Big Tigger is stepping away from the mic. In a message posted to his verified Instagram account, the longtime radio host and former Rap City star told his audience he has decided to pause his on air run to protect his family and give his legal team the space it needs while he works to clear his name. For a personality whose career has spanned more than three decades, the decision marks one of the most personal moments he has ever shared publicly.
The Atlanta staple, born Darian Morgan, framed the choice around fatherhood. He said the hardest part of the past several weeks has been the time away from his young son, adding that nothing matters more to him than being a great father. That emphasis stood out in a statement that otherwise addressed the swirl of attention around his personal life, which he described as overwhelmed by speculation and misinformation. He thanked his supporters for the love and encouragement they have sent his way.
Big Tigger has been off V-103’s morning show since early June, shortly before news broke of his June 20 arrest. He was booked into Fulton County Jail and released the same day after posting bond, with records showing a $9,000 bond tied to a felony aggravated battery charge and a $1,000 bond on a misdemeanor cruelty to children charge. The charges stem from a May 9 domestic dispute with his wife, Alicia Brown, at the couple’s Sandy Springs home. He has denied the allegations from the beginning, and in his latest statement he repeated that he unequivocally denies every allegation and said he is looking forward to clearing his name.
The situation has drawn intense attention in part because of how it played out online. Brown initially posted, then deleted, images she connected to the dispute, and she later clarified in her own statement that she has never called her husband an abuser and prefers to let the legal process move without interference. His morning show partner, Francesca Amiker, separately shut down rumors of an affair, saying the claims circulating about her were false. A court has since granted a temporary protective order in the case.
Big Tigger’s pause lands at a notable moment for one of the most recognizable voices in Black media. He built his name hosting BET’s Rap City and 106 & Park before becoming an Atlanta radio institution, most recently anchoring mornings on V-103 alongside a refreshed lineup that added Amiker and brought Frank Ski back to the station earlier this year. Neither he nor Audacy, V-103’s parent company, has said whether the break affects his future at the station, and his statement described the move as stepping away for a while rather than a permanent exit.
For now, the man who spent a career keeping the spotlight on everyone else is asking for room as his case moves forward, telling supporters he is grateful for their backing as he steps back to focus on his son and the fight ahead.
