Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1982 in Camden Arkansas) better known by his stage name Ne-Yo is a Grammy Award-winning American R & B singer-producer and actor currently signed to Def Jam Records in 2006, he released his debut album, In My own words, which included the hit single "So Sick" song reached # 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped his album debut at # 1 on the Billboard 200, he has since released the 2007 Grammy Award-winning Because of You and 2008's Year Of The Gentleman by both experienced commercial and critical success
Ne-Yo was a song writer before he became an artist, he has written songs for several artists including Mary J Blige Ruben Studdard Marques Houston Faith Evans Christina Milian B2K Nivea Tyrese Jamie Foxx and hanAther Headley Eftyou to have come from a bad deal with Columbia Records Ne-Yo originally decided to remain as a songwriter until a close friend introduced him to LA Reid, who signed him to Def Jam Records on site
Origin of the name Ne-Yo was given by a mutual friend who called him Neo that he could "see" music like the character Neo from the Matrix trilogy, he changed "yo" part as a tribute to their roots, hip hop
His second album Because of You was released on May 1, 2007 The first single from the platinum-selling album 'Because of You "He also said that he has written songs for Whitney Houston Celine Dion Britney Spears Corbin Bleu and Enrique Iglesias for their upcoming album Smith has also stated that he will write songs for Craig David Usher Chris Brown Jennifer Hudson Leona Lewis and he has recently confirmed thahan have not been contacted by producer William to work on Michael Jackson's futurealbum
Ne-Yo opened a recording studio called Carrington House and started his own label Compound Entertainment, in 2007, Paula Campbell, Sixx John, and Shanell are now associated with Compound
In December 2007, Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls performed at a fundraising concert for presidential candidate Sen Barack Obama
He took part in the song "Deewangi Deewangi" in Hindi film Om Shanti Om
In February 2008 at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards Ne-Yo won Best Contemporary R & B Album for Because Of You
