A Little Irresponsible Most Of The Time

Ne-Yo “Cracks In Mr. Perfect”

Ne-Yo has spent most of his career presenting himself as an idealized boyfriend, a fantasy for women and an aspirational figure for straight men. This song has him stepping out of that role and addressing the fact that his actual lived experience is very different from the characters in his songs. The Ne-Yo of “Cracks In Mr. Perfect” is sexually irresponsible and driven mainly by insecurities, whether he’s blowing cash at a club to seem like a player or worrying about other artists who may outshine him. He’s not beating himself up, though. He has a sense of humor about this, and is owning his faults and foibles. The song is just as seductive as anything else he’d record normally, and the candor only makes him more charming.

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