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Ne-Yo is, without question, one of the most talented R&B singers and songwriters, and his knowledge of the genre has few peers. The “So Sick” artist previously joined the #MuteRKelly movement in support of one of his children but shared in a recent interview that he still enjoys playing R. Kelly‘s music.
Ne-Yo sat down with The Independent to discuss the release of his eighth studio album, Self Explanatory and shared some of the personal ups and downs he’s endured in while in the public eye. Talk of the singer’s announced divorce opened up the chat with the outlet in which Ne-Yo explained that he and his wife reconciled after filing for divorce in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.
“We really used to be bad about letting things fester,” Ne-Yo shared. “But we’ve gotten better at finding our way to the resolution sooner, as opposed to just staying mad for however long. That’s not healthy for you, or your marriage.”
During a portion of the chat regarding how music provides an escape, the beleaguered R. Kelly and his checkered history came into question. While Ne-Yo formerly distanced himself fully from the Chicago artist, he changed his tune during the interview.
“I have always been a person that can separate the artist from the art,” he said. “I don’t give a damn about your personal life, I don’t give a damn about what you’ve done wrong, or what you’ve done right – if I like the song, and it’s attached to a memory that means something to me, it has nothing to do with [the artist] as a person any more. It’s what this song means to me.”
He added, “I’ve been in parties where someone will turn on an R Kelly record, and people will be like ‘Boo!’ That’s bullsh*t, because you know good and well that before this happened, you’d be rocking out to this song, just like everybody else. From time to time, I still listen to R Kelly music; you just can’t deny the quality.”
The full chat with Ne-Yo can be viewed by clicking here.
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Photo: Getty
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