RAPPER Big Shaq famously claimed that Man’s not Hot, but says the customised trainers a Warminster teenager made for him certainly are.

Kane Ballard, 19, specialises in customising shoes, by painting them or reconstructing them, from his home. He pays for the designer shoes and equipment by having two part-time jobs, one at Center Parcs and another as a landscaper in Trowbridge.

His business, ConvertedKicks, has taken off in recent months after the former Kingdown School pupil was asked to make customised Nike TN shoes for popular rapper, Bugzy Malone, after the teenager contacted his manager on a whim.

Bugzy was seen wearing the customised trainers when supporting Liam Gallagher and at other gigs, which sent Kane’s Youtube channel into orbit.

After Big Shaq’s team requested him to brand a pair of Nike Air Force 1’s with scorch marks, inspired by his song Man’s not Hot, Kane went backstage at Reading Festival this weekend to hand them over.

The trainers caught the eye of fellow Reading star and rapper Post Malone, who raved over the shoes and gave Kane his phone number, telling him to get in touch so the American could order his own unique footwear.

“Things have really blown up for me lately,” Kane told the Wiltshire Times. “Getting to meet Big Shaq and then Post Malone was amazing. I handed over the shoes to Big Shaq and he offered to pay me, but I said it was OK.

“They gave me such great feedback. It is great for my confidence and belief in the product.

“I have texted Post Malone and hopefully he will reply and I can make some for him.

“My Youtube channel has shot up from 480 subscribers to over 8,000 and my Youtube video about making customised shoes for Bugzy Malone has 200,000+ views.

“People keep messaging me saying, ‘I saw Bugzy wearing your trainers again’. I went to the Nass festival near Bath in July to give Bugzy my shoes. All of this is great.”

Kane, who has always been interested in art, left Kingdown after taking his GCSEs and then spent two years studying business and accountancy at Wiltshire College. But he felt it was not the field for him, and now he is spending as much time as possible on making his own business thrive.

He is off to London in October on a shoe making course, so he can hone his skills with sewing machines, airbrushing and designs.

“I have customised over 200 shoes in the last year and I have kept the first ones I ever made. I hope I can go from getting requested designs to making my own and having success there,” he said.