It's been less than a year since R&B sensation Ne-Yo released his Grammy award-winning sophomore effort, 'Because of You,' and the hard-working singer-songwriter is already preparing his third album, 'Year of the Gentleman.'

"I'm trying to take it back to where you couldn't walk out of the house unless you looked your best," Ne-Yo told MTV of the inspiration behind the album's title.

"Back in the day of, say, the Rat Pack and Nat King Cole ... any picture you ever see, they're suited and everything is right from top to bottom. Not saying it has to be a suit, 'cause clothes don't make the man -- it's the attitude and person," the singer explained. "The music needs to personify that. A lot of this music [on the album], some of it is gonna be urban, some of it is gonna be pop. Some is gonna ride that middle."