Def Jam honcho dodged the music
Wed, Mar 10, 2010
Def Jam CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid canceled a key speech at a top music event with his staff claiming his son was seriously ill — but he really panicked over facing questions about his future with the label, sources tell Page Six.
Hundreds of top music industry suits paid up to $1,000 each to hear Reid speak at the Billboard 2010 Music & Money Symposium at the St. Regis last week.
But hours before the talk, delegates were told that his son was in the hospital with a head injury and needed surgery. Reid has four sons, from 6 to 29 years old, as well as a daughter, 8.
Chairman and CEO of Island Def Jam Music Group Antonio L.A. Reid.”There was speculation among other music executives that this was not entirely the truth. Reid didn’t want to answer questions about his future with Island Def Jam,” a source said. “The move left organizers panicked with no speaker with just hours to go. Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff agreed to stand in.”
The Post’s Peter Lauria reported last month that R&B impresario Reid is under pressure to break a cold streak following the promotion of Lucian Grainge to CEO of Universal Music Group, which owns Island Def Jam. Following disappointing sales from artists including Rihanna and Mariah Carey, Reid has been ordered to rein in his spending and bring in a hit.
A friend of the dapper Reid — one of the most powerful men in the US music business — told us, “L.A. had to cancel because he was called away on family business, not because his son was ill. That was just a story that went around. He isn’t afraid to answer questions about his future with the label. He is about to sign J.Lo [Jennifer Lopez] and isn’t going anywhere.”
A rep for Island Def Jam said, “It was unfortunate, but he was called out of town on personal business and hopes to be able to participate in a future symposium.” Billboard declined to comment.
Source: New York Post
Tags: island def jam, LA Reid
March 10th, 2010 at 6:59 am
The moment J.Lo signs, Mariah should walk out of IDJ…. Damn.. Sorry but I hate that person.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:20 am
I adore Jennifer.
Anyway, Mariah should really leave IDJ. Every one of us have witnessed how awfully they have treated Mariah’s project ever since Bye Bye.
Go back to Sony Mariah. They will definitely be happy to have her back there. Even now that she’s with IDJ she still brings $$$ to Sony.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:43 am
FINALLY ppl are noticing how Reid isnt doing his job right
March 10th, 2010 at 10:33 am
I think Jennifer will never make a comeback like Mariah did, simply because she’s not a good singer.
March 10th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Well now he did bring in a hit with Rihanna’s Rude Boy so maybe he won’t be going away after all…
March 10th, 2010 at 10:45 am
mmm is this a bad or good news? mmm IDK… It is obvious that HE didn’t do his job good lately with mariah carey…
I think Mariah should go to a new label…IDJ Doesn’t deserve a great singer like Mariah… they don’t support her lately….ç
I still want to know what is that special thing mariah was talkin before!!!!!
March 10th, 2010 at 10:57 am
i hope thst special thing isnt just the album -_-
March 10th, 2010 at 11:08 am
that special thing could be
a new movie…
a new duet wit somebody special
A CONCERT TRIBUTE FOR HER 20 YEARS OF CARER
a new contract with a new label…
A child? (I don’t think so)
a diet (lol jks)
March 10th, 2010 at 11:16 am
I still think that special thing might be a huge world tour!!
March 10th, 2010 at 11:28 am
hopefully a divorce from Nick Cannon?
I JOKE, I JOKE
March 10th, 2010 at 11:41 am
I almost always never believe NY Post but this time I think they might be on to something.
March 10th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Maybe she will announce she’s adopting
March 10th, 2010 at 11:46 am
maybe LA reids head on a platter
March 10th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
JLO is now managed by Benny Medina so all of them together can make JLO popular. JLO is not a good singer, but neither is Kesha or Rihanna, so with the right producers, sound and PROMOTION they can make anyone sell. Hello, Britney Spears anyone? Zero musical talent yet last album did well.
What Mariah needs is to have a baby and go away for a few years. Then once she is back, they can market her appropriately as an “event” and not just another new album. She also needs more rhythmic music as mid-tempo or ballads don’t cut it anymore.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
NO OFFENSE BUT Y ARE WE DOWNING J.LO? THATS SOMEBODY ELSES IDOL AND THE SAME THING WE DONT LIKE WHEN THEY DO TO MARIAH WHICH IS CRITICIZE HER WE ARE DOIGN TO J.LO, YES SHES NOT THE BEST SINGER BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN SHE CANT SING SAME GOES FOR BRITNEY, AND RIHANNA. NOT EVERYONE SINGS LIKE MARIAH.
SMH.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Talking about those balleds: Barbra Streisand’s and Sade’s latest albums are all ballads albums and very successfull too.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
I meant to write ballads.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
GURL please, L.A Flopp need to tow his old and tired asss right out of the label he’s draining it dry spending Mariah’s album money on his cars and rihannas album money on dem two tone cheap ass hoes getting them new pairs of tits for him to squeeze at big parties!
Also signing JLo was a bad move. the whole point in a record label making money is to hire a success not a complete renown total FLOPP!!
March 10th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Can’t compare Sade and Barbra Streisand to Mariah or even JLO. Sade and BS have totally different demographic: most people are older and they don’t bother with illegal downloads due to higher disposable income than younger folks who are more internet savvy. Even since Mariah went the r n b route, this type of buyers are no longer interested in her music.
March 10th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
I’d agree with Bob Smith. It might behoove Mariah to make soem mature music geared towards a demographic with higher income that isn’t keen on internet downloads.
She will be 40 soon. Time to appeal to her own age group!
March 10th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Barbara’s album is even more “flop” than “Memoirs”. Can you see it any longer at the charts? In today’s music scene, selling 1 million is considered very successful whereas before, it was considered “moderate” success. Memoirs selling gold is I think respectable in today’s situation. (and its still at the charts and continuosly selling, when everyone was predicting that it will drop off the charts rapidly)
March 10th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Signs that Mariah is leaving the label. She would never be on the same label as JLO after the Loverboy scandal. Mariah has been off for the past two years ever since the release of ByeBye, promotion has lacked, her performances have been lackluster, and her personal appearances/interviews have been odd. She needs to go away, get herself together, have a child, regain some of her vocals. Despite everyone saying she should go back to pop, the key to Mariah’s success is great songs with great vocals, great lyrics, and plenty of promotion. If you are missing either of those within the formula then she will always flop. She had all these elements with TEOM. She had good songs on E=MC2 but the promotion stopped as soon as the album was released and she hasn’t really been sangin on any tracks lately. Going from 10 mil to 1.5 mil is a sign that she needs to get it together. Hopefully a break, a new label, and songs with vocals, regardless of the genre will bring her back. She isn’t even promoting the songs she has out now, if she doesn’t care then no one else will.
March 11th, 2010 at 1:29 am
Something else should be renewed too: Mariah’s image.
March 11th, 2010 at 3:43 am
has the album even reached 1 million sales worldwide yet?
March 11th, 2010 at 10:07 am
RJJ12,
I agree!
Ben,
She will NEVER change her image.