The 51st Annual Grammy Awards festivities kicked off on Wednesday with Grammy Career Day at USC then Vanity Fair celebrated the Grammys with a private dinner at Chateau Marmont hosted by Keyshia Cole, A&R executive Ron Fair, and Keyshia’s manager Manny Halley.

Ne-Yo has gone 'Mad' like his new single. Taking to his Myspace page Friday, Ne-Yo slammed the media and any haters for taking his words out of context.Going as far as calling his 'light skinned babies' comment a joke, Ne-Yo wrote "Pardon my french, but what the F**k is wrong with y'all. Are you so desperate for an R&B bad guy that you gotta find a way to create one in me ?" "The comment about light skinned babies ... an obvious joke, maybe not a good joke, but clearly a joke. Y'all really took that serious !" Moving along to the next topic, because there are so many things that have been said, Ne-Yo addressed this week's gossip... his feature in PEOPLE that quotes him talking about being able to see Young Jeezy from his balcony: "I tell PEOPLE magazine that Young Jeezy’s crib is right next to mine and that once I saw him in there from across the way. I then make a JOKE about him maybe not wanting to walk around naked in his crib with the shades up cause the buildings are THAT close to each other, and that AIN’T something I care to see. Suddenly, everybody thinks I said I saw Young Jeezy in his crib naked when, NEVER ONCE did I say anything like that." In case any of that is lost, Ne-Yo makes, like Usher, a stand and says: "I’m NOT gay, I’m NOT prejudice to anyone, I DID NOT get stomped out by Jim Jones or anyone else, I’m NOT engaged, I’M NOT STUPID. And to anyone that INSISTS on thinking that any of these things are true…… F*CK YOU. To the haters….find some new material please!!! It’s 2009, our president is black!!! Time for change. To everyone else…… I love you to death, thanx for all your support. WE PLATINUM ROUND HERE!!!!!"

Lil Wayne was the most rewarded by the Recording Academy on Wednesday, receiving eight Grammy nominations including album of the year for "Tha Carter III." His CD was the only record this year to sell 1 million copies in its first week. Following close behind with album of the year contention, singer-songwriter Ne-Yo's "Year of the Gentleman" who got six nominations. Singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan, who has drawn comparisons to Lauryn Hill with her hit "I Need You Bad," had a breakthrough night, with five nominations. Other multiple nominees included Jay-Z and Kanye West, who had six nominations each. T.I., Lupe Fiasco, and Jennifer Hudson garnered four each. The Grammy Awards are scheduled for live broadcast on CBS on Feb 8.

Talent must run in families. The latest to prove this theory is R&B sensation Ne-Yo’s baby sister Nikki Smith... Previously Nikki Smith worked as a songwriter on projects with Dr. Dre, Rodney Jerkins, Alonzo Jackson, Tiffany Villareal, Kurt Farquhar, Nina Sky and of course, big bro Ne-Yo. Take a listen to her new single “Turn Me Loose” to see if Nikki can stand on her own or have to live in the shadows of big brother Ne-Yo’s success.

Listen Here >> Nikki Smith ~ Turn Me Loose

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Keyshia Cole celebrated her 27th birthday at Mr. Chow’s in L.A. with friends like Ne-Yo and Anthony Hamilton.

Beyoncé hit up TRL studios to premiere her two brand new videos “Single Ladies” and “If I Were A Boy”.

Check out this video coming from Ne-Yo for “She Got Her Own” (remix to “Miss Independent”), which features Fabolous and Jamie Foxx. The video also has cameo appearances from Eve, Keyshia Cole, Estelle, Jill Marie Jones, and Teyana Taylor.
Ne-Yo’s new album The Year Of The Gentlemen is in stores now.