Ne-Yo Believes Polyamory Has Hurt His Career

BY Erika Marie
Link Copied to Clipboard!
NCAA Football: Big 12 Championship-Iowa State at Arizona State
Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Singer and rapper Ne-Yo performs with the Iowa State Cyclones marching band during halftime of the game between the Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Add HNHH as a preferred source on Google
The singer & his 3 girlfriends have paraded their polyamorous relationship online, but Ne-Yo now claims it's cost him business deals.

He's put his unconventional polyamorous relationship on display, but Ne-Yo now claims that it has been detrimental to his profession. Back in 2023, the famed singer's marriage to Crystal Renay dissolved after seven years. Soon, he emerged with several women, whom he said were his girlfriends. There were social media posts expressing love and adoration for his ladies, but he received mixed reactions from the public, and, apparently, his business moves were negatively affected.

On a recent visit to the Sorry We're Cyrus podcast with Tish and Brandi Cyrus, the hitmaker shared that "the world is mad" about his polyamory. "There are people upset,” he said. "There's deals that I missed out on because they're like, ‘We don't know if we can get behind the whole polyamorous [thing].'"

Read More: Ne-Yo Dives Into His Polyamorous Relationship And Explains His Four Girlfriends' Roles

"It's almost like you can be a great person," Ne-Yo added. "You can show respect and appreciation [for your fans and colleagues], but the second you do something that they don't agree with, canceled, you know what I mean? And that just doesn't make any sense to me."

The singer also stated that too many people think of polyamory as being inherently sexual, but that's not the case. “We are a family. We love each other, and it's a beautiful thing,” he said. Further, Ne-Yo reportedly lives with his three girlfriends and their children, according to PEOPLE. "People say the dumbest stuff, like, ‘It's degrading.' Degrading to who? I'm not lying to nobody. Everybody is here by choice."

Read More: Ne-Yo Allows His Four Girlfriends To Take Center Stage: "I Present My Pyramid"

Following his divorce from Crystal Renay, Ne-Yo decided to tell all of the women he was dating that he wouldn't be exclusive with them, and they seemingly agreed to their lifestyle. The women seem to be dating only Ne-Yo, while he is free to pursue others. It may not be for everyone, but it apparently works for them.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming the Co-Head of Original Content. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, and Amy Luciani—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

Comments 0