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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2009 > February > 25 > Entry
Ne-Yo Talks Rihanna and Chris Brown (And Of Course, His Homecoming Show Tonight)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As his tour bus made its way back home to Atlanta — where he’s playing tonight at the Fox Theatre — R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo took a few minutes to discuss his recent Grammy wins, the next movies he’s shooting and of course, his duet partner and “Stomp The Yard” co-star: Rihanna and Chris Brown:
Q. So let’s start with the Grammys (where he’s pictured above, with Tennille Jimenez). You were the top nominee with Georgia connections, with six; and you came home with two. Still celebrating?
A. It was beyond anything I could ever put into words. I mean, I walked into that building with six nominations. That’s a victory already. And to walk away with two of them (best R&B and best male R&B vocal performance, both for “Miss Independent”) — wow! — I mean, I can never say this industry has not acknowledged what I do.
Q. Where is the first one you won (last year for best contemporary R&B album, “Because of You”)?
A. At my mom’s house. Had to give it to moms.
Q. Is she getting the next two when you get them in the mail?
A. Nah I think I might have to keep the next two. I’ve got some new shelves in my place back in Atlanta and I already know the perfect place for them. Sorry mom!
Q. Now about this tour - it seems like it took you a really long time to get on the road to promote [his latest CD] “Year of The Gentleman”. It came out like last September.
A. I know! And the reason being is, I was told our timing was just a little off. At one point we were thinking [of touring with] John Legend — that didn’t happen. Then Robin Thicke — and we looked up and he was already moving. And I was like, ‘Well damn!’
But things happen as they should because this is perfect. I’m on the road with two artists [Musiq Soulchild and Jazmine Sullivan] that do real music. No disrespect to anybody else, but they do what I define as real music. Real instrumentation and actual voice — not Auto-Tuned to death. Not following the new trend. Real voice. Real lyrics. Real music.
Q. Do you have a favorite Musiq song?
A. I think ‘Dontchange’ — that’s one of my personal favorites. There’s a real sentiment to that song. You know, once you have real love for a person, it doesn’t matter how big her butt is, how flat her stomach is, how cute she is — that’s nice, but that’s stuff that goes away. The real grit, the real real is the personality, the person. The things that make you fall in love all over again over the years.
Q. Same question regarding Jazmine Sullivan.
A. “Lions, Tigers & Bears.” Definitely. One thing about it is the melody. I love the way that it’s put together. Atypical of anything on the radio right now. And what I really, really like about it is what she’s saying: I can do all of these amazing things- things that I should be scared of - but I’m afraid of loving you. That’s a real sentiment as well. I know dudes that can’t hold down a relationship for nothing. They can do all of these other great and amazing things, but the whole falling in love, falling out of love, maybe getting your heart broken, strikes this paralyzing fear in them.
Q. Speaking of songs that seem to really connect with people, are you surprised that “Miss Independent” and the remix (“She Got Her Own” with Jamie Foxx and Fabolous) have had such staying power? And to what do you attribute that?
A. I think it must be that everytime someone hears it, they find something new about it that they like. That’s what I hear. They just hear the utter respect I have, we have, for women out there doing it. That’s heartfelt. And maybe that’s what’s connecting. It’s a beautiful thing; and I am so appreciative.
Q. Who have you been writing for recently?
A. I’m not doing a whole lot of writing now because I have to spend a whole lot of my time doing press and promoting this show. This is my first time headlining, so with that comes a whole lot of responsibilities.
But you know, I’ve done some stuff for Mary J. Blige. Monica. LeToya Luckett. Leona Lewis. I’m going in with Usher pretty soon. Michael Bolton. Whitney Houston. But again, the writing thing is taking a back seat to the tour. And after that, the movies.
Q. The movies?
A. I’m shooting two movies: One, “Red Tails” about the Tuskegee Airmen. I play a young fighter pilot who was thinner than average, and speaks in [affects a cartoonish drawl] heavy, heavy, southern accent. Chews tobacco — the whole deal. I do that right after the tour in Prague. Then there’s “Venice Beach” — which is my “Purple Rain”. My original music. My movie, starring me.
Q. There’s no way we can let you off the phone without asking about Rihanna and Chris Brown. Have you talked to them since the night before the Grammys (when a reported incident occurred between the two)?
A. I have not. Of course I can pick up the phone and get either one of them, but that’s got to be a long, in-depth conversation. Ideally, in person. Not just, ‘Hey, y’all alright?’ I don’t want to do that. I want to hear exactly what happened — from them. I want to pray with them. Right now, I’m just praying for them.
[Since this conversation, Ne-Yo has reportedly told MTV that he did ring Rihanna “I spoke to Rihanna. She says she’s fine. She didn’t go into detail about what happened. I understand it’s a painful situation; I didn’t push.”
“I saw the picture,” Ne-Yo also told MTV’s Shaheem Reid, referring to the leaked photo of a beaten Rihanna taken reportedly after her altercation with Brown. Brown turned himself in during the Grammys, was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats, and released.
“That just really — that hurt me to my heart, man. Again, I still don’t know what happened, ‘cause I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to Chris yet. But to take it to that level really hurt my heart. All I can say is, I’m praying for both of them.]
Planning to go to the Fox tonight? Read our 3 Questions For Musiq? Familiar with the opening act for Ne-Yo, Musiq and Jazmine Sullivan — The Dream’s new Atlanta-based girl group Electrik Red? (See a YouTube clip of one of their performances BELOW)
Comments
By vdb
February 25, 2009 2:20 PM | Link to this
I love Ne-yo and his music. Ne-yo you really have a beautiful way of making music. You let women know that there are men out there that appreciate love and the one that they are in love with. Keep on keeping it real.