Ne-Yo CONVO BELOW!!

There's the obvious -- the man can sing, dance, act and produce. And of course, he's got major songwriting skills and a long list of famous collaborators (Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Rihanna and Pitbull) on his résumé.

We also can't forget about his taste in fashion. It's fairly clear that the 33-year-old knows how to dress and accessorize (we'll get to his hat fetish later).

But how about these less obvious facts about the Arkansas-born superstar? His real name is Shaffer Chimere Smith; he's a father of two young children with girlfriend Monyetta Shaw (a girl, Madilyn, and a boy, Mason); he has homes in New York, Los Angeles and Alpharetta, Ga.; he dishes out better than decent advice to youngsters (look out, Justin Bieber!); those who know him best describe him as humble and genuine; and like Beyonce, he employs his own personal photographer.

Wonderwall caught up with Ne-Yo to chat about his new collaboration with singer Cher Lloyd for Fruttare Fruit Bars, and we managed to cover all of the above subjects, as well as his biggest luxury and how many hats he owns. (Hint: It's a lot). But let's start with the part about those abs ...

Your body looks amazing! Lately, you've been showing it off on social media, and giving shout-outs to your trainer or trying to motivate fans with a nod to fitness. How hard is it for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

"My trainer travels with me because I know myself. I know that with everything that I do and as much as I move around, that I will get lazy. … But the most important part of it, honestly, is diet. I'm not saying dieting, I'm saying diet. What it is that you eat on a regular basis. Everybody asks me about abs and how do you get your abs to come in. Abs are created in the kitchen. … I give myself one day a week to eat whatever the hell it is I want and throughout the rest of the week I keep it consistent. … It's important as we get older to take care of ourselves."

Speaking of social media, I've been following your updates on Twitter and Instagram and you're always very positive. In an industry where it's easy to get jaded, how do you stay so upbeat? "Because this industry doesn't define me, you know? And other people's opinions of me don't define me. I live my life the way I live my life because it's the way that I choose to live it, and it has nothing to do with another person's opinion or outlook. I believe that you'll get farther with a positive outlook than a negative one. That's something that I've always believed, that's the way I was raised. That's why I do what I do." I've also noticed that you're all over the place, traveling constantly and being a father. Let's talk about your work/life balance. How are you able to have a career and spend time with who you call the two most important people in your life? "The thing about it that really sucks is, you know, these two things are very, very time-consuming and very, very attention-commanding situations. You know, being a father, I want to be there for my kids and not miss any of their milestones. My kids are 1 and 2 years old, so every day something changes. And then on top of that making sure that my career is still in the right place. The sad part of it is that at any given point, one of them has to suffer. … The balance between the two is very, very, very delicate. It takes a lot of understanding on both sides of that gate. So, I thank God for the mother of my children, my mother, my management and my whole team who help me balance out this nearly impossible thing to balance." Do your children travel with you? "No no no, they're too young yet. … I'm gonna wait until they're 4 and 5 or 5 and 6 for me to travel with them like that. I just need them to know where home is and have that sense of security before I start, you know, whipping them all around the world." As you mentioned, young children have milestones almost every day. What are the most recent ones in the lives of your kids that stopped you in your tracks and made you appreciate fatherhood?

"Well, we are well into the trials and tribulations of potty-training with my daughter. She does not like it -- she does not like it at all! But I mean, it's something that she's gonna have to pick up -- you gotta pick it up. My son, his personality blossomed a little later. Maddie was trying to talk and everything at seven months, with Mase, he just recently started smiling and being playful and whatnot. He was a very calm and serene baby for a long time. My mom said I was the same way. He finally is interacting with other kids and interacting with his sister a lot more, so I'm really happy about that."

Let's talk personal style. When I hear the name Ne-Yo, it's synonymous with great style. What is your personal style philosophy and where do you find inspiration?

"I normally dress for comfort, and I know that a lot of people would say that a suit is not the most comfortable wardrobe choice, but it's all in the way you wear the suit. It's all in the power of your tailor. That's the reality of it. And then it's probably just when to wear what. My album, 'Year of the Gentleman,' was my attempt at trying to lead by example, so to speak. I feel a lot of people kind of missed the point, they felt like if they put on a suit that means they're a gentleman. But if you've noticed, as of late, I have shied away from the suit a little bit just to show people that being a gentleman is on the inside, not the outside. … What's on the inside has to match the outside. A gentleman is your persona, your personality, your chivalry and things of that nature, not the nice suit that you're wearing. Anybody can put on a suit."

That's ma baby daddy Ne-Yo