L.A. Reid

Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Epic Records and The Island Def Jam Music Group, as well as the president and CEO of Arista Records.

Early in his career he was a musician, joining the Ohio R&B bands Pure Essence in 1973, and The Deele (with future business partner Babyface) in 1981 as a drummer. Reid also has an extended musical career serving as a record producer, programmer, and instrumentalist for various recording artists. He also founded Hitco Music Publishing in 1996 as well as co-founded LaFace Records with producing partner Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. Reid appeared as a judge on the first two seasons of the U.S. version of the television show The X Factor, after which he focused on the release of Xscape, the second posthumous album by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson.Reid has won three Grammy Awards, including as a songwriter for Boyz II Men's "End of the Road". His life is documented in his 2016 memoir Sing to Me: My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who's Next, which also made the New York Times bestseller list.