for years and documenting it, which makes him legit enough as a skater for a lot of people.
Photo: Jason LaVeris / FilmMagic
Then you’ve got someone like A$AP Rocky, who’s been closely tied to skate culture through interviews, brand connections, and collaborations, but isn’t really known for actually skating.
That’s where it gets tricky.
So where do you draw the line?
Who actually gets a pass for using the skater look, and who’s just building an image around it?
And is that line is determined by how much they skate, or how good they are?
Let us know what you think in the comments!