MUMBAI: EMI Music Publishing has completed an agreement with top music executive and hitmaker Antonio "L.A." Reid to form the L.A. Reid Music Publishing Company, a joint venture to sign new songwriters. The global agreement with Reid was negotiated by EMI Music Publishing President of West Coast Creative, Big Jon Platt.
The newly formed L.A. Reid Music Publishing Company will provide EMI Music Publishing with the exclusive services of L.A. Reid as a music publishing talent finder, who will be responsible for discovering and signing new and established songwriters to publishing deals.
In a career spanning three decades, Reid has an incomparable track record for discovering music talent, signing and developing an impressive string of the world’s biggest-selling multi-platinum songwriters and performers. Solo artists and groups signed by Reid include Toni Braxton, TLC, Usher, OutKast, Avril Lavigne, Pink, Ne-Yo, Young Jeezy, The-Dream, Jeremih, and Rihanna to name a few.
Reid was appointed chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group (a division of Universal Music Group) in 2004, after serving as president and CEO of Arista Records since 2000. Prior to that, he was the co-founder in 1989 (with Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds) of LaFace Records, the Atlanta-based label that introduced Toni Braxton, OutKast, TLC, and Usher among others.
Understanding that great songwriting is essential to the success of recording artists, Reid formed the Hitco Publishing Group in 1996, as a joint venture with Windswept Music. Signings at Hitco included Beyoncé Knowles, Sean Garrett, Kevin "Shek’spere" Briggs, and Gordon Chambers.
"Throughout my career in music, I’ve been devoted to the songwriter’s craft first, last and always and I consider the business of publishing to be the heart and soul of the industry. This unique new association with EMI Music Publishing affords me the opportunity to indulge a passion for the two creative cornerstones of my life: artists and their music," Reid said.
Big Jon added, "LA’s track record speaks for itself. He’s discovered some of the most enduring talents of the last twenty years, and his hit rate with songwriters and recording artists alike is phenomenal. I’ve worked closely with LA for many years and I’m now looking forward to taking the partnership to the next level."
