10 Life-Changing Things We Can Learn from Ne-Yo, the Controlling Exemplar

Ne-Yo, the man known to his mother as Shaffer Chimere Smith and to the world as Ne-Yo has significantly impacted the industry as a singer, songwriter, actor, and now label executive.

Whether accepting a Grammy Award, putting on a show-stopping performance, flying high above the sky in RedTails, signing artists to Motown, or running his label, Compound University, Ne-Yo is not settling for the standard 15 minutes of fame in this industry tends to offer.

His talents seem limitless, and he still has much more he can accomplish as he continues on the upswing in this journey we call life. That said, welcome the Top 10 things we can learn from Ne-Yo.

1. Know When to Move On

After being embarrassed and booed off the Apollo stage with his group, Envy, Ne-Yo, known as “Go-Go” back then, would start working on his solo career. Back then,  Ne-Yo was doing his best Sisqo impression with blond hair, except his group was nowhere as near as talented as Dru Hill.  

Recognizing that Envy would probably only go as far as that Apollo stage, Ne-Yo chose to lose the group, the blond hair, and the name Go-Go. In life, we often want to stick around to appease other people because we become comfortable even in bad situations. Remember, as long as you are comfortable, nothing changes.

2. Study the Legends

With his mom being an integral part of his life as not only a matriarch but also a music inspiration, 3. Stick to Your Guns

Ne-Yo was signed to a deal and then sent home packing because the label wanted to turn him into something he wasn’t. He believed, like so many artists that get deals, that his life was about to change and he would be the next big deal. His label tried to make him a different type of artist than he wanted to be. He refused to compromise on their idea of him, so he stuck to his guns even though it meant losing his deal.  Although he knew he would be broke, it didn’t matter to him. He wanted to be the person he was and not an industry-conceived image.

She claimed the baby

The moral of the story is that make sure you surround yourself with people who truly love you and have your best interest at heart, regardless of your success or lack of it.  In many cases, that is momma.

While White says Ne-Yo painted her as “an unchaste woman who deliberately tricked him into believing he was the father of her child … so that business.

6. Understand Your Brand

Ne-Yo has mastered the art of branding himself. He set himself aside from most of today’s current R&B artists by actually making R&B music while many others’ music resembled more of an edgier hip-hop music feel. While the R&thug has become a very popular look for today’s artists, Ne-Yo chose the route of marketing himself as a gentleman. His music and style exemplify the Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra Rat Pack-like swag. Down to his signature hats, Ne-Yo is the personification of the word gentleman.

The icon once said, “Guys should appreciate their style, whether they’re heading to the office or off for a night at the club. No matter what you put on, it’s important always to like what you see in the mirror before you leave the house.” Every day Ne-Yo leaves the house, he is considered a gentleman because his music embraces love and his style exudes class.

7. Success Breeds Success

The old saying goes, “Success breeds success.” Now it is sometimes easier said than done but Ne-Yo has made all the right connections to increase his success. Ne-Yo has taken his songwriting ability and transitioned it into linking himself with some of the most successful artists in the industry.

Ne-Yo has written songs for everyone from the late Whitney Houston to Celine Dion. His works include: Rihanna’s top-ten singles “Unfaithful,” “Russian Roulette,” and her number-one hit “Take a Bow,” and Beyoncé Knowles’ Billboard Hot 100 number-one single “Irreplaceable,” which stayed at the top of the chart for ten consecutive weeks.

With a resume like this, Ne-Yo will always be sought after for his songwriting abilities, but the names attached to the songs are truly significant to his legacy. In this business, more than any, we already know that it’s about who you know. That “who you know” moniker transcends the entertainment industry because making the right connections in life is vital to all of our success. We must surround ourselves with people that eat, sleep, and breathe success.

8. Diversify Your Portfolio

Ne-Yo is a genius at utilizing his talents to find multiple sources of income. We already talked about the songwriting credits, so you know his residual checks are quite stupendous. If you add his record sales, touring, and publishing monies, you can imagine how well he is doing for himself.

Let’s not forget about the check Motown is paying him now as he holds down the position of SVP of A&R. He is also the CEO of Compound Entertainment so I’m sure it won’t be long before he starts seeing a return on his investment into his label.

Now we could just stop there, but Ne-Yo has also delved into the world of film and television. With roles in Stomp the Yard, Save the Last Dance, 90210, and most recently, Redtails. As his acting chops grow, the roles will become more significant and so will the checks. Ne-Yo is an artist first, but it is apparent he has his mind on his money and his money on his mind.

9. Know When to Say No

As talented as Ne-Yo is, he still knows his limitations and respects the art of music and film, so he doesn’t seem to take on anything he doesn’t feel he can handle. In 2012, he turned down a chance to play the role of civil rights leader Martin Luther King. When asked why he turned down the role, Ne-Yo stated, “I want to do more acting, but it’s got to make sense with the music.

I recently had to turn down an amazing opportunity to be in a movie playing Martin Luther King. They wanted to start shooting when my album R.E.D. comes out and wanted me to gain 30 pounds so I couldn’t do it. I’m kicking myself, but acting can’t take the place of my music. I’ve been killing myself in the gym for months preparing for this album because I wanted a complete makeover.”

10 Realize Every Dream

As Ne-Yo is out and about promoting his current album, R.E.D, which is his first release under the Motown imprint, its the message behind the album resonates with his mission in life. R.E.D is an acronym for Realizing Every Dream and he truly believes that whatever he puts his mind to, it will one day become a reality. Many people speak about making their dreams a reality, but Ne-Yo speaks it and lives it. He said he has realized every dream he has ever had thus far.

From great songwriting credits to now label executive, Ne-Yo is the epitome of success because he does everything for the love of it. He so eloquently stated, I sing because I love singing. I perform because I love performing. I write because I enjoy writing.” That is the key; find what you love to do and then find a way to make that dream a reality.