Skateboarding as a language: why Instagram chose Filosofia Kbssa

When Instagram's official profile chooses to publish a video of a skateboarder, it's not just amplifying their visibility: it's recognizing a language. In the case of Filosofia Kbssa, that recognition brought a gesture born on the street—personal, silent, unspectacular—to tens of millions of people, without losing its identity. His skateboarding is about balance, timing, and listening to the urban space. He does not seek immediate impact or extreme difficulty, but builds a precise relationship between body, board, and environment, transforming movement into a form of writing. It is this approach, developed over more than twenty years of practice, that has made Alison Rosendo—that is his name—a recognizable figure in the independent Brazilian skate scene and, today, capable of speaking to a global audience. The video chosen by Instagram, accompanied by music by Jackson do Pandeiro, is not a viral exception: it is the synthesis of a coherent vision, the same one that Kbssa has been pursuing for years with the “Filosofia Skate Roots” project, where skateboarding becomes a tool for cultural, community, and urban storytelling.

Why Instagram calls him a “skateboard wizard”

The definition of “skateboard wizard” used by Instagram is neither a random label nor a promotional exaggeration. In the context of the Reel published on the platform's official profile, this expression serves to frame a practice of skateboarding that escapes traditional evaluation criteria — trick difficulty, speed, risk — to place itself in a more subtle, almost perceptive dimension. In this sense, the “wizard” is someone who manages to transform a familiar gesture into something unexpected, working on timing, balance, and the unconventional use of urban space.

In the video, Filosofia Kbssa does not seek immediate spectacular effect. The maneuver develops fluidly, without obvious breaks, and the camera accompanies the movement without imposing a dominant point of view. It is a type of skateboarding that requires attention, because it does not impose itself on the viewer but invites them to follow it. And it is precisely this ability to hold attention, to build intensity without raising the visual volume, that makes the content compatible with Instagram's curatorial line when it decides to promote authentic cultural practices.

#InTheMoment: aesthetics of the present and skate culture

The inclusion of Reel within the #InTheMoment concept further clarifies the reason for the choice. This editorial strand of Instagram favors content that conveys the feeling of an experience lived in the present, without excessive narrative filters. Skateboarding, in its most genuine form, is historically linked to this idea: an action that takes place in urban space, often without an audience, and that exists fully only in the moment it is performed.

Kbssa's philosophy embodies this aesthetic of the present. His skateboarding is not designed to be replicated or standardized, but to happen in relation to a specific place. The street is not a neutral backdrop, but an active element of the gesture. In this sense, the video documents not only a performance, but a way of inhabiting urban space, consistent with a skate culture that has always made improvisation and adaptation its hallmark.

Reels as a global format for subcultures

The fact that this content has reached tens of millions of views also demonstrates how Reels have become a central tool in the spread of urban subcultures. Skateboarding, street art, freestyle, and street dance now find in these short videos a form of global exposure that, while simplifying the narrative, offers previously unthinkable visibility.

In the case of Filosofia Kbssa, virality does not erase the complexity of the gesture. On the contrary, it amplifies a practice that remains true to its roots. Instagram's decision to publish the Reel on its official profile signals a clear recognition: when skateboarding is authentic and culturally situated, it can engage with a global audience without losing its identity.

KMUGERE campaign for CONVERSE - photo by Allan Carvalho

Who is Filosofia Kbssa

To fully understand the significance of this exposure, we need to return to the figure of Filosofia Kbssa and the path that has brought him to this point. Behind the stage name is Alison Rosendo, a Brazilian skater who has been skateboarding for over twenty years and who has built his identity away from the more visible circuits of traditional professionalism.

Alison Rosendo: public identity and stage name

The name “Filosofia” is not just an alias, but an indication of method. It refers to the idea of skateboarding as a reflective practice, as a way of observing and interpreting the urban world. “Kbssa,” on the other hand, is a signature that appears across videos, projects, and collaborations, becoming a recognizable mark within the scene. Together, these elements define a coherent public identity, built over time through continuity of gesture and vision.

Rosendo does not present himself as an athlete in search of records or titles. His online presence and video projects suggest instead the figure of an author, someone who uses skateboarding as a narrative tool. This approach has helped make him a reference point in contexts that view skateboarding not only as a sport, but as a cultural language.

A “one of a kind” style: expressiveness and unconventional technique

Filosofia Kbssa's style is often described as “one of a kind” because it is difficult to classify according to traditional categories. His tricks do not necessarily aim for maximum technical difficulty, but rather a particular relationship with space. His body seems to adapt to surfaces, unevenness, and irregularities in the street, transforming them into an integral part of the maneuver.

This attitude produces a style of skating that appears fluid, almost intuitive, but which is actually the result of years of practice and observation. There is no clear separation between technique and expressiveness: one feeds the other. It is precisely this fusion that makes his skating immediately recognizable, even in a context saturated with images such as social networks.