Bobbito García

Author Bobbito García is an NYC native who has put an indelible footprint on multiple urban movements.

As the progenitor of sneaker journalism, García penned his landmark Source article “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict” in 1990, then in 2003 became the critically acclaimed author of Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 (Testify Books). He also wrote the foreword for A History Of Basketball In Fifteen Sneakers (Workman, 2023), the introduction for Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (Rizzoli, 2015), and contributed an essay to City/Game: Basketball in New York (Rizzoli, 2020). In 2005, ESPN’s “It’s The Shoes” series, hosted by Bobbito, became the first show on the subject in broadcasting history.

A former professional basketball player in Puerto Rico, García performed in the groundbreaking Nike “Freestyle” commercial. In 2007, the brand released seven co-designed Air Force 1 sneakers bearing his name. The voice of EA Sports’ popular NBA Street video game is also a world-renowned DJ, who has spun World, Soul and Jazz music at Lincoln Center, Central Park SummerStage, and the Smithsonian (DC).

As an award-winning filmmaker, García has directed Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC (PBS, NETFLIX), Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives (SHOWTIME, NETFLIX), and NY Times “Critics’ Pick” Rock Rubber 45s (Smithsonian African American Film Festival 2018 official selection). Transitioning to TV, he also directed eight “SneakerCenter” episodes for ESPN+. The documentarian’s photography has appeared in campaigns for Nike, has been licensed to Foot Locker and Patta for apparel, and has been exhibited at the Museum of the City of New York as well as multiple international galleries.

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