L.A. Reid Breaks Silence On Def Jam Exit, "It Was Very Difficult To Leave"

While admitting the future looks bright, Reid did say parting ways with Def Jam was a hard pill to swallow.

"It was very difficult to leave. It wasn't difficult to decide to do 'X Factor,' it was difficult to walk away from this amazing roster and amazing staff of people and all the executives that were there that was tough." (MTV)

Details on Reid's power move circulated online in mid-March.

Universal Music label boss Antonio "L.A." Reid is hip-hopping to TV. The chairman of Universal's Island Def Jam will leave to become a judge on Simon Cowell's upcoming Fox TV show "The X-Factor," according to people familiar with discussions. News Corp. owns Fox and The Post. Reid, who has been angling for an exit from Universal for months in order to pursue other interests, got his wish this week when the show's producers made him a firm offer. Universal agreed to let Reid out of his contract, which expires at the end of the year. Reid has shepherded acts such as Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Bon Jovi and Justin Bieber in his six years with the label. (New York Post)

Plans to replace Reid were already planned out following the announcement.

Island Def Jam will continue to be run by Steve Bartels. Barry Weiss, the former Sony Music executive joining Universal Music Group this month, is expected to add oversight of Island Def Jam to his duties. The question remains, however, whether Reid will eventually join his former Universal boss Doug Morris, who becomes CEO of Sony Music on July 1. Sony Music has vested interest in the competition: Recordings of the show's contestants will be controlled by Simon Cowell's Syco and Sony Music and the winner will receive a $5 million contract with Sony Music. Auditions begin March 27 in Los Angeles. (Billboard)

Prior to denying the gossip, rumors claimed Reid was terminated from his position at Def Jam.

Record executive LA Reid during his tenure at Island Def Jam was responsible for heading over mega acts like Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Pink and Justin Bieber. Despite the fact that theseartists are huge on popular consciousness, LA Reid still hasn't been able to pull off any super sales. So... according to information on the entertainment wire, LA Reid got LET GO: "Def Jam fired L.A. Reid," the source tells us. "He got the boot from the Board of Execs yesterday." (Dime Wars)