Ne-Yo and Chris Brown Get “Up Close and Personal” This Summer
By Andrew Silberstein ‘08
News Staff Reporter
R&B’s favorite teen heartthrobs are at it again—this time with a major tour, the “Up Close and Personal Tour,” hitting off in August featuring the likes of Ne-Yo and Chris Brown, as well as hip-hop stars Lil’ Wayne, Juelz Santana, and Dem Franchize Boyz.
“It’s going to be off the hook,” Ne-Yo tells the Choate News in an exclusive interview. “We get to rock the stage with a bunch of our friends and have some fun at the same time.”
Ne-Yo, born Shaffer Smith in the suburbs of Las Vegas, has been singing and writing songs ever since the age of six. Raised in a single-parent household, Smith soon learned to express his emotions through pencil and paper, which ultimately led to the large success of a recent writing job—Mario’s “Let Me Love You”—this past year. Since then, the crooner has written for Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, tourmate Chris Brown, Rihanna, and others. His album, In “My Own Words,” was released via Def Jam Records this past winter and quickly reached platinum-status worldwide.
Prior to the successes of singer/songwriter Ne-Yo, sixteen year old teen heartthrob Chris Brown invaded nationwide radio stations and Billboard charts alike with his club banger, “Run It!” featuring Juelz Santana. The third (and final) single from his debut imprint, Chris Brown, entitled “Gimme’ That” features a brief verse by Cash Money Records’ CEO Lil’ Wayne.
Dem Franchize Boys were also chosen to perform on the tour, according to Ne-Yo, “because they’re hot. [“Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It”] is a catchy song that you hear blasting out of cars literally everywhere you go.”
Insiders anticipate the addition of a female artist on the bill, though no one has been confirmed to join the three-month stint. (Editors Note: Keyshia Cole, anyone?) It will hit 8-10,000 seat amphitheatres throughout the nation, and span from August 11 to October 15 according to Chris Brown’s camp.
Ne-Yo and crew will start out in Nashville, Tennesse and slowly weave their way through the south until reaching Washington D.C. and New York City on August 19 and August 25 respectively. They will then head back down south and move west through Michigan, Texas, Ohio, Canada, and ultimately California.
Will the tour be the best hip-hop event to hit the nation this summer? Only time will tell. Chris Brown’s smooth vocals, Ne-Yo’s sexually-driven lyrics, Dem Franchize Boyz’ infectious snap music, Juelz’s street swagger, and Lil’ Wayne’s southern hospitality may just combine to form a show enjoyable for audiences of all ages.
Ticket prices and on-sale dates have yet to be confirmed; stay tuned to ticketmaster.com for updates on the tour.
