UMG LOVES L.A. AS NEW IDJ CHIEF

Veteran music man Antonio "L.A." Reid’s free-agency lasted all of a couple of weeks, as UMG quickly snapped up the Grammy Award-winning producer, entrepreneur and ex-Arista Records boss to become Chairman of The Island Def Jam Music Group, succeeding the WMG-bound Lyor Cohen.

The expected announcement was made today by UMG Chairman/CEO Doug Morris and President Zach Horowitz. Reid will take office Thursday (2/12).

"We couldn’t be happier to be working with an executive who has the range of talents that Antonio brings to the company," stated Morris. "He is a multidimensional music man and entrepreneur, whose hallmarks have been a deep love of music and an incredibly successful track record in building the careers of world-class artists. I am confident that we will begin a new era of growth and excitement for Island Def Jam. And he’s promised to turn me on to his personal tailor."

Horowitz added: "Antonio is a terrific choice to head Island Def Jam. He has the talent and commitment to carry on the proud and dynamic traditions of one of the world's finest music companies. Now all he has to do is learn how to order from a menu in French."

Commented Reid: "This is an amazing opportunity to work with Doug, Zach and Jimmy [Iovine], who are the absolute best in the business. The Island and Def Jam brands have had such a tremendous impact on popular music culture, and it’s an honor to carry this legacy into the future."

Reid most recently served as President/CEO of Arista Records, where he scored critical and commercial success with such artists as OutKast, whose album Speakerboxxx-The Love Below, just earned three Grammy Awards. The duo brought Reid up during the ceremony and credited him with "giving us our career." Reid also had success with Sarah McLachlan, Dido, Pink and Avril Lavigne, among many others.

As Co-President of the successful, Atlanta-based LaFace Records, which he co-founded in 1989 with producer-songwriter Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, he launched acts like TLC, Toni Braxton, Usher and Tony Rich as well as Pink and OutKast, among others. As a producer/songwriter duo with Babyface, Reid garnered 33 # 1 singles and three Grammys with Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, the Jacksons, Bobby Brown, Paula Abdul and Sheena Easton.