When Ne-Yo found out about the allegations of violence between Chris Brown and Rihanna, he knew he couldn’t get the story from a third party. Concerned for both his friends, the singer wanted to speak to them personally.

On Monday afternoon (February 23), a still-stunned Ne-Yo offered his thoughts.

“I wanted to talk to them before I made a comment,” he said about the much-publicized incident that occurred several hours before the Grammy Awards on February 8. Brown turned himself in to police during the awards show and was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats and released. “I spoke to Rihanna. She says she’s fine. She didn’t go into detail about what happened. I understand it’s a painful situation; I didn’t push.”

Like so many of Rihanna’s fans, friends and family members, Ne-Yo said he was grief-stricken after viewing the recently leaked photo of a bruised and apparently battered Rihanna shortly after her altercation with Brown.

“I saw the picture,” he said solemnly. “That just really — that hurt me to my heart, man. Again, I still don’t know what happened, ’cause I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to Chris yet. But to take it to that level really hurt my heart. All I can say is, I’m praying for both of them. They’re both in my prayers. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Chris yet. I just wanna sit down and talk to that dude and just explain if he doesn’t understand: ‘That’s not something that’s excusable, bruh. You have to get a little smarter about whatever it is going on in your relationship. You have to get a little smarter about how you handle certain situations.’ “

Still, Ne-Yo refused to be Brown’s judge and jury. “I’m not going to crucify him,” Ne-Yo said. “I’m not going to do that. That’s still my homeboy at the end of the day. For it to go to that level was wrong. I won’t say who was responsible. I won’t pick no sides. I’m just saying it was wrong [that] it had to happen like that, and I’m praying for the both of them.”

Ne-Yo has had very close ties to Brown and Rihanna. In 2006, Brown and Ne-Yo co-headlined a tour that featured Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana. In 2005, Ne-Yo and Rihanna became two of the main pieces of the Def Jam puzzle when then-president Jay-Z had a hand in signing both acts. Ne-Yo penned his duet with Rihanna “I Hate That I Love You.”

Bowwow

Rap artist Bow Wow recently got up close and personal with OK! about the ongoing investigation into Chris Brown’s alleged beating of girlfriend Rihanna.

While promoting his new album New Jack City II at NYC’s Planet Hollywood Times Square on Feb. 23, Bow Wow told OK! that when he first heard the news of Chris and Rihanna’s fight, he didn’t know what to think.

“I mean, being in the business, the first thing is ‘ah, it’s false, another rumor, bloggers just wanting to have traffic to their site,’” Bow Wow tells OK!. “But when the story was unfolding, it was kind of shocking to all. Chris is a good friend of mine. We’ve had the opportunity to tour together. And then Rihanna, she’s just a beautiful person. Period. Never done no wrong to nobody.”

Bow Wow continues, “At the end of the day I’ve always believed in whatever happens with people’s business…my mom always told me don’t get into. And the situation is so major I think they just need their space and I think they need to deal with it.”

The rapper says the media needs to back off the estranged couple because it’s making it harder for them both.

“I’ve been in a high profile relationship before and I know how it feels when everybody’s in your business. It just puts more pressure. And the only way they’re going to get over the situation is just to let them deal with it. And that’s what I really want to do. I’m praying for them both.”

Bow Wow, who says he hasn’t spoken to either Chris or Rihanna, says he couldn’t believe the horrifying picture that leaked on the internet last week, showing the singer with cuts and bloodied bruises on her face.

“Just shocking,” he tells OK!. “I mean we heard what happened but we really didn’t get a visual for it. But I mean hey, man. The picture speaks for itself.”