We chat to project engineer, content creator/podcaster, and Offspring Community member Bolu aka @boluthebear
Tell us about yourself.
Hi, my name is Bolu aka Boluthebear or Airmaxbols depending on what social media platform you look at. I'm a British born Nigerian, starting off in East London and currently living in South East London/Kent. I'm currently working as a project engineer, podcaster and content creator.
We understand you have your own sneaker podcast show. Can you tell us how you got started?
TheStockroom Podcast started off in 2019 with Emmanuel (@emansgram_) Franck (@franck.fades) and I. So how did it actually start? I had a dream about having a sneakers/trainer podcast and funnily enough the very next day, Emmanuel asked me if I wanted to start a podcast with him and here we are! Our first episode was audio only with Eman and I, we spoke about what got us into sneakers, our ideal sneaker deal and much more. Go check it out on all streaming platforms @thestockroompod. We put out a few episodes over the following months with Franck after that, then the whole country got locked down, which made conversation rooms like Clubhouse very popular. From there Michael (@them1show), who already started his YouTube channel, started doing sneaker sundays. Being that Michael and I grew up together, it made it very natural for us to combine the pod and the clubhouse room to TheStockroom and that’s how all the current members assembled. We started visual episodes in July 2022, and we haven’t looked back since!
What was your inspiration behind starting your own podcast show?
Michael, Eman and I were already actively making content within the sneaker scene, we all had individual YouTube channels. My channel, Kickz_TV focussed on detailed sneaker reviews which tied into the Instagram account I made for our channel, which provided written reviews and sneaker photography done by myself. All 3 of us already loved footwear and wanted to do more than the content we made.
With the TheStockroom Podcast we all have slightly different inspirations for starting. For me I wanted to create a space where we can highlight the sneaker industry in the UK, share our experiences and give flowers to those who keep the sneaker world in the UK spinning.
So far, we’ve been able to do just that with the topics we cover and the guests we’ve had on. As there are 3 members, there are 3 different people who can focus on different things to achieve that goal. For me, I’m focussing on diversifying our content and upskilling to enable the visual quality to match the quality of the content. That’s all I can reveal for now!
What’s been the greatest and hardest thing you’ve had to come across?
The greatest and hardest thing I’ve had to deal with is balancing my time. Doing a 9-5, recording the podcast and posting near enough every day on the social media platforms can be very tiring. On top of this I still need to be an active older brother, Godfather and maintain my relationships with my loved one.
How long have you been into sneakers and how did you get into them?
In general, I’ve been into footwear since I can remember. My love for sneakers developed during my early secondary school years, growing up I used to solely wear Converse and Vans. I’ve been a UK 12 since I was 13 so getting shoes around that time was very difficult for me. A moment from my early years as a sneakerhead that I will never forget is after finishing my GCSEs I ran to buy the adidas ZX Flux Xeno, they were an 11.5 but I had to squeeze because I wanted them so much, after that my friends and I took a picture when our different 3M reflective ZX fluxs.
One of my uncles suggested that I should try and get shoes from America like Jordan’s. That was my first time really hearing of the Jordan brand. While researching the brand I discovered all the different silhouettes and colourways, I also discovered Flight Club which is where I fell in love with Air Jordan 4s. A few months later my cousin came back from America with a pair of Air Jordan 1 ‘Baron’ for me; I still try to wear them every now and again, they are my favourite pair of shoes.
Do you have any sneaker regrets and what is your sneaker grail?
I have so many sneaker regrets! There are so many sneakers I regret not buying when I had the chance e.g., the UNION LA x Nike Dunk Low ‘Argon’, the Nike Dunk Low ‘LA Dodger’ and the UNION LA x Air Jordan 4 ‘Off Noir’. One pair of sneakers I regret purchasing are the Nike x Sacai Cortez.
My sneaker grails are the Air Jordan 4 ‘Fear’ and the Off-White x Air Jordan 4 ‘Bred’ sample. I'm praying for a general release of that shoe one day. The Air Jordan 4 ‘Fear’ is the colourway that made me fall in love with the Air Jordan 4. Going through Flight Club it was one of the first pairs I saw, and I was immediately drawn to use of materials (like nubuck) and colours, as well as the paint splatter on the midsole.
Virgil Abloh studied the same degree as me (civil engineering) before he moved into fashion and his transition was inspirational, as it makes me feel like I’m not restricted to one industry, and I can let my creativity blossom.
The Air Jordan 4 is my favourite silhouette, the Off-White x Air Jordan 4 ‘Bred’ is a reconstruction of a classic silhouette and colourway like the original 10. For me, it represents the perfect reiteration of an already loved shoe.
What sneakers are in your rotation currently?
My current rotation consists of comfort and practicality, the dress code for my workplace is business casual and I try to adhere to that in the best way I can by wearing my black New Balance 9060, Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95 ‘Gutter Green’, Yeezy Wave Runner and my Air Jordan 3 ‘White Cement Reimagined’.
Aside from sneakers what else are you into?
Outside of footwear I’m into basketball, I watch the NBA and play recreationally with my friends weekly. It keeps me fit and gives me a break from the real world.
I’ve also started photography with a film camera (Canon Sure Shot 35mm). I enjoy it because once the film is finished and I process the shots, I get to relive the memories through the pictures I took.
I also watch a lot of anime, which similar to basketball, allows me to escape from the real world as well as listening to a wide range of music, and my general interest in cars.
What does community mean to you?
To me community means togetherness. Community is a space where everyone's differences are overshadowed by their love for the thing that unites them. A community supports one another, encourages one another to be the best version of themselves and embraces each other’s differences, enabling it to grow.
Check out more from Bolu on Instagram @boluthebear / @thestockroompod
