John Legend is expected to testify next week in a civil trial involving music executive L.A. Reid, who has been accused of sexually assaulting former record executive Drew Dixon in 2001. The case is scheduled to be heard in New York and centers on events that allegedly occurred while both Reid and Dixon worked at Arista Records.
According to Page Six, Dixon, who was vice president of A&R at the time, alleges that Reid assaulted her twice during that year. She also claims that after she rejected his advances, Reid retaliated by restricting her career opportunities, causing lasting professional harm. During her tenure at Arista, Dixon worked with major artists including Whitney Houston and Santana.
According to Dixon’s allegations, Reid blocked the signing of Legend as part of that alleged retaliation. Legend’s testimony is expected to focus on his interactions with the label during that period. Reid has denied all claims made against him.
Beyond the lawsuit against Reid, Dixon has been a public advocate for survivors of sexual assault in the entertainment industry. She has also accused Russell Simmons of rape and later filed a defamation lawsuit after Simmons suggested in an interview that Dixon and other accusers were lying. Simmons has denied the allegations.
The case against Reid was brought under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily allowed civil lawsuits for sexual assault claims that were previously outside the statute of limitations. The trial is expected to revisit events from more than two decades ago and could have broader implications for accountability in the music industry.
