Ne-Yo: Usher Wasn’t Focussed On ‘Here I Stand’

Published: Tuesday 11th Nov 2008 by Sam
Though R&B star Usher is out on the road supporting his latest effort ‘Here I Stand’, Ne-Yo who he is currently working with on the follow-up (due 2009), has gone on record to express his feelings of a lack of direction with the lukewarmly received album. Here’s what he had to say to MTV:
I really couldn’t agree more. Usher is undeniably very talented – possibly one of the best in this New-Post-Michael Jackson-Era. However he seemed a little out of touch musically on this recent effort. What’s more over he turned a lot of folk off with his insistence on shoving his personal life down our throats, something which only served to heighten the media circus surrounding it all, as well as the negativity. I’m hopeful that he gets it together for the next album and delivers what we all know he can.

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  1. Sarah November 11, 2008

    Agree 100% 😀
    It was an okay album, but a bit dull compared to his previous efforts. I love Usher as well.
    Also, the personal life thing is annoying as hell.

  2. E Rod November 11, 2008

    I dont care what you think about an artists and why there album didnt sell. YOU DO NOT GO ON NATIONAL TV AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU BASICALLY ARE UNDERMINING THE TALENTS OF YUR CLIENT….THAT IS EXACTLY WHY MICHAEL JACKSON DROPPED NE YO’S A SS OFF HIS ALBUM. NE YO TALKS TOO MUCH, AND THATS WHY HE COULD NEVER WORK WITH A PERSON LIKE MIKE WHO ACTUALLY DEMANDS TO HAVE A SAY IN HIS MUSIC, CUZ NEYO IS A CONTROL FREAK.

    AND NOT ONLY THAT, USHER BETTER WATCH OUT!…CUZ HOW YOU GONNA GET HELP FROM SOMONE THAT A. HAS JACKED YOUR LOOK AND SINGING STYLE(ALONG WITH OTHERS) AND B. ISNT ALL THAT HIS DA,MN SELF, I MEAN, TO DATE THE ONLY HITS HE HAS WRITTEN HAVE BEEN FOR BIT CHES, NT MEN. AND HIS MUSIC AINT EVEN THAT WIDE, HE;S NOTHING SPEACIAL AS AN ARTISt, AND HIS LATEST ALBUM SISNT GO #1, WHATS HIS ANSWER TO THAT

  3. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    preach e rod…preach
    he needs to sit his suspect b*** down somewhere.
    2wks he was dissing chris brown on live tv and now usher.
    they have both went platinum on his behind
    i think he just a big time hater

  4. Jai November 11, 2008

    I’ve been a fan of Ush’s since day one, and I can honestly say that this latest album is not what I’m used to. In the past, I’ve had all of his albums in heavy rotation, but I could only get into a few songs on the album and I know what Usher is capable of, so hopefully he gets back to the old Usher we’re all used to and deliver in ’09 like he did during the 8701 and Confessions era. I’m excited about it and I’m confident he’ll be able to pull it off this time around. He just has to work with the right people.

  5. Creig.moore November 11, 2008

    Well I gotta disagree with everybody.
    At first when i Got the album , i was searching for the next Confessions and the next let it Burn , but be honest does anyone still listen to any of those songs? Those songs are outdated, the songs on Here I Stand sound more timeless and can still be listened too years later!

    He really showed growth and maturity on this album. But nowadays when an artist tries something else that doesnt sound like something they’ve heard before, they just ignore it.

    When Let it burn came out it sounded great because it was the next U got it bad, dont y’all agree ??

    Here I stand is really good, there are some great stand out tracks on it,

    Give it another try guys!

  6. Amberly November 11, 2008

    E Rod shut the hell up and listen to what Ne-Yo said. He wasnt dissing Usher, he was saying that Usher could have done better because he has the talent. Ne-Yo only said that he spent most of the album talking about his family and new life, and to be honest he’s ABSOULUTELY RIGHT!!! As a long time fan I was saddend and disappointed in this recent album. IT WAS HIS WORST. All Ne-Yo talked about was the content of the album. He didnt say anything derogatory. Ne-Yo has never jacked Usher’s style bcuz if you recall Usher normally wears t-shirts and jeans in his videos aand Ne-Yo wears three piece suits. And as for his hit records, you have got to be the biggest idiot to ever use a computer. Every album Ne-Yo comes out with hit after hit and i know youve sung each and every one. Keep in mind that everyone of Ne-Yo’s albums have gone platinum, he’s won grammies, and has topped the billboard charts with his songs, songs that he’s written for other people, and songs that he’s been featured on. He is well on his way to becoming the legend that Usher is. Michael Jackson has not dropped Ne-Yo so get your facts straight before you go accusing someone, especially when you couldnt do any better that he has.

  7. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    hey creig, i couldn’t be more proud of you. you said it like it should be said.for this i can only praise you. Dumb ass neyo comments. i’m a huge lover of neyo als but His head is gettin bigger that the door nowadays!!His big mouth’s talkin way too much…..Music is not about limatations…look at tamia and deborah c** 2 wonderfull woman who choose their own path…staying true to what they like…classic songs…i feel usher totally….for him it’s only been there done that….neyo is on his way being there..so hush…
    And another thing about his personal life or whatever..he’s happy with what he has..so props for that..i he feels like sharing its all good!!why hate on something positive…?

    alicia

  8. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    USHER MISTAKE IS FRIEING HIS MOM IN THE FRIST PLACE AND GOT HIS WIFE ENVOLD IN ALL OF HIS BUSSNESS AND NOT HEARRING PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUTHIM IN THE BEING AND FOLLWING WHAT HIS WIFE SAID SHE DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BUSNESS LIKE MUSIC SHE ONLY KNOW HOW TO MAKE CLOTHES THAT DOES NOT LOOK RIGHT ON HIM OR HER OTHER PEOPLE SHE HAVE SHE STILL DONT KNOW VWHAT SHE IS DOING. SHE NEED TOJUST PAY MORE ATTION TO HER SONS SHE HAVE AND LET USHER AND HIS MOM DO THE RIGHT THING AND SHE SHOULD AND AFTER THE BRITH OF THERE GIRL SHE SHUOLD NOT EVEN TRY TO SHOW HER FACE ANY WEAR USHER GOES HIS FAN DONT LIKE HER AND NEVER WILL SHE IS STILL RUDE TO HIS FANS AND NOT TO SAY NOTHING AT ALL TO THE REPORTERS. IF SHE SAID ONEMORE THING ABOUT HER LIFE WITH USHER SHE WILL BE HISTORY.

  9. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    AND NEYO IS RIGHT USHER MADE A BAD MOVE WITH HIS CD NOW USHER SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT CD OUT BY NEXT YEAR. THE EARLY THE BETTER SO I CAN SEE HIM TOUR AGIAN SO FAR HIS LADYS TOUR IS HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTT HE SHUOLD DO THAT AGIAN.

  10. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    You guys are hilarious as hell . . . Here I Stand was okay, nothing fabulous for me. The Trading Places video was so damn HAWT & S***, IMO one of the sexiest of the year. I think we as fans need to be more open to change. Usher got acquainted and lost his dad, got married and became a father in a very short time. I think he is entitled to speak on those experiences. It seems that some fans aren't happy unless the artist is hurt and lonely, we have to give them room for happiness as well. Especially when the artist writes the material to be used, as Usher did with the album. He showed growth on this album, if you are not showing growth in your personal life, then there is a problem. You can't keep doing the same thing all your life . . . kind of redundant, don't you think . . .

  11. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    Well duh he did too many ballads on the album! That’s why he should’ve never fired mommy! She helped him deliver great music on Confessions. If you wanna make an album that shines your fatherhood then you needa make something that doesn’t sing about s** and partying and heartbreak! He needs 2 go back to the studio and take a year to make an album like Confessions

  12. melissa November 11, 2008

    Here I Stand was a good album! People did not take the time out to listen to what he was saying. If it’s no s**, they don’t like. People seem to love Usher when he is confessing and cheating and having one night stands, but no one seems to like or respect married Usher with kids. People get it together.

  13. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    I co-sign. NeYo speaks the truth. Even tho ‘Here I Stand’ isn’t a bad album, I thought that some of the songs weren’t good enuff to be on the cd. Too many ballads and not enuff songs showing his dancing which is what I like to see him do.

  14. Anonymous November 11, 2008

    WELL IMO NEYO MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN DISSING USHER BUT I DO BELIEVE HE WORRIES ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY DO WITH THERE CAREERS TO MUCH. HE TALKS TO DAMN MUCH, INSTEAD OF VOICING HIS OPINION ON OTHER ARTIST HE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT HIM AND HIS CAREER. BESIDES HE AINT NOTHING BUT A USHER WANNA BE ANY. AND THAT IS SOMETHING HE WILL NEVER BE, I WILL SAY HE HAS A VOICE BUT HE CANT REALLY DANCE AND HE DAMN SHO AINT GOT THE LOOK

  15. hissip November 11, 2008

    Everyone simmer down. Ne-Yo is not dissing Usher at all. He’s just providing some constructive criticism.

    And isn’t he right, though. What Confessions was, Here I Stand is not, not necessarily because Usher is putting out inferior material, but because an artist only has so much inside of them creatively. What artists do you know who stay on top after the third album without losing some of their luster?

  16. Nick November 11, 2008

    I dnt agree here @ all & I LOVE NE YO, USHERS ALBUM (2 me) HERE I STAND!!! the BEST R&B cd out this year, REAL R&B MUSIC, I AM IN LOVE & I UNDERSTND his direction wth ths cd/we say we want artists 2 b honest & real, then they do & we say we dont wna hear it, I LOVE THIS CD, EVERY SINGLE SONG!!!! I dnt thnk he needs 2 do anything else, jst let it go, record sales SUK NOW, hav babies & live ya life-ey ey ey ey ey! 🙂

  17. Bud November 12, 2008

    You guys are pretty off-topic. Usher’s album was tight, he took it differently. Instead of s**, he focused on relationships and I believe that the change was well-needed. His music changed, like people do. Although people didn’t enjoy it, they still want those club-hits and s** songs. Maybe they should look at Ne-Yo’s second CD.

    -brett

  18. Sasha’s Minion November 12, 2008

    SORRY Juice, you got it ALL WRONG!!!! Usher didn’t shove s*** in our faces… his PETTY ass fans started getting up in arms becuz he and Chilli broke up and HE CHOSE to IMPREGNANT and MARRY Tameka Foster!!!

    Then when he tried doing MORE MATURE album, it wasn’t recieved as well as his OTHER POP efforts! Come on, folks, keep it real!!! Usher was DEFENDING his wife… the same wife, the BLOGS tear apart everytime his name comes up! I personally LOVED his album, it is really good and shows the mark of a MAN GROWING UP!!!!

  19. Anonymous November 14, 2008

    i think his album was bori….zzzzzzz

  20. Anonymous January 19, 2009

    This is ridiculous, if you guys are really usher fans to the fullest, like i have been since DAY ONE, the man is a f***** genius. And to be honest with you what neyo said, even tho it may be constructive criticism, didnt need to be said to the public, especially if he's going to work with the dude. I mean really who the hell does Ne-Yo think he his, he will Never be up to Usher's caliber of entertainment, name one other artist besides Michael Jackson that can Dance hot and stills sound good when they sinG? You k now neyo cant do it and you know chris brown cant do it, Tpains a joke, and who the f*** else even sounds as good as ush. man This ablum Here I Stand was grown usher, He was bringin R&B back to makin love, and singing to your woman. Yeah Neyo may be hot on the charts, but ALL of his s*** sounds the same, and the year of the Gentlemen, please, Here I Stand sounded Way f***** Better. usher Hit a grand Slam with Confessions, but Even Michael Jackson has never hit two grand slams, How many Albums has he made as good as Thriller, NONE. Usher is and always will be MR.ENTERTAINMENT, and if yall were serious fans of his musicianship, yall would know that this album was bomb, and i beg to differ his worse album yet was his self title debut album USHER back in the dizzay while he was going through puberty. Get with it yall, this man is our generations Michael Jackson, grow with him

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