With the the industry abuzz about LA Reid‘s status with Universal Music, yet another spanner has been thrown into the works – courtesy of the New York Daily News.
The publication reports today that a key point has been omitted from the ‘has he/ hasn’t he been sacked’ debate; the fact that the Island Def Jam head has been in negotiations for a position on the judging panel of the X Factor US.
Why is this a problem for his role at Universal, you may ask?
Find out after the jump…
Via NY Daily News:
Wednesday, the music giant’s publicity machine beat back blog reports that Reid had been fired from his job as chairman of Island Def Jam Records, and we hear the speculation was tied to Reid’s discussions with producers of both “American Idol” and “The X Factor” about becoming a judge on one of the shows.
A source close to the situation says that if “X Factor,” which is now produced by rival Sony, makes Reid a firm offer, he’ll have to leave Universal to take it.
Initially, music industry insiders told us that Reid’s desire for a TV closeup had angered other Universal executives because of Island Def Jam’s recent poor performance. As critics are happy to point out, Reid lost Jay-Z to Warner Music Group last year, Mariah Carey’s most recent album tanked, and Rihanna’s latest release underwhelmed.
Those execs, we’re told, couldn’t understand why Reid should be allowed to moonlight on TV – for the competition, no less – when his day job isn’t going well.
But our source close to the scene says, “There’s no plan to fire Reid or move him out of Universal Music Group.” Indeed, the source says, it was the company’s new CEO, Lucian Grainge, who suggested that Reid might be a good fit as an “Idol” judge now that UMG has become the series’ music partner.
Since then, the source says, Reid has had talks with the producers of “American Idol” about being that show’s fourth judge – though it’s unlikely such a post will materialize. (The show Wednesday named Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as judges, and also announced that UMG-owned Interscope starmaker Jimmy Iovine will work as a mentor to “Idol” contestants.)
After Reid talked to “American Idol,” the source tells us, Simon Cowell, who departed the show to launch a U.S. version of “The X Factor,” also spoke to Reid about becoming a judge.
At this point, Reid does not appear to have a firm offer from either show. But our source says the Island Def Jam chairman would not be able to take “The X Factor” gig and remain with Universal.
Should that happen, Reid would be leaving of his own accord and not with Grainge’s footprint on the seat of his pants.
“At the end of the day, it’s going to be what Reid wants to do,” the source says.
A spokesman for Reid referred to a UMG corporate spokesman, who declined to comment.
The plot most certainly thickens. With talk now also of The-Dream being given his marching orders, it sure will be interesting to see how things play out over at Def Jam.
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swear he was fired though.
Ever since he screwed over Janet with the Discipline project, he needs to be fired! He wanted to work with Janet for years and when given the opportunity he failed terribly. Glad Janet got away QUICK
DEF JAM IS A MESS AT THE MOMENT.
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Karma is a b****
Hmmm this sounds like alot of “phuckery” to me. I agree with KENKEN! I remember that crap. I’m glad JDJ got away!
Bolding and underlining that “Rihanna’s latest album underwhlemed”? Really? Why the heck are you so obsessed with the woman? You guys are getting just about as immature and obsessive as the Rihtards themselves… this whole site is like being in the midst of a schoolyard fight.
How can he judge X-factor? He needs to sign REAL talent to his own label first..SMH..
How tall is LA? them fingers make him look bourt 5’1 O_o
HAHA This is funny
@Sam —
It’s called “The Rihanna Effect…!!” And most of the aforementioned/referenced, NY Daily News article, reads like…”spin…!!” If Def Jam/Universal “gives him the boot,” then, can YOU imagine what THAT does to HIS credibility, as far as public perception…? …It’s spin/public relations in FULL-affect…!!
X,Y,”and Z” — OUT…!!
Sounds stupid from the start. Sony/BMG runs xfactor US with the Cowell deal and the thought of LA Reid as any part of the show is a conflict of interest. Yea, so Reid will have to resign if he gets anything (which I doubt). I really dont see Clive Davis and company happy to see Reid as any part of xfactor US. Recall Reid was the reason Clive Davis got removed from his sony CEO position when LaFace records merged with Sony and arista in 2000. Reid got shown the door then with allegations of excessive spending and fraud in 2004. Didnt exactly have a stellar record with artists at arista either. I’m seeing a definite pattern of an unqualified d***** bag doing the same s*** at different labels. Cowell is an idiot if he hires LA Reid just like Sony BMG did and now Def Jam is learning.
all executives who are RELIEVED of their position, rarely are fired. they usually harangue them and rake their sorry a** over the coals, which prompts them to start looking for another job, and they keep it up until he voluntarily leaves after they make his life miserable as hell.
HE NEEDS TO GO
THE NIGHTMARE, KNOWN AS THE DREAM NEEDS TO GO AS WELL
@ Joe
LMAO yes I agree kill The-Nightmare and LA Greed
they are both nasty people who screwed over my fave Christina Milian *sobs*
seems like they only people that care about this are the f*** that run this blog and you fail again….lol
and who got fired because CB sold only 10 albums????
Why is Def Jam such a mess? They should of held onto Jay-Z he seemed to know what he was going. All these executives seem too be doing is sitting on there ass and collecting big checks
I lost so much respect for this man after the way he treated Janet. How you gonna treat a QUEEN like that?? Not allowing her to have say over her own project?? After all the time she has been in the business?? I just don’t like him.
@Doofus Sept 24th 2010, 9:56 am —
…The point being: ‘Graffiti’ cost a fraction of what ‘Rated R’ cost..!! With ALL that was given to Rihanna/Brand-Rihanna — sainthood, beloved/sympathetic victim, woman-wronged — Def Jam THEN-lavished unprecedented-upon-her; and then to be forced to gimmickry: $0.99 sale…?! …Cancelled ‘Last Girl On Earth’ concert/tour dates…?! Mariah Carey/Shyne…It just seems like…”enough is enough..!”
Oh, and I just read this:
http://digitalmusicnews.com/stories/092210lareid#siYIQKQhR9FzJr6LNMnpZQ
And, just so YOU know, ‘Graffiti’ did initially chart well. It just never had the follow-up, due to “Feb 8th-09 Chrianna’s shadows!” But THAT is the past, no? ‘Deuces’ is snuggly ensconced
atop Billboard’s R&B: billboard.com/#/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs?tag=chscr1
And it’s getting serious radio-play: hitsdailydouble.com/media/mediabase.cgi?fmt=U1
And for Jive’s Barry Weiss to have an artist, such as 21-year-old Christopher Brown, to co-star/executive produce a #1-($53-Million domestic only, and counting: sure-to-double upon foreign-release) Movie is…PRICELESS….!!! boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bonedeep.htm
X,Y,”and Z” — OUT…!!!
***CORRECTION***
Not just “a QUEEN” but…
THE QUEEN!!!!
There’s something I really don’t like about this guy!