Ne-Yo featuring Peedi Crakk

"Stay"

Twenty-two-year-old Ne-Yo scored this summer after scribing Mario's "Let Me Love You," but Ne-Yo's own love-longing single "Stay" is far more dynamic: a dance-tempo R&B track lightened by synth twinkles and a melting chorus that conjures thoughts of "Human Nature"-era Michael Jackson. The rap interlude by Peedi Crakk may be a necessary evil for landing "Stay" on hip-hop radio, but it doesn't overpower Ne-Yo's rich tone gliding along the deliciously subtle bass line.