Ne-Yo Exits Def Jam to Become Motown A&R Exec

Ne-Yo attends the "Red Tails" premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater on Jan. 10, 2012 in New York City

*Ne-Yo is kicking off the New Year with a new gig.

The Grammy Award-winning singer (and co-star of the George Lucas-produced “Red Tails”) has not just moved from Def Jam to Motown Records, according to a statement sent to MTV News on Wednesday (Jan. 25), but he will also take over as the label’s senior vice president of A&R.

“I’m honored that I¹ve been given such a prestigious title and trusted with such responsibility; terrified because I know that playing this role in the fashion of one of my career role models, Mr. Smokey Robinson — these are big shoes to fill. But trust, I can handle it,” the singer said in the statement.

Ne-Yo released his debut “In My Own Words” on Def Jam in 2006 and released three subsequent albums on the label. The singer/songwriter’s fifth LP will now come through Motown, which, like Def Jam, falls under the Universal umbrella. The deal also calls for Ne-Yo to bring his Compound Entertainment imprint over to Motown.

“His track record of success at Def Jam will always be a benchmark,” said Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown chairman/CEO Barry Weiss in the same statement. “But this move to Motown will provide new and inspiring challenges for Ne-Yo as both an artist and a key member of the new senior management team that is taking form at the label in 2012.”

Senior Vice President of Motown Ethiopia Habtemariam added that signing Ne-Yo, who has written for Rihanna (“Take A Bow”), Beyoncé (“Irreplaceable”) and Mario (“Let Me Love You”), will only bolster Motown’s historical reputation for making great R&B.

“We are committed to discovering, developing and nurturing R&B/soul superstars here at Motown,” she said. “In Ne-Yo we have both a global superstar and arguably one of the best songwriters in music. His presence on the executive team only strengthens our commitment to be the very best in R&B.”