Even in Atlanta, a city chock full of hitmakers, singer/songwriters, Ne-Yo holds his own. From penning such recent chart toppers as Rihanna’s “Take A Bow” and Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight” to watching his third album, “Year of the Gentleman” debut at number two on the Billboard 200 charts following its September release, selling 250,000 copies in its first week, Ne-Yo has proven that he’s one of the hottest gentlemen around. Already, “Ms. Independent”, his musical ode celebrating the woman who “got her own thing”, has become a Top Ten hit.
His gentlemanly status hasn’t relegated him to just R&B. At this year’s BET Hip-Hop Awards, Ne-Yo was on hand because his collaboration with Plies “Bust It Baby Pt. 2” was one of the hot contenders for Best Hip Hop Collabo and the Alltel Wireless People’s Champ awards. Although there are artists of his stature that would stay away from a hip-hop awards show, Ne-Yo never once considered not attending.
“I give love where I get love,” he explained at his star-studded Cirque du Soleil-themed birthday bash at the Mason Murer Fine Arts Gallery. “I had two nominations so that’s why I went. I think it’s a cool thing that the hip-hop community respects what it is that I do. I’m not a hip-hop dude. I’m an R&B dude. They show me their love and their respect so I show them love and respect.”
Keeping in step with his album, it’s not unusual to find Ne-Yo in suits and fedoras and not the baggy jeans and fitteds rampant at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, but he doesn’t feel obligated to share his gentlemanly ways with the hip-hop artists he works with. “I let them do what they doing and I do what I do. I’m not trying to make nobody be nothing that they are not. I’m trying to help people upgrade themselves.”
His style and personality isn’t all city slicker though. He makes Atlanta his home precisely because it fits who he is. “I came out here because I got a little bit of city in me and a little bit of country and I think Atlanta falls right in the middle of all of that. It made perfect sense when I got down here,” shared the Arkansas-born, Las Vegas-raised hitmaker.
Always working, Ne-Yo is frequently associated with music’s crème de la crème, including the gloved wonder himself, Michael Jackson. “We are putting stuff together right now,” he offered, confirming that he was indeed working with the King of Pop. “I can’t really speak a whole lot on it,” he stated, when pressed further. He did however make his reverence for the musical genius clear. “Michael Jackson is part of the reason I do this so it’s an absolute honor and a blessing.” Spoken like a true gentleman.
