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Draft:Reggie Premier Brown

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Reggie Premier Brown
BornAugust 9, 1983
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Roller skater, music producer, designer, and artist
AwardsNominee, News & Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary (2020) – United Skates – Audience Award for Best Documentary, Tribeca Film Festival (2018)

Reggie Premier Brown is an American roller skater, instructor and music producer known for his contribution to the JB (James Brown) style of skating and for his appearance in the HBO documentary United Skates. He has been featured in international media for his influence on modern skate culture and collaboration with major brands and music platforms. [1]

Early Life

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Reggie Brown was raised in a military family and moved frequently throughout his youth. He was first introduced to JB-style skating in Chicago, which late influenced his performance style and teaching philosophy. Brown has been active in roller skating for over two decades. [2]

Skating Career

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Brown is known for his work in promoting JB-style skating. He has conducted workshops, and performances internationally, advocating for great cultural recognition of Black roller skating communities.

In 2018, he appeared in the HBO documentary United Skates, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the Audience Award. Brown was featured as the central figure in the film, which highlighted the cultural legacy of the Black roller skating community in the United States.[3]According to Slant Magazine, the documentary included commentary by Brown about the socio-political role of roller skating post-desegregation.[4]

Brown was later appointed as chair of Culture Roll at the USA Roller Sports (USARS), a roll that aimed to integrate culturally rooted styles of skating within national sports governance. [5] He was also featured at the New York Stock Exchange to highlight roller skating cultural and economic impact. [6]

Music Career

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Brown has released skate-centric projects such as J & B, Black Paradise, and WELCOME TO THE SKATE WORLD. His style merges funk, soul and rhythm tailored to roller-skating culture. His music has been featured by Resident Advisor and in skate events globally. [7]

As of 2025, Brown has achieved over 1.7 million streams and 50 million video views across platforms including Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Sound cloud and TikTok. His work has appeared in over 4,000 videos and received more than 25,900 Shazam. He has over 40,500 followers across major platforms, and his music has charted on multiple services and featured in over 13 playlists.[8]

Brand Collaborations and Influence

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Brown has collaborated with major brands such as Red Bull, Adidas Originals, and Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace. In collaboration with Chicago Skates, he helped design "The Lifestyle CRS900" skate model, which is one of the first signature skates by a Black professional skater.[9] His work with Red Bull includes consulting and judging their "Know your Roll" skating program. [10]

Recognition

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Brown has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Resident Advisor, and Morning Brew. In a 2022 feature by Morning Brew, he discussed the legacy of Black roller-skating culture, stating: "We were too busy just having a good time, enjoying ourselves, thriving with the culture... and the brands started to see what could happen with roller-skating once you combine catchy music… and all of these things and put them together."[11]

He was also profiled in a nationally televised segment on NBC’s Today Show titled “Homefront Dads Redefine What It Means to Be a Military Spouse,” where he was recognized for balancing his role as a professional roller skater and military spouse.[12]

Brown’s work in preserving Black skate culture has been acknowledged through workshops, exhibitions, and educational programs that aim to inspire a new generation of skaters.

Film and Media

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In 2018, Brown appeared as a central figure in the HBO documentary United Skates, which explores the cultural legacy of Black roller skating in the United States. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, and was later featured at over 140 film festivals worldwide, including the Chicago, New Orleans, and Vancouver International Film Festivals, each awarding it the Audience Choice Award.[13][14]

Brown contributed both as an on-screen subject and to the film’s soundtrack. United Skates aired on HBO and was later nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy Award.[15]

The Daily Beast described Brown and his family’s involvement in the film as central to its narrative, noting their efforts to support and preserve roller rinks.[16] Slant Magazine highlighted Brown’s commentary on the post-desegregation shift in skating culture, including the origins of “adult night” events.[17]

Brown also discussed the documentary in a live interview on the Pure Nonfiction podcast, and was recognized by SK8 Berlin for his advocacy supporting rink owners and adult night programming.[18]

Discography

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Albums and EPs

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Title Release date Notes
JB4L August 19, 2016
Starz and Stripes June 4, 2015
Skate of Emergency May 15, 2020
J & B December 31, 2021
WELCOME TO THE SKATE WORLD July 8, 2022
World Premier July 27, 2023
JB Elite Anthem July 2024
Black Paradise 2025

In addition to the albums and EPs listed above, Brown has released over 28 single tracks across platforms including Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

References

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  1. ^ "The Rich History of Black Roller Skating Rinks, and Their Civil Rights Legacy". The Daily Beast. 2020-06-13. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  2. ^ "97: "United Skates" with Tina Brown & Reggie Brown". Pure Nonfiction | Documentary Storytelling Podcast. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  3. ^ United Skates | Watch the Movie on HBO. hbo.com. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  4. ^ Velasquez, Diane L.; Campbell-Meier, Jennifer (2022-07-03). "Is Your Library Website Missing Essential Information?: A Comparison and Evaluation of Public Library Websites in Australia, Canada, and United States". Journal of Web Librarianship. 16 (3): 165–183. doi:10.1080/19322909.2022.2104777. ISSN 1932-2909.
  5. ^ "Culture Roll". www.usarollersports.org. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  6. ^ Thomas, James; Hale, Gem (2024-05-02). "A 'Skate Migration' Is Changing How Atlanta Rolls". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  7. ^ "Soul on wheels: How music for the roller rink impacted the club · Feature ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  8. ^ "Reggie Premier Brown". Spotify. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  9. ^ "Professional Roller Skates - Chicago Skates Premium Lifestyle Leather". Chicago Skates. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  10. ^ www.redbull.com https://www.redbull.com/us-en/events/red-bull-know-your-roll. Retrieved 2025-06-16. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ "How Reggie Brown Is Using Roller Skating to Teach Black History". Morning Brew. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  12. ^ "'Homefront Dads' redefine what it means to be a military spouse". Today Show. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Dyana Winkler - Wikipedia". Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  14. ^ "United Skates". HBO. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  15. ^ "41st Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards Nominees" (PDF). National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  16. ^ "The Rich History of Black Roller Skating Rinks, and Their Civil Rights Legacy". The Daily Beast. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Review: United Skates Shines a Light on a Largely Unknown Cultural Arena". Slant Magazine. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  18. ^ "United Skates Documentary: A Deep Dive into Roller Skating Heritage". SK8.Berlin. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
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