If you’ve listened to Detroit radio over the past 20 years, then chances are, you’re familiar with former WJLB radio personality Reggie “Reg” Davis. While people remember him for his funny one-liners and energetic personality, it’s his father’s past that fueled his passion for radio, and now, politics.
Davis spoke to YouTube filmmaker Alan Bradley (nicknamed Al Profit) about his dad’s lavish lifestyle as a heroin dealer which includes houses in Beverly Hills, limousines and more.
“I believe every month in the ’70s, we all had houses, condos, apartments out in California and he would pay all of the bills,” said Davis. “I think it was something like, in the 70s now, it was like $40,000 a month or something like that, which is the overhead just to pay for everybody’s bills, car notes, everything. We had a limousine driver named John, a bald-headed white man with Malcolm X glasses. He had a white limousine … that he’d drive us to school every morning.”
His father’s lifestyle caught up with him in the late 80s as he was sent to prison for drug trafficking.
Davis said that as a young man, he dreamed of being on the radio and positively impacting the world.
“I thank God to this day that I had a dream at age 7 which put me in front of a microphone uplifting people, effecting positive change in Detroit. And that became a quest for me to make a career out of.”
While his father has been a co-owner of various bars and restaurants for over 15 years, Davis has gone on to work for prominent radio stations in Detroit such as WGPR, WCHB along with others around the country. Currently, Davis is running for state representative and the head of non-profit organization CeaseFire Youth Initiative Inc. which was started after his 19-year-old brother was killed due to gun violence.
“Our focus is to reduce gun violence on the city streets of Detroit via conflict resolution, mentoring programs, anti-bullying, and mental health initiatives,” said Davis. “Our main hub is Detroit Public Schools.”
Visit YouTube to hear the rest of his conversation regarding his father.
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