L.A. Reid, the prominent music executive, is facing serious allegations from a former Arista Records employee named Drew Dixon. Dixon has filed a lawsuit claiming that she was sexually assaulted by Reid in the early 2000s, leading to career repercussions when she refused his inappropriate advances.
Dixon, who served as the vice president of A&R at Arista Records, recounted instances of sexualization and harassment by Reid, who took over as the company’s president. The allegations intensified when Reid allegedly assaulted Dixon on a private jet during a company retreat in Puerto Rico in 2001.
Despite her attempts to avoid personal settings with Reid, Dixon claimed that the advances continued, with one-on-one invitations to his hotel room disguised as business meetings. Dixon, known for her work with artists like Whitney Houston and Carlos Santana, expressed the difficulty of maintaining her position due to fear of losing health insurance after a cancer diagnosis.
Refusing to comply with Reid’s propositions allegedly resulted in retaliation tactics, including embarrassing her in front of colleagues and denying budget assistance for artists on Dixon’s roster. The toxic environment eventually led Dixon to leave Arista Records in 2002.
Dixon previously spoke out about sexual assault allegations in 2017, discussing an alleged rape by Russell Simmons during her time at Def Jam. Her latest complaint against Reid is made possible by New York’s Adult Survivors Act, enacted in 2022, which allows victims over 18 to seek legal justice beyond the statute of limitations.
This is not the first time L.A. Reid has faced sexual assault accusations, as a former assistant at Epic Records made similar claims in 2017. Reid, a Grammy winner, has been a significant figure in the music industry, contributing to the success of artists like Toni Braxton, Usher, TLC, and more.
Written by:
Dana Sterling-Editor
