L.A. Reid Has Been Accused Of Sexual Harassment
Last week, it was announced that music producer Antonio Marquis “L.A.” Reid is out as chairman of Sony’s Epic Records after six years. L.A. vaguely hinted about his departure from Epic on Twitter with an inspirational quote about not confusing a single defeat with a final defeat. It sounds like there might have been more than just a single defeat that lead to his departure. According to the New York Post, 60-year-old L.A. was fired after a female co-worker complained of several instances of sexual harassment.
A source says that on March 22, Sony Music’s General Council received a letter from an assistant at Sony who claims to have had dealt with many wrong comments from L.A. Reid. A music producer at Sony saying questionable shit to a woman? Feels like I’ve heard this before. The woman, whose name has been withheld, alleges L.A. made multiple inappropriate physical advances at her during their company’s holiday party last December, and that he once asked her to “lie down in bed and give him a hug” while the two were traveling for business. She also alleges he would tell her what type of clothes he wanted to see her wearing, and that he described her as “fine.”
L.A. Reid has been married to his second wife Erica Reid since 2000. This isn’t the first time L.A. Reid has looked like a cheating creep. A few years ago, L.A.’s first wife Pebbles claimed L.A. had cheated on her with Chilli from TLC.
Sony hasn’t commented on any of this, but a source close to the situation tells the Post that L.A. Reid’s recent firing had everything to do with the allegations.
“We are not allowing a culture like that in this company. No matter how much a person brings to the bottom line.”
I don’t know if I should say I’m shocked by this news. My first introduction to L.A. Reid was through Pink’s video for Don’t Let Me Get Me, and I’ll be honest, even back then the guy seemed like he was one inappropriate chalkboard sketch away from a very long, very uncomfortable meeting with HR.
