With a career that spans more than 20 years, Usher has sold 75 million records worldwide, affording him the title of the of one of the best selling musicians of all time.
Despite the dismal sales and the lack of resonating singles of the crooner’s last set, ‘Hard II Love,‘ he still maintains his status as one of the R&B fathers who has inspired the current young crooners like Trey Songz, August Alsina, and Chris Brown.
During a recent visit to the Pandora radio show ‘Questlove Supreme,’ Mr. Raymond opened up about some intriguing details about his career, music, love, and life. Check out the excerpts below.
On signing with L.A. Reid and Babyface during their feud:
‘When I first signed to LaFace Records, I wanted to do an album with Babyface and LA Reid, right? I signed specifically for that reason. So LA Reid wanted Babyface to work on me and they were going through, you know, a lot of drama at the time. They were kinda severing their ties…he got mad…And he built an entire album for me, and he gave the whole album to somebody else…Tevin Campbell! ‘Can We Talk’…was my song…’
On his regret of not collaborating with young Chris Brown:
‘So there’s one thing in my career that I definitely regret, one thing. And to this day I battle with it which is why I always show support of this artist whenever he asks…So his manager comes in…They show him to me…I was working on an album at this time, they wanted him to perform on this album…I was like okay cool…Then I went to my team and they was like ‘I don’t think you should work with this artist’…Then he left…Chris Brown.’
On his first marriage with Tameka Foster:
‘That marriage and that relationship was gonna come to an end…but it served a purpose in my life…And no matter what my mother was attempting to tell me, and a lot of people were trying to tell me about that, I think a lot of it had to do with my lack thereof a father…I did not want to be a person who would just roll out.’
On social issues and the current social climate:
‘If we really want to begin to remedy some of the issues we have, we gotta be more disciplined ourselves to be people who share our information…I ain’t just talking about mentoring people in your company. Or because it’s a company duty and responsibility to do that shit. No, find people to mentor and talk to them. Bring them together. Create groups, talk to them as a collective because you got insight and offer that.’
Usher always tends to have a cool perspective, which makes reads like this intriguing.
Hopefully, his new music, whenever it arrives, delivers.
Your thoughts?
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Hope the poor reception of “Hard II Love” drove the message (which is, the G.P. Is tired of the electro/trap mess he’s been putting out in recent times). Revist the formula that made Confessions easy to love. Sidenote “Can We Talk” was best suited for Tevin, Ain’t no way young Usher could top Tevin’s vocals in the 90s.
You obviously didn’t listen to Hard II Love because it was the r&b album that so many of y’all had been begging for. Yet when it came out you didn’t even bother to listen to it. His album was a great body of work and one of the best r&b albums of 2016.
AMEN to that!
Ushers “fans” are so fickle. Just admit that you aren’t interested in anything he has to offer. He’s washed and it’s ok. His huge commercial success was bound to end.
I wouldn’t have like Can We Talk with Usher’s voice tbh. I can hear it now. Uh uh.
For those of you saying you wish he returned back to doing a full R&B album again then y’all COMPLETELY ignored his last album “Hard II Love” and don’t remember it as he did leave the EDM/Pop music behind for that album and gave us R&B.
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TIDAL made this album flop! As he SACRIFICED his long awaited album to help the platform but it didn’t and the album was leaked all over a month before it’s release.
That songs on that weren’t that good, All that trap mess on the album turned me off.
The songs on that album weren’t that good, All that trap mess on the album turned me off.
He didn’t evolve as an artist. Just started trend hoping. Usher is suppose to be the equivalent male version of Bey. After Confessions, he just started going with the flow, music was la di da di da. Sure, he’s produced a few hits here and there but nothing like his first 3 LPs. From 1997 – 2004, each era got better and better. Then he started going backwards.
Artists are shooting themselves in the foot with Tidal and all these attempts to be “creative” with the roll out of their albums. Just put ship the damn CD to retail outlets and let people buy it. They kill me having the whole thing readily available on some ridiculous streaming service two weeks ahead of time, then being shocked when it does poor opening week numbers.
As far as him not recording “Can We Talk,” he should be thankful. That song is obnoxious. The only Tevin Campbell song he should be jealous of is “I’m Ready.”
There’s nothing obnoxious about Can We Talk, the song is bout a guy who is shy and He tries to muster the confidence to speak to his crush.
Usher always seems so grounded and level headed. That is something very admirable in the music industry where we have these people thinking they’re Godly and so out of touch people because they are on their high horses.
HIIL really wasn’t a bad album. It was much better than Looking For Myself. Usher’s biggest problem is that he is on a label that is overcrowded and doesn’t see him as one of their bigger priorities. He should transfer to Epic, where he could work under LA Reid again. Shouldn’t be that hard to do, since he’s currently at RCA, which is Epic’s sister. He also needs to get off The Voice. Singer/entertainers shouldn’t be seen every week on a TV show, it takes away their novelty.
I’m glad Babyface gave it to Tevin. Those runs at the end of that song…DAMN! I love Usher but pound for pound 90s Tevin is vocally superior to 90s Usher.
I can imagine Usher singing “Can We Talk”, but it ultimately went to the right singer.
Usher was better off not working with Chris. Coke doesn’t work with Pepsi, McDonalds doesn’t work with Burger King. You don’t help put someone on whose team is positioning to try and replace you.
Chile, I can truly relate to what Usher was saying…no one knows this, but My Heart Will Go On was intended for me lol…yep, the Mariah rumors was a cover up chile! I was on that Titanic set and everything, about to do my breakthrough music video! And see, what had happened was…they did me so wrong! I can sing CIRCLES around Celine, but I’m resting my NOCALS *sips honey tea* lol
Mariah rumors?
i think he could’ve talked can we talk. let’s not forget that falsetto.
ta
damn it TACLKED***
I guess that’s why Tevin Campbell’s Alone With You & Ushers Many Ways are basically the same song, although I liked Usher, If this story is true the song went to the right artist.
You a clown for this one. Lol
Tevin needs to come the f*** back. I swear he was the male Whitney growing up to me lol. His voice was definitely superior than Ushers in the 90s. Love Usher so no hate just keeping it real. Tevin was also the blueprint for Chris’s debut album too.
I can see Usher singing ‘Can We Talk’ with a lot of heart, but Tevin put his stamp on that song! I can’t imagine too many singers taking it to a higher place! Both guys are great R&B artists with solid catalogs though!
Supposed to have been MJ’s successor, And then he done let his protege Justin Bieber outdo him in almost everything in less years… I think his baby mama put a spell on him, ever since he got linked up with ha its been a mess for him artistically
Wow Smh