By Dionne Buxton

It’s always a great idea to party in the name of a good cause, and boy, does Trey Songz know how to party. Let’s set the scene: On Friday night (November 25), at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom, Songz performed a special one-night only concert to benefit his Angels With Heart Foundation, which taps successful individuals and profitable companies to give back to underprivileged youth.

Even though it was a charity event, the concert was still for the grown, and dare I say it…sexy. The show was sponsored by New York’s Hot 97 radio station, with Funkmaster Flex on the 1s and 2s, getting the audience ready for the main attraction. The lights went dim at 8:55 p.m., as the screen on stage showed a countdown timer between two wings, and Angels With Heart emblazoned below it. 10…9….8….the heart above the timer begins to pulsate…..3…2…1…The smoke clears and reveals Trey Songz, decked out in a black tux with red lining. “Yuuuuuppppppp,” he begins the show in his falsetto pitch, singing songs from his most recent mixtape Anticipation 2.

He took a minute to tell the audience what the occasion was all about. “…This is something bigger than myself,” he began. “I realized I have the power to impact lives, and it's time to send that love back into the world. Every dollar from tonight’s show will go to my foundation.” Songz got back to business, transitioning into the adult part of the show singing songs like “Love Faces,” “Good Feelings” and “Invented Sex,” before attempting to sing his part on the Ne-Yo featured “The Way You Move,” admitting that he just couldn’t do it without his homeboy.

But why should he have to? Out walks Ne-Yo, and together they finish the song, feeding off of each other’s energy. After the track, the audience wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Ne-Yo and apparently the feeling was mutual. “Bro, I know this is your thing but you wouldn’t mind if I did my thing for a bit huh?” Ne-Yo asks. The audience answered for him.

In his smooth, sultry voice he sang “One in a Million” and his verse on Pitbull’s radio hit “Give Me Everything.” Before he could get through his second song, Trey was back in his street wear jamming along. When Ne-Yo finally said goodbye, the concert took an interesting twist.

Self-proclaimed stans or “Trey’s Angels,” knew that the singer would be celebrating

his 27th birthday on Monday (November 28) and one seasoned lady came prepared to celebrate. Trey invited her on stage and opened her rather expensive gift--a Gucci money clip. So what did she get in return? His hat and a towel to wipe off his sweat from his bare chest, which seemed like a fair deal at the time.

Trey Songz ended the show with cell phones and lighters in the air, performing, “Top of the World.” And while the gospel choir backed him, he told the story of his journey to create his charitable foundation. “I get to see people all around the world who love my music, but don’t have shoes to wear,” he said. In the middle of his message his mom walked behind him and placed a black shirt with angel wings over his shoulder, and he got emotional. “Give it up for the woman who made this possible, ya’ll have no idea what I’ve been through.”

Finally he took his mother by the hand and descended into the smoke with his last words, “Mama we did it.”