L.A. Reid Released From Def Jam ?

Tuesday, September 21 2010 2:29 PM EST | Posted by: B.Dot | Posted in: Blog, Gossip

Time to chuck the deuces? Rumors are circulating today that Def Jam has fired L.A. Reid. For six years, Reid has served as the label’s Chairman after founder Lyor Cohen’s departure. Although he’s had success with artists like The Killers and Justin Bieber, he faced scrutiny for signing acts like Jennifer Lopez and Shyne. Let’s see how this one unfolds.

UPDATE: XXL reached out to a label rep who said, “[The rumors] are completely untrue and without merit.”

Comments (61)

  1. GTFO says:

    They should let him go for that Shyne nonsense. LOL

  2. goat says:

    Lmaooo. This isn’t a surprise to me at all. Anytime when you sign Shyness no rapping ass.. you deserve to get fired.

  3. Cola (EVERY HOODs A&R) says:

    The-Dream got the boot as well!

  4. Who Will Be Appointed As The Prez Of Def Jam, And The Reason L.A Was Let Go Is Cause Doug Morris (CEO Of Universal Music Group) Was Replaced By New One.

  5. Def Jam rep says:

    I am told I have “No Comment”

  6. goat says:

    How much did they give shyne anyways?

  7. LEONARDO says:

    BATTLE OF SEXES = FLOP

    FABOLOUS’ LAST CD= MAJOR FLOP

    DREAM’S LAST CD=FLOP

    TEFLON FLOP= CERTIFIED PLASTIC

    YEAH…

    HE DESERVES TO BE DROPPED…

    “LEONARDO IS A BRAND, LEONARDO IS THE ILLEST”

  8. Da King says:

    shyne reportedly got a multi-million dollar deal. def gotta let Reid go for that silly shit

  9. THUNDERKUSH says:

    Didn’t see this one coming (sarcasm)

  10. seemoregan says:

    All the money they pumped into officer Ricky… I would have dropped his ass too. not to mention the shyne shit.

  11. BlackHoneyLove says:

    I don’t feel sorry 4 him at all I heard from a friend that was about 2 get a record deal but the only way he could get sign was 2 get fucked up the ass ! No deal was made. Real Talk

  12. belly says:

    once he signed ace hood and them swag surfin niggas and then shyne, i knew the def jam heads didnt have a eye for talent anymore, he lucky usher brought them JB last year

  13. mark ginnis says:

    J.LO was the last straw ! C’mon son!

  14. belly says:

    oh and lil ru smfh

  15. whocares says:

    Wait, I think you guys have a picture of Randy Jackson up instead of L.A. Reid. (no shots)

  16. kidpotential says:

    Whoever takes over the next regime at Def Jam, remember Def Jam was built on ARTIST DEVELOPMENT, not just hit records, and pop stars…

    Lyor would NEVER have let it get this bad…go plan a sweet 16…patna…

  17. qwerty says:

    def jam new president will be founder russell simmons

  18. LEONARDO says:

    @SEEMORGAN

    YEAH BLAME IT ON OFFICER FLOPPY.

    HE DONE FUCKED UP A LOT OF MONEY.

    HE CAN ALSO THANK GOD, AUBREY WASN’T A DEF JAM ARTIST WHEN FLOP ME LATER DROPPED…

    “LEONARDO IS A BRAND, LEONARDO IS THE ILLEST”

  19. QUEENZ says:

    no surprise here, im impartial to all of his bad signings to be honest but I am still a little tight about the lack of support for Nas’ projects. It’s sad but I think Lyor would’ve did a better job

  20. Mr. G says:

    Leonardo is a fag, and he’s the fruitiest!!
    Queer ass Internet thug! If u hate hiphop so much go to another site!

  21. Aaa says:

    Wouldn’t it be funny if they appointed my nigga 50

  22. Post no billz says:

    Long over due.. The nail in the coffin had to be shyne.. He must have def jam in debt..

  23. Post no billz says:

    La reid = george bush of hip hop..

  24. Android says:

    This was long overdue damn. The calibre of artist from the early 00′s is not comparable to the GARBAGE they kept promoting. Nas gets locked in the head office bathrooms. And trash Shyne, Rihanna(+-), dream, fabolous n them get the machine push FOH. Enjoy your golden handshake.

  25. Jason says:

    Yea labels should sign a bunch of underground rappers who cant billboard chart toppers. The world is bigger than just one genre. Rap is not selling cus these kids dont know how to write big records. Im a songwriter in NY and everyday i get a list of artist who need hits writin for them. Its sad

  26. qdas914 says:

    That Shyne deal and J-Lo did Reid in. Oh and that Ross Flop!

  27. SayAhh says:

    they should drop all the niggaz who sell less than 100k (INCLUDING NAS LOL) and people that no 1 gives a fuck about in 2010 (INCLUDING NAS) LMAO

  28. SayAhh says:

    Rick Ross Flopped but he sold double Distant Relatives Album First week LOL Gtfoh… they should easily drop Nas put him in G-Unit let him be a nigga Bitch or something…

  29. HipHopAndBS says:

    Read my in depth assessment of this situation right here!!! Money Miz’s MEMO to L.A. Reid is one of the most scathing articles written in 2010. The Shyne deal was the biggest disgrace in all of Def Jam’s history. read more right here…

    http://hiphopandbs.com/2010/09/memo-to-antonio-l-a-reid-of-def-jam/

  30. betrott says:

    y’all blaming LA, but the same NY elitist media put Shyne on the cover of XXL, put his boring ass songs on all the blogs. He probably thought it was good idea since everyone at the building were only curious to know what he was gonna say about Diddy. 50 was right. The son of Diplomat/Jew/Blood gang affiliated makes horrible music; hopefully LA’s legacy won’t be tarnished by such trash

  31. qwerty says:

    Nas is top 3 with or without def jam. RR fools

    ah 50 as ceo of de3f jam or dre moving aftermath to new york letting interscope do mega acts like gaga and dejj am goes back be-in hard like public enemy/beastie boys produced by rick rubin

  32. So 50 Will Be Appointed As The Prez Of Def Jam ?

  33. Lall says:

    Let me be the first to say this … 50 for president
    Let me be the first to say this … 50 for president
    Let me be the first to say this … 50 for president
    Let me be the first to say this … 50 for president

  34. Tj says:

    L.A. Reid firing was long overdue due 2 da fact la Reid just ran with da artists that were hot @ da time rhiana ne-yo etc 4 getting about the artists that kept the lights on n da building methodman redman/ ll cool j etc.
    La Reid is not an hiphop type of CEO hint laface
    records/ just let all da rap artists @ def jam go

  35. mac DIESEL says:

    THIS FUCKIN’ IDIOT ALMOST RUINED DEF JAM!!!! SUCKA ASS NIGGA!!!! HE ASKED FOR IT!!!! GOOD RIDDENS CHUMP!!!!

    ….WHERE U AT RUSS???

    DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!

  36. mike says:

    ayo yo listen, that’s a fact. this track’s dope
    “roller song” (by shyne) video iz coming soon
    SHYNE CAN PUT A GOOD ALBUM FOR SURE

    if he stays on the quality of this song during a whole album
    all those shyne’s freestyles in the internet was a damn bad buzz
    a real whack ass promotion for a comeback…but now let shyne shines wit his new LP

    then.. for this Jennifer Lopez’s deal on DefJam. It’s just because she’s a famous celebrity now
    rich & successful during his whole career. now she’s older and mother of twins but
    she signs a deal wit American Idol ($12milli) so she ain’t totally dead in the biz

    ps: okay when u one some reality tv or tv show like these, it’s cuz u’r buzz ain’t really as great as your greatest success in the past, buz thi$ deal proves that she still big notorious person
    so if Louboutinsong was ehhh maybe L.A. Reid did a good move. Only futur will talk !!!

  37. ODC says:

    what genius didn’t se that coming after the Shyne signing?
    Once h’es gone Shyne will indefinitely be shelved. lol

  38. GTFO says:

    @mike is that you Mr. Reid? LMFAO

  39. Crooks says:

    Good, his days were done after LaFace Records dismantled. He had a great record to promote, “Distant Relatives”, and what did he do? Nothing..

    *Please visit myspace.com/crooksda1 or Crooksda1′s Youtube page. Thank You in advance!

  40. Crooks says:

    The problem is, these industry Fucks stopped caring about the music a long time ago. Instead of giving his artist the push they need, he’s on MTV celebrating his gay son’s Sweet 16. What the fuck is this world coming to? It even took Rihanna some time to pop off with her last record because of this idiot.

    *Please visit myspace.com/crooksda1 or Crooksda1′s Youtube page. Thank You in advance!

  41. CTE says:

    Yeah he was in it for the money so he actually had no talent just making rich people richer dam!

  42. flawda says:

    I bet they felt stupid for letting Jay-z go and not getting all the talent he has (Willow, J Cole, Bridget Kelly,etc)

  43. No50 says:

    Lucian Grainge/Doug Morris would never hire 50 to run Def Jam.

  44. Slim says:

    Not a suprise.

  45. QUEENZ says:

    @ flawda

    record execs don’t care about talent they care about sales, that being said why would they be losing sleep over Willow, J Cole, and Bridget Kelly when they’ve sold 0 commissions combined? I doubt there are any fans of hip-hop sitting on the board of directors at Def Jam anyway.

  46. wright says:

    I just read an article on MTV.com that 50cent would be taking is position

  47. NuJew says:

    lol @ flawda comments

  48. Sly Fox says:

    L.A. Reid is not good when it comes to hip hop. He got lucky with Outkast but he seems to be great at find r&b rock alternative type acts. Def Jam needs someone whos a real boss. Def Jam is to big now it needs to go back and have people focus directly on hip hop instead of everything at one time.

  49. studiothuggizmz says:

    ace hood, lil ru, rocko, sheek louch, shyne, jlo, etc bonehead plays. its like they just went on a fucking signing freenzy.

    keep jada,nas, big boi for about one or two more albums.

    jeezy, rick ross & luda’s contracts are about up so they will fade their way off the label.

    they got big k.r.i.t., yg to start for new talent!

    as much as l.a. reid fucked def jam up you know like I know he’s gonna get another executive position with another label!

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