Bobbito Garcia

Bobbito García, a true New York City icon, has made significant contributions to various cultural movements as a versatile freelancer. He rose to prominence in the 1990s as one half of the influential “Stretch and Bobbito” radio show on WKCR, where he played a pivotal role in introducing the music world to soon-to-be legends such as Nas, Biggie, Wu-Tang Clan, Jay-Z, Eminem, and the Fugees. The artists who debuted on their show have collectively achieved over 300 million in record sales, leading Source Magazine to honor them as “The Best Hip Hop Radio Show of All Time” in 1998.

García is also recognized as a pioneer in sneaker journalism, having authored the groundbreaking 1990 article “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict” for Source. His book, *Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987* (Testify Books), released in 2003, received critical acclaim. In 2005, he hosted ESPN’s “It’s The Shoes,” the first television series dedicated to sneaker culture. A former professional basketball player in Puerto Rico, García appeared in the landmark Nike “Freestyle” commercial, and in 2007, Nike launched a lineup of seven Air Force 1 sneakers he co-designed. Additionally, he lent his voice to EA Sports’ popular NBA Street video game and is celebrated as a world-class DJ, performing at prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, Central Park SummerStage, and the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.