Singer Ne-Yo, real name Shaffer Chimere Smith, won the coveted Golden Mask trophy during Season 10 of “The Masked Singer” on Wednesday.
The 44-year-old artist, who had been competing incognito as the Cow, dedicated his victory to his mother and his seven children during his acceptance speech.
“I had no kids when I first won a Grammy, so I’m gonna say shout-out to Madilyn, Mason, SJ, Roman, Izzy, Braiden and Brixton,” the singer said, before telling host Nick Cannon, “I ain’t got as many as you but I’m getting close.”
Cannon, who is a father of 12, laughed and responded, “Combined, we got a couple dozen.”
Ne-Yo’s journey as a father began with the birth of his first daughter Madilyn Grace (born in 2010) and son Mason Evan (born in 2011) with his former fiancée, Monyetta Shaw-Carter.
After parting ways with Shaw-Carter, he had three children with his now ex-wife Crystal Renay. Their children include Shaffer Chimere Jr. (born in 2016), Roman Alexander-Raj (born in 2018), and Isabella Rose (born in 2021).
The Grammy-winning artist also shares sons Braiden (born in 2021) and Brixton(born 2023) with social media influencer Sade Jenea Bagnerise.
In a recent Instagram post, Ne-yo emphasized that fatherhood takes precedence in his life.
“I’m a FATHER before I’m anything else,” he said. “Not money, not fame, not even the love of the craft. I do this for THEM.”
Ne-Yo expressed the profound significance his children hold in his life, acknowledging that they are his motivation.
“THEY are my reason. I’m nowhere near perfect and that’s ok. My kids love me,” he continued.
The “So Sick” singer emphasized his love for his kids, saying, “The best thing I’ve ever done,” he added. “I LOVE MY TRIBE!! I LOVE MY SQUAD!! AND I WILL FOR ALL OF THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT…AND THE NEXT!”
