It's Time for Hip-Hop to Step Up

... Embrace LGBT Models

Ne-Yo believes there's an opportunity for a hip-hop artist to be a champion for the LGBT community ... and the job's open for the taking.

The singer and "World of Dance" judge was leaving LAX Friday when we brought up the controversy over a transgender model being edited out of Travis Scott's new album cover. Ne-Yo doesn't slam the rapper -- especially since Travis' team says it wasn't his fault -- but he makes it clear LGBT models deserve more respect and equal treatment in hip-hop.

And, if someone were to spearhead a movement on behalf of those models ... Ne-Yo says they'd go down in history.On a lighter note, Ne-Yo weighed in on his fellow 'WoD' judge, J Lo, and…