L.A. Reid departs Sony Music, weeks after launching new label with Mariah Carey
UPDATE: Monday May 15, 1pm
According to the New York Post, Reid was pushed out of Sony Music following allegations of several instances of sexual harassment from a co-worker.
The Post has been in contact with the victim who it says is a female assistant. The assistant allegedly sent a letter to Julie Swidler, Sony Music’s General Counsel. It details an instance when Reid asked her to lie down in bed with him at a hotel while travelling on business, and an inappropriate advance at last December’s company Christmas party.
An insider familiar with Reid’s ouster told The Post: “We are not allowing a culture like that in this company, no matter how much a person brings to the bottom line.”
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Famed music executive and record producer, Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid, has left Sony Music Entertainment, the owners of the famed record label Epic Records, for whom he served as the chairman and CEO since 2011.
As Billboard reports, Sony Music Entertainment has issued a short statement regarding Reid’s exit from the company. “L.A. Reid will be leaving the company,” the statement says, following on from the news of his departure which originally surfaced on Thursday.
No reasons have been given for his departure as yet, but as Billboard notes, this news comes only weeks after Rob Stringer, former Columbia Records chief, assumed the role of the new CEO of Sony Music Entertainment.
The timing of this departure also raises questions, especially since, as we reported only a few weeks ago, Mariah Carey recently announced the creation of Butterfly MC Records, a joint venture between her and Reid, in partnership with Sony’s Epic Records.
Again, since little news has been given in relation to Reid’s exit, the status of Carey’s new record label is unknown, nor the extent to which Reid may or may not be involved. At this stage, we can only wait for Sony Music Entertainment or Reid to provide more information regarding the dissolution of their relationship.
This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.