VOA标准英语2009年-Ne-Yo Brings Sophistication to Hip-Hop

By Larry London
Washington
21 September 2009

With a collection of five Top 10 Billboard¹ chart hits off of two Number One albums, R&B performer Ne-Yo has established himself as a powerful force in music. Since writing the chart-topping hit, "Let me Love You", for Mario, Ne-Yo has been sought after by some of music's biggest stars, from Rihanna and Whitney Houston to Celine Dion.
 
 
Ne-Yo
As a songwriter Ne-Yo has worked with Mary J. Blige, Beyonce and actor Jamie Foxx. Ne-Yo recently released his third album as an artist.

"'Closer,' for example, which is the first single, is very much a different direction from what I normally do, you know what I mean? It took people a minute to catch on," he says, "It took people a minute to get over the initial shock of this not being your typical Ne-Yo sounding record."

His current CD, Year of the Gentleman, includes songs about many facets² of relationships. One in particular was inspired by something Ne-Yo's mother told him.

"My Mom had a lot of influence on songs like 'Mad', for example. That was a tidbit of advice that my Mom gave me. It was a recurring³ piece of advice, too. She said, 'You never, ever, ever want to let the sun set on an argument. For one, you don't want to start tomorrow with yesterday's drama on your back," he says. "That's no way to start the day. And for two, God forbid something happen and then the last thing you spoke⁴ to this person about was some silly argument'."

Dance is an important part of Ne-Yo's videos and his live shows. He says there is a list of innovators to whom he and other contemporary artists owe a debt.

"Sammy Davis Jr. was a fantastic dancer. I actually wanted to learn how to tap dance, but it takes a little more patience than I have. [I am a] huge fan of Michael Jackson. I don't think there is anybody doing R&B today or for the last 10 years, mind you, that cannot say that they were not inspired by Michael Jackson in some way, shape, form or fashion," he explains.

Ne-Yo credits legendary⁵ entertainers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. for his sense of fashion.

"The thing about those guys is that it was not just, it was not just when they were on stage. Those guys were … you know, dressed to the nines [nicely] 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That is what it meant to be an entertainer back then, you know. It was not a façade. It was not something you put on, 'OK, I've got to get on stage, let me get dappered up.' No, it was who you were," he says. "It was an effortless kind of cool that they had that that you just do not see nowadays. You know what I mean. I do not know when it became cool [fashionable] to dress like a slob, but I just … I do not get it. I have never understood it, and to this day I do not understand it."

Ne-Yo defines what it is to be a gentleman.

"One thing that got misconstrued with this album is that people started feeling like, 'OK, if I put on a suit and a tie that makes me a gentleman.' That is not how it works. You know what I mean? A gentleman is who you are. It is your persona; it is your swag [how you present your style]; a word that is used today. It is your charisma⁶. It is your personality not your clothes."

Ne-Yo's taste in clothes has led to a collaboration⁷ with Macy's, a national department store.

As in demand as he is as an artist, songwriter and fashion consultant⁸, Ne-Yo lends his name and his time to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities, an organization that works to benefit seriously ill children. He recently appeared at an event celebrating World Children's Day.

"Those kids are going though some really, really trying times, and to be able to go over there and, you know, just generate some smiles, it was a wonderful feeling," he says. "It is beyond words."

It is the year of the gentleman.

1 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

2 facets   

n.（宝石或首饰的）小平面( facet的名词复数 )；（事物的）面；方面

参考例句：

• The question had many facets. 这个问题是多方面的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A fully cut brilliant diamond has 68 facets. 经过充分切刻的光彩夺目的钻石有68个小平面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 recurring   

adj.往复的，再次发生的

参考例句：

• This kind of problem is recurring often. 这类问题经常发生。
• For our own country, it has been a time for recurring trial. 就我们国家而言，它经过了一个反复考验的时期。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

6 charisma   

n.(大众爱戴的)领袖气质，魅力

参考例句：

• He has enormous charisma. He is a giant of a man.他有超凡的个人魅力，是个伟人。
• I don't have the charisma to pull a crowd this size.我没有那么大的魅力，能吸引这么多人。

7 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

8 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。