Over the next few months, we’ll be spotlighting features from our e-zines from the last 25 years. T M H Entertainment, T M Hxone and Urban Bridgez.
As the longest running website for R&B online, since 1999 – We’ve been able to conduct some amazing interviews with R&B Royalty, as well Hip Hop Legends.
Since his debut, Ne-Yo possessed lyrical and musical talent that are far beyond his years. Born into a family of musicians from Arkansas, Shaffer C. Smith a.k.a. Ne-Yo was raised in a single parent home by his mother. In hopes of a better opportunity, Ne-Yo’s mother relocated the family to Las Vegas, Nevada; where Ne-Yo would discover his passion.
The singer/songwriter, penned one of the biggest radio records of history (189.5 million listeners in one week) Billboards #1 R&B; chart for several weeks, the words on “Let Me Love You” touch your heart and makes you feel good in your soul. Written with Scott Storch and Kam Houf and performed by Mario, “Let Me Love You” was just a glimpse into the mind of a true writer.
After landing at #1 as co-writer of Mario‘s 2004 smash “Let Me Love You,” Ne-Yo was poised to hit the top of the charts as an artist.
18 years ago today, Ne-Yo released his 2× Platinum debut album, “In My Own Words,” on February 28th, 2006.
The album moved 301,000 copies in its first week and showcased his deft songwriting touch. He crafted his own heartbreak into the song “So Sick,” which spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The first single “Stay” (featuring Peedi Crack) exemplified Ne-Yo’s nuanced, layered vocals and sample free production. The #1 multi-platinum single “So Sick”, revealed his voice to be clean and almost elated, but rich and weathered at the same time.
But true to his charismatic character, the album showed many sides of Ne-Yo and even finds him lighter, more playful, even coy, on “When You’re Mad.” On the track Ne-Yo floats above, telling his woman that she’s even more beautiful when she’s mad.
A master in the art of storytelling, Ne-Yo began writing at an early age. A vivid imagination and creative energy has allowed Ne-Yo to write songs for multi-platinum artists such as Beyonce,’ Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, and a host of others.
Earlier in the decade, Ne-Yo was dropped by Columbia Records along with Alicia Keys. Instead of looking for another artist deal, Ne-Yo began writing songs for other R&B artists. Shopping his wares eventually got him a chance meeting with Tina Davis, then Def Jam senior VP of A&R, in 2004.
Building on the success of his platinum recording career, Ne-Yo dropped two films in 2006, playing himself in “Save the Last Dance 2” and the character Rich Brown in “Stomp the Yard.” The latter film claimed the #1 spot its opening weekend.
Citing Prince, Marvin Gaye, The Rat Pack, and Stevie Wonder on his list of favorite entertainers, Ne-Yo’s debut album “In My Own Words” invokes a nostalgic feeling, a renaissance if you will.
Whether it’s the bedroom or the dance floor, Ne-Yo’s songs are filled with passion and intense energy that pulls (you into the music) and puts you into a zone.
Meet-N-Greet: Ne-Yo Roll-Out Interview (December 2005)
Aries from UB caught up with Ne-Yo and spoke to him about comparisons to Usher, working with other artists, his first soundtrack, movie role and much more.UrbanBridgez.com: How do you feel about the Usher comparisons?
Ne-Yo: Oh wow! You know what, I take that as the highest compliment I could get because he’s the best doing it right now, how can you really be mad at being compared to the best? But I want to be the first Ne-Yo and not the next Usher.UrbanBridgez.com: How do you get your creative juices flowing?
Ne-Yo: Umm, I’m weird. I don’t do things like some other people, like light candles, sit in front of the Ocean view (laughs). I just sit down and listen to the track and end up writing the song in like 15-20 minutes. Inspiration can come from anywhere. I can be in my house and glance over at the trash can, then look at a chair and start writing from that. Using the chair as the girl and make a story about her writing me a love note and just take it from there.UrbanBridgez.com: Who are the producers on the album?
Ne-Yo: My production company Compound did half of the record. Remember Something for The People? Two of them are down with Compound now. Six John out of L.A. Stargate from the UK. Just really a lot of up-coming producers. I wanted to do it that way because it’s almost like you’re forced to listen to something if a big name producer did it, our ears are tuned to give it a chance. These guys I worked with are not known, so when people hear the music, they can get how good it really is without it being the name. Everybody should get a fair shot.UrbanBridgez.com: Did you write Let Me Love You for yourself first? Or was it for Mario & did you expect it to be that huge?
Ne-Yo: No it was always for Mario, people always ask me why didn’t I keep it for myself (laughs)? I met Scott in L.A. and he told me whenever I was in Miami to stop by so we could work on something. So when I went to Miami I did and he happen to be working with Mario at that time. So we just wrote the song then and Mario was actually there when we wrote it. Did I expect it to be that huge (laughs), not at all. I was very surprised, but happy
UrbanBridgez.com: What’s your favorite song, other than one of your own?
Ne-Yo: It’s actually a song by Prince that people always have a heard time finding, like me. It’s called “Joy in Repetition” it’s on the Graffiti Bridge soundtrack. I’m currently looking for it now.UrbanBridgez.com: Has Jay-Z given you any advice as a new artist?
Ne-Yo: Oh yeah actually him and LA Reid both have. Jay-Z just told me to be myself at all times. He said that’s why people like him because he’s Jay-Z all the time. Being in the public eye, you have to be yourself. There’s Ne-Yo then Shaffer, Shaffer is my birth given name (laughs), and Ne-Yo is my stage name. So I have to be Ne-Yo at all times.UrbanBridgez.com: What are 5 other males that are out now that you like and listen to?
Ne-Yo: Wow that’s hard, are there even 5 male artists out right now (laughs)? Chris Brown, I worked with him, he’s a real cool person. Mario of course, he’s doing his thing, of course I worked with him. Jamie Foxx is about to drop and I worked with him and Trey Songz is hot, I’m feeling him. Last let’s see, oh yeah John Legend.UrbanBridgez.com: Your bio mentions you wrote for Faith Evans, Exactly what songs did you write for Faith?
Ne-Yo: I wrote a song for her current album “The First Lady,” it’s actually on the international release, but that’s cool. It’s called “Do My Thing.”UrbanBridgez.com: What does Ne-Yo mean, is it symbolic for anything?
Ne-Yo: Naw the name came from Big D, he’s a producer, he did Tupac’s Brenda’s Got A Baby. Out of the blue he just started calling me Ne-Yo, he use to say music can be Ne-Yo, whatever that means (laughs), it just stuck.UrbanBridgez.com: What is Ne-Yo thankful for this year?
Ne-Yo: Man I’m thankful for everything. To be here doing what I love is something to be thankful and I’m thankful for that every year. To be able to provide for myself as well as my family.
UrbanBridgez.com: What’s the next single?
Ne-Yo: “So Sick” it was done from some kats from the UK, Stargate. It’s dope!UrbanBridgez.com: How did you hook up with Stargate?
Ne-Yo: I met them through my friend Tim, he saw me in the studio. They were working with this artist Lee Ryan who’s real big in the UK. So I went in the studio with them and the tracks were just hot. If they gave me a CD with 10 songs on it, you could guarantee 9 would be hot! So I did something for Lee and that’s how me and Stargate started working together.UrbanBridgez.com: What’s next for Ne-Yo?
Ne-Yo: I’m actually headed to Toronto to start filming a movie. It’s for Save The Last Dance II, I’m not the main character, I’m a club owner. I’m writing the whole soundtrack, so they wanted to give me a role in the film. And I’m about to start my tour with John Legend.UrbanBridgez.com: Any last words for your fans?
Ne-Yo: Thanks for all of the love and support. I’m trying to bring real R&B; music back to the forefront, feel free to help me anyway you can (laughs). The album In My Own Words will be out December 27th (later changed to February 28. 2006).
