Ne-Yo Dropped from “Double Up” Tour
Author: Staff | Date: November 20th 2007 | Filed: News & Gossip
NE-YO PERFORMING IN ATLANTA // BEN ROSE FOR WIRE IMAGE
Not even a week into the tour, and the drama just keeps unfolding. First the Keyshia Cole incident and now this! The latest gossip circulating about R Kelly’s “Double Up” tour is that show opener Ne-Yo has been dropped. “I am disappointed that I won’t be able to perform for my fans,” he said said in a statement from Def Jam. “I love being on stage in front of fans because of the immediate feedback you get. You know right away if they are feeling you; and they were really feeling our show.”
Since the show’s opening in Columbus, Georgia, the concert reviewers have taken a liking to Ne-Yo’s set particularly and my guess is that R Kelly didn’t like that. So he did what any man with ego problems would do … he booted his ass! Jive (R Kelly’s label) is saying that there’s no animosity between Kellz and Ne-Yo and the reason for Ne-Yo’s departure has something to do with some legal mumbo jumbo. But don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes. We all know the real reason… I know Keyshia’s happy though!
GYP
November 21, 2007 at 3:21 AM
R KELLY IS A DUMBASS
Jaida
November 21, 2007 at 1:13 PM
Keyshia’s WACK and Kells has lost all credibility with me anyway. Ne-Yo should’ve headlined his own tour in the first place! He’s too good to be opening up for people when he can be headlining his on tour like he did back in May. That sucks that they took him off like that. SMH.
Equal Opportunity
November 29, 2007 at 2:38 PM
Ne-Yo needs to Stop “crying wolf”
Ne-Yo is a narcissus neophyte needing news. The art of B—S is to know when to quit. Whether you love or hate R. Kelly, folks need to report the facts more responsibly instead of looking for sensationalism. The reality of events can often be more entertaining then the lopsided logic and spurious spins being reported by Diva DJ’s and Wanna-be limelight seekers. Ne-Yo’s radio interviews regarding this matter weighted more against his argument then building upon it. *Sniff* *Sniff* smells like Jay-Z trying to throw a smoking gun into Kelly’s lawsuit (Jay-Z’a counter was thrown out). Not to mention that Ne-Yo is under Jay-Z’s label/thumb. For those intelligent listeners think about it, Ne-Yo admitted on Ed Lover’s show that he initially refused to take his crew to Columbus to practice and that they were practicing in Atlanta, instead. Ne-Yo also admitted that he was told by the Kelly folks that he’d “better†get his butt up to Columbus and rehearse on that stage (which anyone in the business knows is important in the event of some unforeseen matters that might need to be adjusted accordingly–like lights, sound and so forth). Once Ne-Yo reluctantly agreed and arrived in Columbus, his 4 hours was reduced to 2 hours because he used that time up debating and protesting. Ne-Yo was learning quickly he had to be a team player and just because he decided to finally give-in and act professionally, other performers who were already in place needed to use the stage to practice on as well. Ne-Yo’s time was cut because of his decisions, not anyone else’s. Similarly, if Ne-Yo had to “fight” for a dressing room, and Kelly took them all, then where did J Holiday and Keisha get dressed? Ne-Yo may be a neophyte but his manager needs to get fired if he allowed his client to go on tour without a contract under any circumstances. Or, perhaps Ne-Yo wanted to fly freestyle because he knew he had other rods in the proverbial flame while the tour was in motion. Notice Ne-Yo never explained how he “only” did 2 of the “5″ performances “BEFORE” he was removed from the line-up that Monday. While Ne-Yo played his fans by trying to collect sympathy, let’s also consider his lack of explaining how he’d missed the Greensboro, Birmingham, and Charlotte gigs because he was at the Music Awards performing with Rhianna. He didn’t seem to worry about those fans missing the opportunity to hear him perform then, nor has he fully explained that when he finally sauntered back to the tour that fateful Monday he was about to head off again to the Macy’s Day parade in NYC while the tour was performing in Newark that very same day. And then there were the continuos ribbon cuttings for the Ronald Houses and don’t forget the masquerade ball he was planing. And as far as upstaging Kelly. He wishes. I have scoured the net looking for reviews and Ne-Yo’s name, let alone his performance recap, never made it to more than one or two lines in any of the papers or on the e-news-net while still on the tour. In fact, Ne-Yo didn’t get past the blink of an eye for his presence on the Double-up tour until he pulled his disappearing acts that did catch the eye of the tour’s promoter, Rowe Entertainment. When Ne-Yo refused to sign the agreement, which meant he’d have to forego the Macy’s parade (unless he could split himself and be in two places at once, or only fly around the country to cut ribbons when the tour had a 2-day break every 4 shows, or else he’d be held in breach)—Ne-Yo decided to “Cry Wolf†and finally figured a way to get the attention he felt he deserved, but had failed to yield on the 2 performances out of the 5 actually done. But then—Thank GOODNESS! some Ne-Yo fan posted his anti-climatic performance clips from Columbus, where his mimicking Michael J’s steps seem several beats behind the frenzy Jackson made famous. And in keeping with Ne-Yo’s self professed idol MJ I noticed Ne-Yo generously sprinkles MJ’s trademark “ohhh’s” marking each stanza, as well as Ne-Yo’s attempt to James Brown his mic. And finally, the boy needs a choreographer, his dancers are as uninteresting as his amateurish performance itself. I’ll stick to listening to his records, I do enjoy his music. Hate Kelly all you want. But at least his material is unlike anyone else’s—-whether that is a good or bad thing or even bizarre, is left for the audience to determine—-but it is definitely wildly entertaining and unlike anything I have seen or can imagine someone actually doing. And, isn’t that what we pay the price of those costly tickets? Otherwise, we can simply save our money and just by the CD.
So here’s the links from youtube of Ne-Yo in his Columbus’ Double-up performance. You be the Judge:
http://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=tpWXst4NqkA
http://www.you tube.com/watch?v=RSvzmRIimDQ