Christina Milian Says She Was Dropped From Def Jam Because Of Rihanna, Surprised By Ex Nick Cannon's Marriage To Mariah

December 18, 2008 1:15 p.m. EST

Miami, FL (CNS) - Christina Milian is on the cover of her first magazine, the latest issue of Rap-Up, since being dropped from her record label in 2006 and watching former boyfriend Nick Cannon marry Mariah Carey. She tells Rap-Up that the reason her former label, Def Jam Records, dropped her and other acts around the time was to focus on other "Umbrella"-wielding divas. "It was a budget cut, I believe. [Def Jam] probably got rid of projects like mine to spend the money on [Rihanna]," she said.

Milian was dropped soon after her 2006 album, So Amazin', was released to disappointing first-week sales. "It was embarrassing. It was a week after my album got put out. I would be in my room a lot of the time crying by myself," she told the magazine.

She also saw her ex-boyfriend of two-and-a-half years, Nick Cannon, marry superstar singer Mariah Carey. "I was surprised like everyone else. I was like, 'Really?' It just seemed like a weird match, but I was happy for him. I always feel Nick works hard to get what he wants, whether that be women-that's how he got me," she said.

But now Milian is set to release her first album on MySpace Records, tentatively titled Dream In Color, in early 2009. Milian also said a certain high-profile music star helped her realized she should get back to her music.

"I bumped into Janet Jackson at a club. We talked for an hour and I was telling her I don't know if I'm gonna do this, and she was like, 'Girl, do not let them stop you. I'm a fan and you make good music.' She's a person I actually looked up to growing up, so her telling me that really was the day I was like, 'I'm not gonna let these people hold me down. It's time,'" she said.

Her first single, "Us Against the World," is available on iTunes and the album is expected to include a collaboration with Kanye West.