L.A. Reid exits Epic Records following harassment claim, reports say

BY JEWEL WICKER

Following Sony Music's announcement that Epic Records chairman L.A. Reid would vacate the position, several publications are reporting that Reid was accused of harassment by a female assistant.

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The employee's claim alleged “unlawful harassment of an employee,” which prompted a company investigation into Reid, according to Billboard.

"In a letter to Sony, the claimant’s attorney detailed alleged harassment his client had faced on a daily basis, which included alleged inappropriate remarks about her appearance and clothing and alleged propositions that caused her embarrassment and distress, making it impossible for her to continue working at the label," the publication reports. "The letter -- the contents of which were relayed to Billboard -- threatened litigation if a settlement wasn’t reached. It wasn’t clear if Sony’s investigation had confirmed any of the letter’s allegations, and one person in Reid's camp said the letter contained inaccuracies."

Epic's roster under Reid included Fifth Harmony, DJ Khaled, Atlanta rappers Future and 21 Savage, along with Janelle Monae's Wondaland collective. Khaled's single "I'm the One," featuring Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, and Quavo, is currently the no. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

Alongside Babyface, Reid's LaFace Records was instrumental in the success of several Atlanta-based acts in Atlanta, including Outkast, Goodie Mob, TLC and Usher.

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Sony Music, owner of Epic Records, has not announced Reid's replacement.