Ne-Yo Receives Key to City of Las Vegas & Honored With Ne-Yo Day During Residency Concert

Ne-Yo has just about seen it all in his decorated career. But the hitmaker was caught off-guard during his Human Love Rebellion residency concert in Las Vegas on Wednesday night (Aug. 7) as he received a prestigious honor.

Mayor Carolyn Goodman surprised him on stage with the Key to the City of Las Vegas, and she also officially dubbed Aug. 7 as Ne-Yo Day in Sin City.

She interrupted the show two songs in to present the singer — born Shaffer Smith — with the key to the city while giving him his flowers for his success as a musician, but also his philanthropic efforts around the city that raised him. “Yours has extra jewels [compared] to the one we gave Usher two months ago,” Goodman quipped. “You’re homegrown, my dear man … Congratulations!”

Rocking a leopard-print suit and with the crowd chanting his name, Ne-Yo began to get a bit emotional. “Thank you,” he began. “I don’t want to get emotional, I’m trying to be fly. I can’t cry in this suit. Thank you to our lovely mayor, thank you to the city of Las Vegas, thank you all for being here.”

It’s been a celebratory year for Ne-Yo, who embarked on his independent journey in June after two decades in the major label system with Motown and Def Jam Records. “It’s a blessing to be in this position to control my own destiny as an independent artist,” he said at the time. “My artistry means everything to me and I’m excited to embrace this new beginning with ‘2 Million Secrets.’ It’s a personal song that took growth to write, but I’m proud to share it with the world.”

Ne-Yo’s Human Love Rebellion residency continues this weekend with a pair of shows at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas, where he’ll take the stage on Aug. 9 and Aug. 10.

Watch the video below.