Joe and Jada Podcast: Ne-Yo on New Country Album, Beyoncé Collabs, and Michael Jackson & Prince Stories

Hosts: Fat Joe ("Joe Crack the Dawn") and Jadakiss ("Jada")
Guest: Ne-Yo (Singer/Songwriter/Producer)
Release Date: September 30, 2025
Episode Theme:
A wide-ranging, lively, and candid conversation with Ne-Yo about his new country-inspired album, iconic songwriting moments (including working with Beyoncé), personal tales from encounters with music legends Michael Jackson and Prince, navigating the music industry, and the dynamics of his polyamorous family life.

Main Theme and Purpose

This episode centers on Ne-Yo's genre-bending journey into "country-inspired" music, his prolific songwriting for artists like Beyoncé and Rihanna, and inside stories from his encounters with Michael Jackson and Prince. The hosts and Ne-Yo discuss industry challenges, creative processes, authenticity, family, and living outside the box personally and musically.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ne-Yo’s “Country-Inspired” Album

[03:32–05:07, 57:15–57:22]

• Ne-Yo clarifies he's inspired by country but won't call himself a country artist out of respect:

  "Country inspired. I feel like it’s disrespectful for me to call it a country album...it’s inspired by all the things I love about country music." (Ne-Yo, 03:38)

• Connection to earlier songwriting, including Beyoncé’s "Irreplaceable" which was "kind of written like a country song."
• Plans for a tour and a Las Vegas residency accompanying the album:

  “It's everything I love about country music mixed with what I normally do. Coming soon.” (Ne-Yo, 57:19)

2. Songwriting Iconics: Beyoncé, Rihanna, and More

[04:13–05:07, 33:06–34:10, 36:07–36:50]

• On writing "Irreplaceable" for Beyoncé:

  "She ain’t need me for nothing...She knocked that song out in about an hour by herself...I wasn’t needed, but I was mad at it." (Ne-Yo, 04:29)

• The process of tracks meant for one artist ending up with another (e.g., songs for Britney Spears going to Beyoncé and Rihanna):

  “Every song I wrote for her, Tata was there. Two weeks later, he’s like ‘Yo, we gave that to Rihanna. We gave that to Beyoncé.’” (Ne-Yo, 33:33)

• The role of A&R Tata in redirecting songs to bigger placements.

3. Music Industry Realities: Labels, A&R, and Hit-Making

[27:37–38:10]

• Ne-Yo and the hosts share real talk about how record labels champion artists when things go well and shift blame when things go bad.
• Fat Joe and Ne-Yo discuss their albums that flopped commercially and how industry figures react (or abandon artists):

  "When the shit flopped...the man who insisted got up, looked at me, and ran away from me like I had AIDS or HIV. And I realized...these people don’t give a f***." (Joe, 28:23)

• Insights into the sometimes dubious practice of labels getting paid on shipping albums, regardless of sales.
• The role authentic (and sometimes brutally honest) people in the business play, like Tata:

  "Tata was a nigga that told me, 'Listen...ain't nobody really, you ain't got too many people in your corner. Just letting you know that.'" (Ne-Yo, 30:16)

4. Iconic Encounters: Michael Jackson & Prince

Michael Jackson: [16:44–20:18]

• The first phone call from MJ:

  "This is Michael Jackson." [Ne-Yo hung up, thinking it was a prank] (Ne-Yo, 16:47–17:10)

• Meeting MJ in person:

  "He walked in and he said, 'You know what my favorite song of yours is?' I’m like, favorite song of mine? Michael Jackson singing my song?" (Ne-Yo, 18:27) "He sang it and I turned into a twelve-year-old girl instantly. I kept it G though." (Ne-Yo, 18:58)

• They planned to work together before MJ’s passing after the This Is It tour.

Prince: [20:36–22:53]

• A chance encounter at Prince’s Grammy party uplifted Ne-Yo after album disappointment:

  "He sees me, puts his guitar down, beelines through the crowd...he comes up and says, 'Libra Scale is a good album. Don’t let nobody tell you different.' And walked on. From that moment...Prince said it’s good, it’s good. I’m good." (Ne-Yo, 22:23)

• Restored his creative confidence after the commercial failure of "Libra Scale".

5. Viral Moments and Memorable Quotes

• On working with Beyoncé:

  “I'm still eating off that. I still ain't spent all that.” (Ne-Yo, 04:29)

• On inspiration from country music:

  “Always appreciated country music—it's storytelling. You gotta be clever with lyric in country music.” (Ne-Yo, 05:07)

• On his music creation vs. marketing:

  “Realize my job ain’t to sell records. My job is to make music.” (Ne-Yo, 42:10)

• On authenticity for new-gen fans:

  “These young kids, they don’t want the fake shit… They want to see if it’s real or not.” (Joe, 46:30)

6. Living Polyamorous: The Realities of Family Life

[51:05–56:17]

• Ne-Yo on living with four wives (polyamory/polygamy):

  "There's a mindset the woman has to have...Everybody’s supposed to kind of pitch in together...It's like a village." (Ne-Yo, 51:41) “After my very public, ugly divorce, I decided I’m going to just keep it a buck with everybody. Be it good, bad, ugly—just keep it a buck.” (Ne-Yo, 52:36)

• The hosts’ fascinated questions on logistics, mentality, and how traditional “gifts” and roles change in his household.

7. Naming the Greatest: Songwriters & Groups

[58:24–60:45]

• On being asked to name top 5 songwriters, Ne-Yo lists: Babyface, Smokey Robinson, Johntá Austin, The-Dream, Lionel Richie.
• On Lionel Richie’s pop and country crossover and industry “gatekeeping.”

8. Personal Growth, Identity & Artistic Versatility

• Ne-Yo talks about the pressures he faced early in his career to fit an image dictated by labels, his realization about industry “budget depletion” tactics, and his current commitment to authenticity.

9. Golf, Entrepreneurship, and New Ventures

[62:29–63:16]

• Ne-Yo’s latest entrepreneurial venture: a new golf line with manager Tango, inspired by his own introduction to the game through star-studded tournaments.

Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• On Irreplaceable’s Recording Experience:

  "I ain't never felt so useless in my damn life working with Beyoncé. She ain't need me for nothing...she did it in about an hour." (Ne-Yo, 04:29)

• On Michael Jackson singing his own song:

  "He sang it and I turned into a twelve-year-old girl instantly. I kept it in though. I kept it G." (Ne-Yo, 18:58)

• On Prince’s encouragement:

  "Prince said it's good, it's good. I'm good. And it, like, restored my desire to be in music, man." (Ne-Yo, 22:23)

• On finding joy in his polyamorous household:

  "Between my kids and my women, I don’t need no gifts. Every day is a gift in my crib, you know?" (Ne-Yo, 08:05)

• On the real function of labels:

  "They there for all the celebration when things go well, and when things go bad, it's your fault. Let me tell you something—you know how that goes." (Ne-Yo, 27:44)

• On creative philosophy:

  "My job is to make the music and then give it to the person whose job it is to sell it." (Ne-Yo, 42:19)

Major Segments with Timestamps

• Defining the "country-inspired" album ([03:32–05:07])
• The making of “Irreplaceable” & songwriting for Beyoncé ([04:13–05:07])
• Song placements and role of A&R Tata ([33:06–34:10])
• Early label experiences, A&R woes ([34:10–36:07])
• Prince’s pep talk post–Libra Scale ([20:36–22:53])
• Michael Jackson stories ([16:44–20:18])
• Life with four wives & polyamory wisdom ([51:05–56:17])
• Hit-making formula & industry survival ([38:10–41:48])
• Launching a golf fashion line ([62:29–63:16])
• Top 5 songwriters and music debates ([58:24–60:28])
• Live performance debut: “Simple Things” (from new album) ([65:34–66:56])

Podcast Tone and Vibe

Candid, humorous, honest, with family-like chemistry between all parties. Deep industry insight, but laced with streetwise humor and practical advice. Frequent friendly interruptions, banter, and a palpable sense of mutual respect, especially toward Ne-Yo’s accomplishments and growth.

Conclusion

This episode delivers a rich conversation spanning Ne-Yo's evolution as an artist, behind-the-scenes music industry drama, personal stories with legends, and the real-life complexity of his family structure. With memorable anecdotes and wisdom on artistry, hustle, and living authentically, listeners are given an unfiltered look at what it means to forge a unique path in music and in life.

End of Summary