News/Commentary

‘I did not apologize’: Rapper Ne-Yo sets the record straight after ‘publicist’ caved to LGBTQ mob

August 8, 2023 | | Print Article

Poor PR inspired a triple-down on transgenderism “from the horse’s mouth” after a misconstrued apology branded one entertainer a “coward.”

In a turnabout that wasn’t, Grammy-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo, real name Shaffer Chimere Smith, appeared to have had enough Monday of his position getting parsed. As a result, he took to Instagram to speak directly to the public and quiet detractors on either side of the argument without concern for the potential of getting “canceled for this.”

“Listen, I normally don’t give too much of a damn about what y’all think about what I do, what you have to say about what I say, whatever,” the performer began. “I normally don’t care because, like I said, opinions ain’t special. Everybody got one. However, this is something I feel very strongly on, and I need y’all to hear this from the horse’s mouth, not the publicist’s computer.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by NE-YO (@neyo)

“First and foremost, I did not apologize for having an opinion on this matter,” asserted the artist. “I am a 43-year-old heterosexual man raising five boys and two girls, okay? That’s my reality. If my opinion offended somebody, yeah, sure, I apologize for you being offended because that wasn’t my intention. My intention is never to offend anybody.”

As previously reported, following an interview with podcast host Gloria Velez where Ne-Yo had made the case that it wasn’t a good idea to let kids “make a life-changing decision” for themselves and somewhere along the line, “Parents have almost forgotten what the role of a parent is,” he had supported his view with a comment that read in part, “I’m not asking anybody to agree with me nor am I telling you what you can and cannot do with your children.”

“Why should I care if my opinion upsets you when you don’t care if yours upsets anyone? Opinions aren’t special,” he had declared.

By Sunday, amidst support from conservatives and outcry from leftists, a statement was posted to the singer’s social media page expressing his “deepest apologies to anyone that I may have hurt with my comments on parenting and gender identity.”

As Ne-Yo clarified in his video post, what the seemingly publicist-penned apology didn’t do was alter his stated opinion in any way.

“However, I’m entitled to feel how I feel. I am absolutely entitled to feel how I feel the same way you are entitled to feel how you feel,” he explained before going on, “If I get canceled for this, then, you know what, maybe this is a world where they don’t need a Ne-Yo no more. And I ain’t got no problem with that. I’m a hustler, alright? I’ll figure it out. I got kids to raise and I’m gonna do that regardless.”

The strong and unequivocal affirmation of his position drew lauding from many and, as it happened, apologies from quite a few who had jumped to conclusions about the artist’s willingness to cave to outrage mobs.

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Kevin Haggerty
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