Ne-Yo: African-Americans Don't Get the Credit They Deserve

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According to Bet.com He walks like a boss, talks like a boss and effortlessly balances the multiple roles of music producer, singer, songwriter, and actor.
 Ne-Yo is known to wear many hats in the world of entertainment and proves once again that he is always ready to add another to his impressive collection.

BET.com caught up with the soulful crooner to hear of his experience stepping into the shoes of the unsung heroes in the highly anticipated film Red Tails. Here, he shares lessons learned about the Tuskegee Airmen, thoughts on the Lindsey Lohan lawsuit, and tips for new parents Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is a story that many think they know in full. What did you learn that you didn’t already know about that moment in history?
Going into the project I didn’t really know a whole lot. I knew that they were the first African-American fighter pilots in the United States Air force, but I had no idea that they were the very best bomber escorts, never losing a single bomber. That is a great thing! Nor did I know that a lot of the Tuskegee Airmen died after their airplanes were shot down and landed in the ocean. They drowned because they never learned how to swim because all of the pools on the military base were for whites only. [Pauses] That upset me! It was definitely a learning experience and something that I will never forget.

This movie dives deep into racism. Considering that Black History Month is coming up, what type of newfound perspective did this experience bring to your life?
I feel like we, as African-Americans, have been doing amazing things for a really long time and have not been getting the credit we deserve. This is why I defiantly have to “tip my hat" to George Lucas and Anthony Hemingway [director]. Lucas has deemed this a “passion project," a story that he has wanted to tell for a really long time. I’m happy to be a part of making history.