The toughest question anyone can ask Bobbito Garcia is "What do you do?" There might be ten answers! He is the Editor In Chief of Bounce: From the Playground b-ball magazine, an accomplished Vibe magazine music columnist, and the critically acclaimed author of "Where'd You Get Those? NYC's Sneaker Culture 1960-1987" (Testify Books). He is a world-class club DJ (monthly @ Apt). He is a basketball performer at NBA halftime shows (Mavericks, Knicks) and on TV commercials (Nike, NBA on TNT), who self-produced a dribbling instructional DVD (Bobbito's Basics to Boogie). He is the announcer for EA Sports' "NBA Street" video game and for ESPN 2's "It's the Shoe"î series. Not done yet. He is a feature film actor ("Prison Song", "Summer of Sam") and music consultant ("25th Hour", "Sneaker Heads"). And for fun, he dances with the world-renowned Rock Steady Crew. Whew!

You may wonder when he has time to breathe, but in the last 15 years he has been relentlessly pursuing his passions in music and basketball. After playing pro ball in Puerto Rico in í87 then graduating from Wesleyan University (CT) in "88, he began working at Def Jam Records. He met DJ Stretch Armstrong there, and in "90 the two of them started their Hip Hop radio show at WKCR 89.9 fm. By "98, the Source Magazine voted them the "Best Hip Hop Radio Show of All Time". The show's popularity allowed for Bobbito to expand. He hosted seminal open mic showcases (Lyricist Lounge "93, All That "93 -"98) and concerts, ran critically acclaimed indie label Fondle'Em Records from "95 -"01, and ran the historic Bobbito's Footwork record/clothing/sneaker store from "96-"00. Bobbito was on a mission to carry the Underground Hip Hop scene of New York through the "90s.

There were rewards. The Stretch Armstrong/Bobbito Show introduced the world to unsigned acts like Nas, Jay Z, Big Pun, Wu-Tang, Mobb Deep, and many others that would go on to change the face of Hip Hop. And just as these talented artists couldn't help get noticed, neither could Bobbito. The magazine world noticed his pure dedication quickly, and starting in í90 he wrote freelance for the Source, then Rappages, Vibe, Fader and Slam. His first feature article in "91, "Confessions of A Sneaker Addict", caught the eye of Nike. Over 30 television and radio spot appearances for Bobbito followed, including the award winning "Freestyle" spot in "01.

Although Bobbito a.k.a. DJ Cucumberslice is a bonafide Hip Hop legend, any reader of his Vibe column would know that his musical passion goes way beyond just Rap. As a club DJ, crowds worldwide from Sweden to South Africa have celebrated his unique blend of Rare Funk, Latin, Afro-Beat, Soul, Classic Rock, House, and Ballads. He's opened up concerts for Latin Music legend Eddie Palmieri (5 time Grammy Award Winner), Afro-Funk progenitor Tony Allen (formerly Fela Kuti's drummer), Jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, Jazz-Funk legend Roy Ayers, and Soul singer D'Angelo.

What's next? Who knows, but who would've ever expected a kid who started out in the music industry as a messenger to have accomplished so much, or a kid who got cut from his college basketball team to one day get paid to play basketball? Bobbito is a true renaissance man, a walking example of how it is possible to love what you do and pursue it without compromise.

For more info visit: www.somosarte.com/bobbito, www.bouncenyc.com, www.projectplayground.com

Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. DJ Cucumberslice (formerly Bobbito the Barber)