L.A. Reid

Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid is a three-time Grammy Award-winning American record executive, songwriter, and record producer whose career has influenced the landscape of popular music. Reid began his music career as a drummer and achieved mainstream success as a member of the R&B band The Deele, known for the hit song "Two Occasions." This early experience as a performer informed his approach as an executive.

After The Deele disbanded, Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds founded LaFace Records through a joint venture with Arista Records. The label signed artists including Usher, TLC, OutKast, Toni Braxton, and P!nk, all of whom achieved significant commercial success. Under Reid's guidance, TLC and Toni Braxton each sold over 65 million records globally. As a songwriter and producer, Reid collaborated with Whitney Houston on her No. 1 single "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and co-wrote and produced "Queen of the Night" for "The Bodyguard" soundtrack album, which sold over 45 million copies worldwide. Reid also contributed to Boyz II Men's success, including the chart-topping single "End of the Road," which won two Grammy Awards.

LaFace was later merged into Arista Records, where Reid became president and CEO. He signed Avril Lavigne, whose debut album "Let Go" sold 6 million copies in the United States, and continued to work with artists such as P!nk, whose album "Missundaztood" sold 5 million copies in the U.S. During Reid's tenure at Arista, Usher released the multi-platinum album "Confessions," which produced four No. 1 singles and sold 10 million copies domestically. Following the merger of Sony and BMG, Reid became chairman and CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group. He played a key role in revitalizing Mariah Carey's career with the album "The Emancipation of Mimi" and contributed to the success of Kanye West, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Jennifer Lopez.

Reid later served as chairman and CEO of Epic Records, where DJ Khaled, Future, and Travis Scott released No. 1 albums, and Fifth Harmony and Meghan Trainor also achieved commercial success. He was the curator and executive producer for the posthumous Michael Jackson album "Xscape," which debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. album chart. Reid also appeared as a judge on the TV singing competition "The X Factor" and authored the memoir "Sing to Me: My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who's Next," which appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.

Reid's contributions to the music industry have been recognized with multiple honors, including three Grammy Awards, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' President's Merit Award, and recognition as a BMI Icon alongside Babyface. He has also received awards from Harvard University and BET Honors. Reid co-founded the record label Hitco Entertainment, establishing a legacy as a record executive, songwriter, producer, and label chief in the music business.