LA Reid Hints At Post-Def Jam Record Label Move, "Listen, I'm Nobody's Fool"

Talking to radio host Angie Martinez this week, Reid reminded fans of his dominance as a record executive.

"Listen, I'm nobody's fool, I didn't give up my day job," he said. "I just left, I had to leave Universal Music Group and try my hat on someplace else, that we'll announce, well... we'll announce that in a little while." He confirmed Martinez's question that he did not leave the label because he's taking the "X Factor" job, saying the two were not directly connected. "It's a little bit of a shift," he said. "You're not done with me yet," he stressed. "I'm telling you the truth: I have not been shipped off to TV land. I am a record executive and I shall be right there in your face with my records." (Billboard)

Earlier this week, Reid described the difficulty of leaving Def Jam just a few years after being responsible for working with star talent like Rihanna.

"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 "TheX-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)