Jan 2, 2008 8:24 am US/Pacific
Ne-Yo Sues R. Kelly Promoter Over Tour Firing
Rapper Claims He Was Dropped For Being Too Popular
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Ne-Yo in a suit claimed the promoter of R. Kelly tours fired him for being the more popular artist.
Rapper Ne-Yo sued the promoter of R. Kelly tours for firing him after two shows as the opening act for Kelly because the audience and the critics liked him better, court papers obtained on Wednesday show.
Ne-Yo, whose real name is Shaffer Smith, and Compound Touring Inc. filed the suit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Georgia-based Rowe Entertainment Inc., alleging breach of contract and violation of the right of publicity.
Compound Touring and Smith are seeking unspecified damages, but the suit maintains he was to be paid $785,000 for 25 shows opening for Kelly's "Double-Up Tour" that began Nov. 14 and is still owed $735,000.
Representatives for Kelly and Rowe Entertainment were not immediately available for comment.
Compound Touring, based in Los Angeles, provides the services of Smith for concert tours.
Smith was allowed to perform during the Nov. 14 and 15 tour dates, then was fired prior to the scheduled Nov. 19 show, according to the suit.
"Plaintiffs ... allege ... that an unknown representative of R. Kelly urged Rowe to terminate Smith from the tour given the audience's and critics' more favorable reaction to Smith than the reaction to R. Kelly," the suit states.
Compound Touring spent "substantial monies in preparation for the tour and turned down other touring and performance opportunities for Smith in reliance on Rowe's agreement that Smith would perform on the tour," according to the suit.
Smith, 28, is of black and Chinese descent. His CDs, "In My Own Words" and "Because of You," were released in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Both reached the top of the domestic charts and had sales of more than one million.
Smith also is a songwriter and penned Rihanna's top-ten hit "Unfaithful" and Beyonce's smash single "Irreplaceable." He also has said he has written songs for Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Whitney Houston.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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