Jermaine Dupri calls himself "a psychiatrist of artists," says continuing as Mariah Carey's manager could have ruined their relationship.

So So Def Recordings CEO Jermaine Dupri clarified rumors that he was dropped as Mariah Carey’s manager due to low album sales for Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse, during a newly-released interview with Vlad TV.

According to JD, he chose to leave his position as manager for the singer because he felt that it would have eventually affected their friendship. He revealed that many chose to assume he was dropped by Mariah rather than consider the possibility that he left on his own terms.

The record producer also shared an ongoing joke that compared his relationship with Mariah to that of Mariah’s relationship with her now estranged husband, Nick Cannon.

“That’s the story that people make because that’s what people—People think in their minds that that’s exactly how it has to happen,” Dupri said. “It can’t be—It just can’t possibly be that Jermaine woke up one morning and didn’t want to do it no more. That just can’t possibly happen, right? That just can’t possibly be the thing. Like he had to get dropped because that’s what happens in the world. Niggas get dropped. But nobody else has a mind to say ‘You know what? I don’t really wanna do this shit no more. I got other shit I want to do. But I’m not that smart, right? I couldn’t do that. That’s impossible.’ That’s what I’m saying. It’s crazy that people just make these stories. I wasn’t dropped. I chose that—I chose to do this because me and Mariah are friends, right? First and foremost. And we make hit records in the studio…This was the ongoing joke. I have a relationship with Mariah better than her and her husband. I’ve known her longer than her and her husband known each other…With that being said, you don’t want to fuck that up. I saw a lot of things happening with inside of me being her manager that could have fucked that up.”

Later in the interview, Dupri referred to himself as a “psychiatrist of artists” when describing the relationship he’s had with the artists he’s worked with throughout his career. He also revealed that the general public assumed he was dropped from Def Jam when he instead chose to leave the label because he was unable to do what he wanted.

“I’m like a psychiatrist of artists,” he said. “If you wanna sit and talk to me and work out things that’s going on in your life I’m that person that most of these artists talk to. So, with that being said, me and Mariah we good…That’s the same story that came out when I left Def Jam. ‘He got kicked out of Def Jam.’ I chose to leave because if what I do is not being recepted then it’s not no need for me to do it. And I’m easily the person that will get—If you start not allowing me to do what I do then I will easily start removing myself away from that picture. And I have done that so many times.”

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