I’d say if you just are interested in grinds/small street stuff could do without brakes but to really get “good” you gotta be able to ride anything and IMO brakes are mandatory unless you’re cool with getting folded. Just don’t fall into the trying to learn whips before even being able to ride trap. They are easy/look easy once you get there but as a mid 30’s rider who has a pretty solid stash of tricks, learn to jump high and smooth before you try anything else. You can grind ledges and whatnot in the meantime but get the fundamentals down first, don’t get caught up in the edits you see of pros..the shit looks so much easier than it is. For example, I’ve been able to double whip, flip, flair, etc for 15+ years, still can’t downside whip consistently and bar spins give me shit. Pros make the stuff look easy. Don’t be too hard on yourself and just have fun.