Despite a pending statutory rape trial, R.Kelly‘s Double Up tour (which opened Nov 14 in Georgia) was one of the most anticipated concerts of the winter. Originally, the line-up featured singers, Keyshia Cole, Ne-Yo and J. Holiday as opening acts. But earlier this week, Ne-Yo was abruptly dumped from the show.
“Let them tell it, I was removed from the R. Kelly tour because of contractual agreements not being met, but that’s absolutely false…I believe it was because the first few reviews of the show, people were talking more about my set than his and I don’t think he liked that too much,”Ne-Yo tells BET, “…I’m gonna keep doing what I do, because it’s obvious that’s what was hurting him.”
Ne-Yo‘s publicist has released the following cryptic statement regarding Ne-Yo‘s release:
“Yesterday, Shaffer Smith aka Ne-Yo was informed that he was being dropped from the rest of the R Kelly tour after delivering two sensational performances. Entertainment reporters, music critics, bloggers, fans, and concert goers all agreed that Ne-Yo’s performances brought the heat; but maybe it brought too much heat.”
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He’s written hit songs for Beyonce (“Irreplaceable”) and Rihanna (“Unfaithful”) (spending a combined 19 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100), said Tango, Ne-Yo‘s business partner and manager. He’s written songs slated to be on Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, and Enrique Iglesias‘ new albums. In a recent article in Ebony Magazine, the king of pop, Michael Jackson, referred to him as one of the artists that impresses him most.
Despite being booted, Ne-Yo will continue touring without the Kelly. He recently began a 48-hour multi-city tour for Ronald McDonald Charities’ World’s Children’s Day. Starting in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, Ne-Yo visited Ronald McDonald houses and hospitals to inspire seriously ill children. “World’s Children’s Day is a day where we let the kids know that they are the most important thing on the face of the planet. This is about uplifting the kids,” he said.
