L.A. Reid | |
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 Reid in 2011 | |
| Born | Antonio Marquis Reid (1956-06-07)June 7, 1956 (age 68) Cincinnati,Ohio, U.S. |
| Education | Harvard Business School (Exec. Ed) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | |
| Formerly of | The Deele,Pure Essence |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
| Signature | |
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Antonio Marquis "L.A."Reid (born June 7, 1956)[1] is an Americanrecord executive,A&R representative, and record producer who served as president and CEO ofArista Records from 2000 to 2004, as well as chairman and CEO ofthe Island Def Jam Music Group from 2004 to 2011 andEpic Records from 2011 to 2017. He co-founded the record label Hitco Entertainment in the latter year, which was sold toConcord in 2022.[2][3]
Early in his career he was a musician, joining theOhioR&B bandsPure Essence in 1973, andThe Deele (with future business partnerBabyface) in 1981 as a drummer. Reid also has an extended musical career serving as a record producer, programmer, and instrumentalist forvarious recording artists. He founded Hitco Music Publishing in 1996, and co-foundedLaFace Records with Babyface in 1989.[4][5] Reid appeared as a judge on the first two seasons of the U.S. version of the television showThe X Factor,[6][7][8] after which he focused on the release ofXscape (2014)—the secondposthumous album by American singer-songwriterMichael Jackson.[9]
Reid has won threeGrammy Awards, including as a songwriter for his work onBoyz II Men's "End of the Road".[10] His life is documented in his 2016 memoirSing to Me: My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who's Next, which also made theNew York Times bestseller list.[11]
L.A. Reid began his music career as a drummer, with his first appearance on record being with the Cincinnati funk rock outfitPure Essence. Pure Essence released one solitary45 in the mid-1970s. They later appeared on local FM rock radio station WEBN's second annual LP compilation, but the group was renamed 'Essence'. Reid would experience more mainstream success when he became a member of the 1980s R&B bandThe Deele, best known for their 1988 hit "Two Occasions", a song on their third albumEyes of a Stranger. The band had broken up before the success of the single, then reunited to promote "Two Occasions" as it rose up the charts underDick Griffey'sSolar Records. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.[12]
After The Deele disbanded, Reid and bandmateKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds foundedLaFace in 1989 through a joint venture withArista Records, with funding from Arista Records creatorClive Davis.[13] The label soon became one of the premier destinations for popular African-American entertainers who created Black Pop music that was easily accessible to both Urban and Top 40 radio formats. Reid signed 14-year-oldUsher to the label, whose six album releases have sold 65 million units worldwide.[14] Other popular acts on the label during its peak includeToni Braxton,TLC, andOutkast. BothTLC andToni Braxton went on to sell more than 65 million records each. Initially headquartered in Atlanta, the label played a significant role in developing the city's music industry.[13]
Reid formed the Hitco Publishing Group in 1996, as a joint venture with Windswept Music.[15] While starting up Hitco, Reid, looking to connect to a new market of producers, songwriters and talent, hiredShakir Stewart whom he saw as someone with "a finger on the pulse of the next generation of hot producers in the Atlanta music scene".[16] Shakir's first job in the music industry was as a creative executive at Hitco; he went on to become a senior vice president at Island Def Jam Music Group.[16]
"The most vital lesson [Reid has] learned from 22 years working at record companies? 'That you keep the doors open and the lights on and a star will walk in. I learned to stay in business. People are still buying music, dancing to it and dressing like it. They're using it to sell cars and CoverGirl makeup, so we sell product lines with our artists. The popularity of music is at an all-time high. How we monetize it is sometimes a moving target.'"
In May 2000, Edmonds and Reid sold their remaining 50% stake inLaFace to parent companyBMG. The label became an imprint of Arista Records, with Arista taking on sales, marketing, and promotional duties for its acts. At this time, Reid also succeededClive Davis as president of Arista Records.[17]
In 2000,LaFace was merged intoArista Records with Reid being promoted to president and CEO ofArista Records. In 1997, Reid attended theHarvard Business School six-week Advanced Management Program, in preparation to become CEO ofArista Records.[18] In 2000, Reid signed his first unknown artists, Latin rapperHavana Mena and pop/rockerAvril Lavigne, toArista. Avril Lavigne's debut albumLet Go sold 6 million copies in the United States. As president of Arista Records, Reid signed artists such asPink (whose November 2001 albumMissundaztood sold 5 million copies in the US) andCiara (whose September 2004 debut albumGoodies sold 2.5 million copies in the US).[19]
Under Reid's tenure at Arista, Usher (whom Reid originally signed at LaFace) completed production on his multi-platinum hit 2004 albumConfessions, which went on to spawn four No. 1 hit singles and sell 10 million copies in the United States alone. Outkast'sSpeakerboxxx/The Love Below sold more than 10 million copies and won a Grammy Award for Album of the year.[citation needed]
Following the merger ofSony andBMG, L.A. Reid was released from his contract at Arista in 2004 and became the chairman and CEO ofThe Island Def Jam Music Group in February 2004. Reid is noted for bringingMariah Carey's career back to prominence with her multi-platinum 2005 albumThe Emancipation of Mimi after her career had stalled from 2001 to 2003 with less than stellar sales and general lack of public interest for her two previous projects,Glitter andCharmbracelet.[citation needed]
Reid also played a role in the successes of artists such asKanye West,Rihanna,Bon Jovi, andJustin Bieber and was credited for the musical comeback ofJennifer Lopez with her 2011 albumLove?.[citation needed] Reid stepped down as Chairman/CEO of Island Def Jam in March 2011.[20]
In early 2011, Reid became a judge onThe X Factor USA for thefirst season, alongside creator and formerAmerican Idol judgeSimon Cowell, pop star and dancerPaula Abdul and formerPussycat Dolls singerNicole Scherzinger, who replaced British recording artistCheryl Cole.[7][8]
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Reid was assigned the Boys category throughout the competition, aided by friend and singerRihanna at the Judges' Houses stage of the competition inThe Hamptons. His final four acts wereMarcus Canty,Chris Rene,Astro and Phillip Lomax. Lomax was eliminated on week one of the Live Shows, with Astro being eliminated on week six.Marcus Canty came fourth in the competition and was eliminated by the public vote in the semi-final (week eight).Chris Rene was Reid's most successful act who came third overall in the competition, bested byJosh Krajcik (who was mentored byNicole Scherzinger) in second place andMelanie Amaro (mentored by Simon Cowell) who won the show. After the season ended, Reid worked withAstro,Marcus Canty andChris Rene on their music careers.[citation needed]
In July 2011, Reid became the chairman and CEO ofEpic Records. The label's roster included various formerJive Records artists.[4][5][21]
In 2012, Reid returned for thesecond season ofThe X Factor USA' along withSimon Cowell, whileNicole Scherzinger andPaula Abdul were axed from the panel, along with Season 1 hostSteve Jones. Joining the judging panel were new judgesDemi Lovato andBritney Spears, whileKhloé Kardashian andMario Lopez replaced Jones as co-hosts. Reid's category in the "Over 25s" includedTate Stevens, the winner of the season.[citation needed]
Reid announced in December 2012 that he would not return for thethird season in 2013 and was replaced by former judge ofThe X Factor UK,Kelly Rowland.[22]
One of the projects that Reid embarked on following his stint onThe X Factor, was remaking Michael Jackson songs after his death with the albumXscape, released May 2014.[9] Reid went through 40 years of tracks catalogued by the Jackson estate, and eight tracks of Jackson vocals set to new music fromTimbaland andJ-Roc,Rodney Jerkins,Stargate and John McClain, the former A&M Records executive who is co-executor of the Jackson estate with John Branca. The originals they worked with were recorded by Michael Jackson from 1983 to 1999, the period just afterThriller and beforeInvincible.[9]Xscape earned Gold certification.[23]
In 2016, Reid published the memoirSing to Me: My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who's Next.[11] The book received favorable reviews.Soul Train wrote: "InSing to Me: My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who's Next, his memoir written with Joel Selvin, Reid vividly takes readers on a musical journey via fascinating stories and rare photos that chronicle his modest beginnings as a young musician in Cincinnati, to his storied and adventurous path to becoming one of the most successful music executives in history.[24]
Under Reid, Epic had four albums debut at No. 1:Future,DJ Khaled,Travis Scott, and the final album fromA Tribe Called Quest.[25][26][27][28] On March 3, 2017 Future became the only artist on theBillboard charts to release back-to-back albums that debuted at number 1.[29] While at Epic, Reid established the label as a hub for hip-hop acts such as Future, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, and had significant success with pop artists including Meghan Trainor and Fifth Harmony. During his tenure, Epic grew its market share to 3.63 percent, up from 2.56 percent when he took over in 2011.[30][31]
Reid is the co-author (withJoel Selvin) ofThe New York Times bestseller[32]Sing to Me: My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who's Next.[33]
In May 2017, it was announced that Reid would exit his post at Epic Records following an accusation of unlawful behavior by a female co-worker.[34] In response Reid stated: "I'm proud of my track record promoting, supporting and uplifting women at every company I've ever run. That notwithstanding, if I have ever said anything capable of being misinterpreted, I apologize unreservedly."[35][36][37]
In 2018, Reid became founder and co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment, LLC with Charles Goldstuck, the former Chairman and CEO ofTouchTunes Interactive Networks. Formed in January 2018, the company has offices in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta and has signed over 15 artists including platinum-selling actsBig Boi (of Outkast) andDinah Jane ofFifth Harmony;[38] the first release is a new album from Big Boi of Outkast.[39][40][41][42] In April 2018,Empire Distribution, the San Francisco-based independent music company founded byGhazi Shami, announced that it will provide distribution services to Hitco for their first new album release for Big Boi.[43][44] In August 2018, Hitco held The Hit List showcase in New York City with performances by Hitco artists includingYella Beezy. Hitco's hit, Yella Beezy's "That's on Me", reached No. 1 at Urban Radio and Top 20 at Rhythm in September & has since went on to sell over 2 million copies worldwide.[45] Songwriter Delacey, who has written for the likes of Halsey and Zara Larsson, joined the Hitco roster as a solo artist releasing "My Man," in March 2019.[46] Also in March,Jennifer Lopez premiered the single "Medicine" featuringFrench Montana, her first release with Reid's Hitco Entertainment label.[47]
In 2022, the assets of Hitco and its artist recording contracts were sold toConcord Music Group and Hitco ceased operations.[48]
On August 30, 2006, L.A. Reid, along with Babyface, was honored as aBMI Icon at the 6th annual BMI Urban Awards. As of 2006, he has won 18 BMI awards.[49] Together with Babyface, Reid has produced and/or co-written penning numerous R&B hits, racking up over 40 No. 1 singles.[50]
Reid was honored with theNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' President's Merit Award at the Grammy salute to Industry Icons celebration on February 9, 2013, the day prior to the55th Grammy Awards.[51] Reid is also a three-time Grammy Award winner. In 2014, Reid received theHarvard University Alumni Award of Excellence in Media.
In March 2016, Reid, received an award from BET Honors for The Business of Entertainment Award.[52]
In 2006, Reid was noted for his philanthropic efforts to bring arts programs to urban youth at the Art for Life Palm Beach fundraiser hosted byRussell Simmons.[53] That year, he also received theUJA-Federation of New York's Music Visionary Award.[54] He has also been involved with the Taste of Hope event for the City of Hope organization[55] and theRobin Hood Foundation.[56] In 2008, Reid wrote and co-produced the song "Just Stand Up" for the television special Stand Up To Cancer, which was performed by artists includingMariah Carey,Beyonce,Mary J. Blige,Rihanna,Fergie,Sheryl Crow,Miley Cyrus,Melissa Etheridge,Ashanti,Natasha Bedingfield,Keyshia Cole,Ciara,Leona Lewis,LeAnn Rimes, andCarrie Underwood. The record sales for the single were donated to the show's eponymous organization.[57] In 2009, Reid received the Spirit of Compassion Award fromUNICEF.[58]
Reid has a son named Antonio M. Reid, Jr., born in 1978, from a previous relationship.[59] He marriedPerri "Pebbles" Reid in 1989; the two had a son, Aaron Alexander, in November 1989. Reid and Pebbles divorced in 1996.[60][61] In 2000 he married Erica Holton.[62] They have two children.[63][61]
Reid was nicknamed "L.A." by a friend because he frequently wore aLos Angeles Dodgers shirt as a child.[64]
In May 2017, the media reported that one of Reid's female assistants filed a sexual misconduct claim against him. Epic Records executives allegedly refused to intervene at the time.[65] Reid soon departed from Sony's Epic Records.[66][67]
In November 2023, former music executive Drew Dixon, who worked with Reid at Arista Records between 2000 and 2002, filed a sexual assault lawsuit against him in the Federal District Court in Manhattan, alleging that Reid sexually assaulted her on two occasions.[68] The lawsuit, which was filed under theNew York Adult Survivors Act, charged that Reid's misconduct forced Dixon out of the music business.[69]
| Preceded by | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer ofEpic Records July 2011–May 2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Executive Officer ofIsland Def Jam February 2004 – March 2011 | Succeeded by |
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