A month after being laid off by iHeartMedia and V100, Reggie “Smooth Az Butta” Brown is optimistic about his future and wants Milwaukee listeners to know that he’ll still be a big part of the city’s nightlife and isn’t leaving his hometown.
“I don’t want anybody to be sad for me,” Brown said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel Thursday. “I had a great run. I am blessed. I am extremely happy. … It’s all good. There’s no bitter feelings. I understand the nature of the business.”
Brown has been on-and-off with the local hip-hop and R&B station for nearly the last 32 years. He got his start at the station in October 1992 before departing in July 1994 and returning in November 1998. Brown then spent more than 21 years straight at the station, at times as the morning drive voice, but more recently as the afternoon drive voice.
He was laid off again in January 2020, only to be rehired as program director of the station in March 2020 — “The week of COVID,” as he put it.
Many of Milwaukee’s Black residents and hip-hop and R&B fans grew up with Brown on the radio. He was the anchor at the station locally, following layoffs of other personalities, including Bailey Coleman. He was the last live local talent at WKKV-FM (100.7) prior to last month when he was let go again by the radio giant iHeartMedia.