Disgraced music industry executive L.A. Reid has signed his first talent since leaving Sony. The former Epic Records CEO, whose illustrious career spans decades, stepped down in May 2017 after a female coworker came forward with sexual harassment allegations against him.
The assistant alleged Reid made inappropriate advances toward her at a holiday party and on other occasions. In one instance, the woman said Reid asked her "to lie down in bed with him and give him a hug while the two were at a hotel while traveling on business."
Now, Variety has confirmed that Reid has signed Outkast’s Big Boi as his first talent to his new music publishing company, HitCo. HitCo is Reid’s co-venture with former Aria Records associate Charles Goldstuck. Goldstuck is also the former chairman of TouchTunes Interactive. The company is reported to have raised about $100 million to launch.
Empire, the independent company behind hits like D.R.A.M.’s “Broccoli” featuring Lil Yachty and Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s “All the Way Up,” will be HitCo’s distributor. HitCo is said to be working to get Big Boi’s “All Night” to radio. The song from the artist’s last album, June 2017's Boomiverse, was prominently featured in the iPhone X’s “Animoji Yourself” ad.
