Photo by Josh bowser
If you're looking for skaters doing it for the right reasons, you don't need to look much further than Jimmy Lannon and Stephen Buggica. One, a seasoned pro with parts under his belt from nearly every independent video maker in the game. The other, a devoted filmer committing most of his free time to sweating it out in the sun-bleached backstreets of an often-ignored skate city, just to promote his friends and make fun, creative projects.
Buggica has been shining a light on the slept-on Tampa Bay area scene for nearly 2 decades now, presenting his crew in a way that would make even the haters have to hit the rewind and soak it all in again. With tasteful b-roll and reserved skits that put the skaters front and center, Steve doesn't try to steal the spotlight, allowing his work to always leave the audience as fans of the skaters he's highlighting.
Rumor has it that this could be the last project in his Busted Mic legacy...but if that's true Steve chose a really high note to leave on. Because "8-Track" is not only a true gem for any fan of underground skate videos, it's something that the Tampa area and all of Florida should be proud of. Giving us the best parts that some of our favorite Floridian legends like Dustin Eggeling and Jimmy Lannon have filmed in years. And we've been given the opportunity to share that new Lannon part with you here today!
We caught up with Jimmy and Steve to hear a little bit about filming "8-Track" and the joys and pitfalls of filming full lengths in 2026. Scroll down to soak it all in and you'll be rewarded with Jimmy's FULL PART from "8-Track" at the end!
Interview and Words by Josh Stewart
Photo by Anthony Verdi
First off I wanted to ask something I had been wondering for a while….Steve, when did you start creating your projects under the name Busted Mic? And what other projects might readers know you from?
SB: Mid-late 2017. Up until then I was making all the videos for Shaqueefa. After the 3rd video I just wanted to do my own thing. Which was the same exact thing with the same crew just under my own name.
What initially sparked you to get a camera and start filming? And was your first camera a VX?
SB: The classic filmer story of all your friends are better then you and a camera magically appears and chooses you to be the filmer. First one was a tiny mini DV with a duct taped wide angle. Some years later I bought my first VX off of Joeface. It was a piece of shit but I was ecstatic. Robby Kirkland then sold me my first MK1 death lens for $400. Completely fronted me and trusted me to pay him. He’s had my back since the very beginning.
Damn, Robbie coming through! For some reason the fact that some filmers still use the VX seems to anger or confuse a lot of people. Like a caveman trying to understand fire. Can you explain to the haters why you’ve stayed devoted the VX for so long?
SB: It’s simply the best camera to film skating. It can’t be beat. That being said, bad VX looks real bad. So the VX needs someone who knows how to use it. But nothing beats proper VX footage. And there’s plenty of examples of people still out there doing it.
A lot of us who’ve grown up in the Tampa Bay Area have had a bit of a love/hate relationship with the city. But you’ve now made more full lengths out of Tampa than anyone. Is the city a strong skate city or is the skate scene just tenacious?
SB: I’d say both. But it’s not for everyone. If you’re from here or have someone to show you around it’s dope. But we have a lot of odd and not-so spots. As far as the scene it feels like it’s mostly just our crew. The Motor Lobby guys are rad and doing their thing in St. Pete. There’s a good street skating scene here between the two cities.
Yeah, we didn't have that strong St Pete scene happening when I was here. Just Rickie Dixon and a couple others who'd skate with the Tampa crew. It's been rad seeing them build up that scene and give St Pete it's own thing.
Well, on a completely unrelated note, Wu-Tang has been a constant throughout most of your work, is there a reason for that other than it just being great music to edit to?
SB: Wu-Tang is the coolest shit out. I always like how relatable WU is to skating. A crew of 9 guys with different styles and looks all working on one project as a whole. That’s every skate crew out there. Just a group of friends doing dope stuff.
What’s your favorite Jimmy Lannon part?
SB: Hard choice but I’d say Dango is Dead & our Flow like Water part. I Have to give ourselves props on that one. It’s my favorite video I’ve ever made and Jimmy and I talk about it frequently to this day. He’s had like 23 parts, they are all great.
Personally, mine is The Good Life....that Group Home song gets me every time.
Ok, so then now what’s your favorite Jimmy Lannon outfit?
SB: He’s had some wild ones. Haha. But I’ll say the most recent scrubs outfit he was rocking at the premiere. The bucket hat to match with the little strings. I swear he does it for laughs sometimes.
Jimmy, what’s your favorite Buggica video project?
Most under rated/under appreciated skater from the Tampa Bay Area?
JL: Tampa area/ James Cobb
What do you like about filming in the Tampa area as opposed to France, SF, NYC and everywhere else you’ve filmed over the years?
JL: We know it well, so the challenge to find something new or create a new idea at a classic old spot is an exciting process!
This is random, but I remember when you first started showing up at Skatepark of Tampa when you were really young and Chris Williams and I started talking to you. At one point I think you told me that you were on a strictly raw vegetable diet and the next time we saw you your skin had turned orange. I shit you not!
JL: Yeah I had a job at a health food store for a while. I meet all sorts of people with food knowledge and the story is one I told you of a guy I meet that was growing his own carrots and was eating so many that the beta carotene levels were so high in his body that his skin had an orange color.
Bro, you were that carrot-man. I'm telling you, for a moment there, you were half-carrot/half-man.
Well, you’ve filmed with all of the best VX filmers out there…Zach Chamberlin, Garshell, Yoan, Colin, Buggica, etc…do you change what kinds of spots you skate, or the type of lines you do based on who you’re filming with?
JL: Not really I just try n get excited about an idea for a spot, talk it over with who ever is filming and if they like it we take a go at it.
Is there anything unique to the experience of filming with Steve?
Yeah we just like riding around talking shit bouncing ideas back n fourth. Finding new spots cause it is hard and hot out here in FL.
This video felt like a very complete project that you guys put a lot of time into. How long did it take and did you intend for it to be a proper full length or did it just evolve into one?
SB: Jimmy and I were working on this part before there was even a thought of a full length. It was originally going to be another Magenta collab part. Then when the idea of a full length was floating around I still wanted to do the Magenta part but have Jimmy in the full video as well. My idea was a short night part and then the big part for Magenta. But as the full length was developing I thought to just put everything I had into this video. Around the same time, I’m on the phone with Jimmy, And without me saying anything he suggested the same thing. Scratch the Magenta collab thing and let’s make 8-TRACK the best we can. We still got both parts but in one project.
That's dope....great choice!
How can you make a full length like this have a longer life cycle than the countless other projects that drop online on the regular?
SB: It seems impossible these days, I think the best way to do it is this type of thing. Release parts individually with an article over a couple weeks while promoting DVDs. Telling stories on Instagram about certain clips, or moments during filming. Then when it all dies down 2 days later probably throw the whole video online. But I like to try and stretch it, because you throw it all up right away and it’s gone so fast.
Photo by Josh bowser
Yeah, people need more delayed gratification in 2026. Everyon's spoiled rotten and doesn't appreciate anything any more. Gotta make them appreciate it. Haha
The music for this project was all really well curated but felt very cohesive? Were there any clashes between what the skater wanted and what you had in mind for the parts Steve?
SB: I let most of the guys have as much creative control as I could give them without losing my own vision or style. They were all super easy to work with and most of them essentially picked their own songs. It was just sending music back and forth until something hit. A few of the other guys just had to trust me. Rob didn’t hear his music or even see his part until the premiere.
What’s each of you guys’ favorite section of this new video and why? Could be favorite or most satisfying/meaningful.
JL: I like it all! It’s hard to pick one section but I like how Jimmy and Dustin’s part have a lot of symmetry going on which has always been a type of editing that I love!
SB: Oh man, that’s hard. Everyone’s part is so awesome in their own ways. I love it all. But I’m going to go with Manny’s part. I love the super 8 we shot at his homestead and he has my favorite song in the video. Over the course of filming this project I got really into 50s and 60s music and when he suggested that sound I was stoked to find one we both liked. It’s a feel good part for me.
Steve, who’s the one that got away? A video part you almost made happen or always wanted to see happen but escaped you?
SB: Koki Loaiza. I’ve always been a fan of Koki’s skating and him as a person. He lives in Miami so naturally it’s harder to link up. We would film something here and there when we did the handful of times but other projects were coming out that he needed the footage for. We even got him out to our PR trip in hopes to film enough for a little section of his own in this video but first spot of the trip he re-hurts his ankle that has been giving him trouble and can’t skate the rest of the time. But yeah, I would have loved to film a Koki part.
I’ve heard rumors that this is the last Busted Mic video. Say it ain’t so!
SB: No one believes me! Haha. Yeah that’s where I’m at right now. Maybe if I miss it enough I’ll dust off the old VX again. Oh wait, I forgot. My camera actually took a shit the last day of filming. That was so stressful but we got the last clip and now my camera won’t let me keep a tape in it. Classic.
What legacy would you like the Buggica catalog to leave behind or what overall impression would like it to make on Tampa skateboarding or the VX scene as a whole? Deep one
Oh man. Not sure how to answer that. I just hope that people watch our videos and get stoked to go skate. Hopefully a young crew gets inspired and starts doing their own videos here. That’s all I’ve always wanted to do, make videos for my friends and our city. I feel like we did that, and I’m incredibly happy with what we did. Anything beyond that is just bonus. Thanks for watching!
NOW, enjoy Jimmy Lannon's new part from "8-Track" below. Thanks for Steve & Jimmy for sharing this with us and allow TOA to host it.
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