NE-YO SLAMS GAY RUMOURS

NE-YO SLAMS GAY RUMOURS

R+B singer NE-YO is vehemently denying claims he is going to announce he is gay. The SO SICK singer's publicist has slammed reports the singer will announce he is gay during a New York City press conference this week (begs28AUG06) and insists that he will also not be coming out in the latest issue of Essence magazine. Ne-Yo, real name SHAFFER CHIMERE SMITH, was forced to address the claims after an e-mail was circulated on the internet purportedly including quotes from the interview, which are attributed to a woman named BARBRA. A Def Jam representative says, "It's completely false. There isn't a staff member by that name at Essence, nor is Ne-Yo going to be featured in the October issue of the magazine."