NE-YO SCORES SECOND #1 ALBUM DEBUT, AS BECAUSE OF YOU NETS FIRST WEEK SALES OF 251,000

Grammy-nominated Def Jam recording artist and chart topping songwriter Ne-Yo has scored his second #1 career debut on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his second album, BECAUSE OF YOU, which arrived in stores on May 1st. The album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week of release and has debuted at the #3 spot on the digital chart.

BECAUSE OF YOU is the follow-up to Ne-Yo’s RIAA platinum-selling debut album In My Own Words, which hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, and was nominated for a Grammy as Best Contemporary R&B Album. Ne-Yo capped 2006 when he was named Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards.

BECAUSE OF YOU was propelled to #1 position by the hit single “Because Of You,” which is Top 10 on both the R&R (Radio & Records) BDS Urban and M.Base/Urban charts. The second single pick from the album, “Do You,” will hit radio later this month.

After making TV appearances on ABC’s Live with Regis & Kelly, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, PBS’s The Tavis Smiley Show, and CBS’s The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Ne-Yo is now preparing for an 18-city nationwide tour in support of his #1 album. Dates begin on May 31st at The Norva in Norfolk, Virginia, extended through July 5th at Six Flags in San Antonio, Texas. Opening for Ne-Yo will be R&B crooner, Trey Songz.

Most recently, Ne-Yo was credited as co-writer of Beyoncé’s hit single, “Irreplaceable.” As noted in the January 20th issue of Billboard, “Irreplaceable” had just made its best audience week, which was the #2 highest total audience impressions in Nielsen- BDS history (i.e. since 1992). The song with the #3 all-time highest audience total was also co-written by Ne-Yo – namely Mario’s “Let Me Love You.”

Ne-Yo has founded The Compound Foundation which is committed to service at risk and disadvantaged youth. In addition to building two new group homes in the Atlanta area, The Compound Foundation will sponsor performances, motivational speakers and mentorship opportunities with leaders and business people within the community.