Amerie On Leaving Sony For Def Jam, "They [Were] Going Through So Much Turmoil"

R&B singer Amerie recently discussed her decision to leave Sony Music to join Rihanna and Rick Ross at Def Jam Records.

For Amerie, the frequently changing executives influenced her move to Island Def Jam.

"Leaving Columbia was two-fold, the reason I went to Def Jam was specifically because of the company -- their marketing and promotions team," Amerie explained in an interview. "I love what they're doing, but the other reason was L.A. Reid. L.A. Reid and I have crossed paths for years...It wasn't that I wasn't happy. I felt that the project could've gotten more support and more push on the side of marketing and promotions. The people on the team are awesome, but I think what's happening is that the company's been changing. The executives have been changing. It's been like a revolving door and whenever that happens you're so busy focusing on getting all the people necessary for the company that you don't have time to set a plan. And when you do set a plan, then people leave. So that's just what happened. I just felt that, this was a period of time in the company where they're going through so much turmoil, it just wasn't going to be good for the project I had. So I decided I wanted to leave. It went pretty well."

Lil Scrappy, who also left Warner Music Group for Def Jam/DTP, cited his ex-label as being too focused on pop acts.

"Before I even made the move I had just talked to [Warner Music Group CEO] Tom Whalley and told him I need to get off," Scrappy said in an interview. "Because basically, Warner Bros is a rock and roll label. So they didn't really understand what to do with me as of then. Even though I showed them two or three times, this is me Scrappy, this is how I move, young gangsta from Atlanta, I do what I do, try to stay outta trouble but you know how sh*t go. But he believed in me enough, he didn't want to hurt my career, so he let me go, after that I went through a couple of label situations, it wasn't looking too good.I always had this stop-and-go relationship with Chaka and Luda -- That was the best contract I ever signed. Just being a rapper or whatever, that's the best contract I ever signed."

Sony/Columbia made headlines last spring when the company let go for Urban Music President Kyambo "Hip-Hop" Joshua, the former A&R for Roc-A-Fella Records.

Sony's Columbia Records has laid off several of its staff members, including president of urban music Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua and urban marketing executive Al Branch. Several regional promotional staff members have also been let go. It is unclear who will follow Joshua to guide Columbia's urban department, or who will handle the projects of Jim Jones and The Clipse. Both artists were signed by Joshua.

Amerie recently spoke on her Lil Wayne "Heard Em All" collaboration.

"Lil Wayne is great," she explained in an interview. "I've liked him since he was with Cash Money...I've always liked what he does, and I love his energy. For me it was just awesome working with him. Of course I like the stuff that he's done recently as well, but he's just really into the artistry. He's really into being an artist and I think that's awesome. Because sometimes people are into the life, but not into the art of it."

Check out Amerie speaking on Lil Wayne below: