'L.A.' Reid ousted by Arista, signed by Def Jam.

Antonio 'L.A.' Reid, the A-list record producer behind Usher, TLC, and Toni Braxton, has been ousted by Arista Records. Parent company BMG's pending merger with rival Sony Music, plus Arista's $100 million losses last year, are thought to be the reason. According to news sources, Reid spent lavishly to put CDs on the charts and took the fall after a number of releases from highly paid artists bombed. He was seen as a big spender from the start, taking hundreds of employees on a retreat in Puerto Rico when he was named Arista president and CEO in July 2000, replacing founder and CEO Clive Davis. Reid is heading over to Def Jam. At press time, a three-year, multimillion-dollar deal was completed with Universal Music Group, making him the new chairman of Island Def Jam, a label that boasts such artists as Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Ashanti. Reid would replace Lyor Cohen, who is Warner Music's new chairman and CEO. Reid, who had about 17 months left on his contract, was unavailable for comment.