Cee Lo Green Reveals the Real Reason Why He Quit 'The Voice'

"Pace yourself," he advised new judges Pharrell Williams and Gwen Stefani.

ByABC News
July 7, 2014, 11:10 AM
Cee Lo Green is seen in this Oct. 19, 2012 file photo in New York.
Cee Lo Green is seen in this Oct. 19, 2012 file photo in New York.
Victoria Will/Invision/AP Photo

— -- Cee Lo Green will be on TV this summer with his new TBS reality series "The Good Life," which follows his reunited early hip-hop group Goodie Mob, but he won't be back on "The Voice."

Despite rumors that circulated last winter that the singer quit the competition show to avoid being fired, Green said it was his choice to leave the singing competition show.

"It easily and quickly became a job," the singer told Us Weekly. "Very, very obligating… Taxing and tiring… I still tip my hat to Adam [Levine] and Blake [Shelton] and those guys who continuously do it, but I think I ran my course there just naturally."

'The Voice' Recap: Josh Kaufman Wins!

Gwen Stefani Confirmed as Coach on 'The Voice,' Joined By Pharrell Williams

Green, who said he parted ways with the show "amicably," added, "I've got some very great memories there," recalled how he got involved with the show in the first place. According to the singer, he was recruited by Levine.

"He called and said, 'Hey man, there's this new show 'The Voice' and I don't really know what it's going to be about, and I don't really want to do any more kind of music shows. Do you think it's cool? If you do it, I'll do it. If you don't do it, I won't do it,'" he said. "And I was like, 'Well, just judging from the premise, the blind auditions,' it's something that everybody agrees is just really original. It had a great new spin."

The singer also offered advice for incoming coaches Pharrell Williams and Gwen Stefani.

"Just kind of pace yourself," he said. "Just find it enjoyable, and as long as you're passionate about discovering new talent and really helping people and encouraging them to be themselves and live out loud and follow their dreams, then you should have no problem."