After a few false starts, Usher signalled his comeback with infectious club jam ‘No Limit.’ Presently racing up the Billboard R&B and Hot 100 tallies, it’s being hailed as a long-awaited return to form.
Wasting no time hitting the promotional trail, the R&B veteran gets his grown and groomed on it the latest issue of Flaunt Magazine.
Beyond the striking images lensed by Zackery Michael, the inside feature also packs quite the bite.
With Mr Raymond dancing into his third decade of stardom, he’s neither the “Next Big Thing nor the wizened elder statesman.”
During the interview, he muses on this, as well as a number of topics including long-awaited eighth album, connecting with his roots, and more.
Peep quotes and pics below…
On Pressures Of Maintaining Success
“It’s not about attaining success. That’s not it. I’ve done that sh*t. And I’d like more of it, don’t get me wrong, but it’s really about being connected to what you’re doing. And not making it so deep that people don’t understand it, having f*cking fun and enjoying it.
If something works, we tend to go toward it and stay there. I actually try my hardest to push the limit, but looking at the culture of music and where it is, it’s just like, ‘damn,’ is it okay to be unique anymore? The more unique you are, the better you are, right? Okay, but that’s not as gratifying and not as rewarding, because you don’t get the accolade and the hit right away.” He claps once, as if he’s about to issue an edict: “If you’re able to find that delicate blend of your identity and also do something everyone can relate to, then bless you. But it’s hard.”
On Researching His Bloodline
“I always felt like there was a disconnect to me as an African American. I know that I’m from the South, but if I go deeper, where am I from? Who am I? I know that obviously I’m part of the diaspora descended of Africa, but where am I from? [It’s a concept that will be explored on my new album]”
On His New LP
“It’s about my musical journey through genre… The man I’ve become, the experiences and the vulnerability, the honesty, the inquisitive nature of who we are as people, as men—I’m talking about that. And the idea of the diaspora. There’s something amazing and undeniable about the culture of the South. The way we move. And where does it come from? When I look at how Africans move, how their rituals went and what their tribal moves were, and then I look at how we move now, there’s a tie.”
On Prince’s Passing
“I remember just sitting in my seat—I think I held the plane up, because everyone had departed, but I was so broken up,” he says. “We’re losing our icons and we’re not taking the time to appreciate them enough while they’re alive. It’s only in the time of departure that we begin to understand the importance of who they are, what they represent. Prince has one of the most enticing relationships between religion and sexuality. When you listen to his music and you begin to understand all the places he pulled his references from, it’s just amazing, man. There’ll never be another Prince.”
Usher, you have absolutely nothing to prove sir. You’ve done it all, and your Confessions album is a bona-fide classic. Continue do you.
I love usher, so handsome. He has absolutely nothing to prove, and in my eyes, he’s a music icon.
He just want a hit when he’s at the age and place in his career where he should be above it. There’s a disconnect with his fan base. Here’s an example, Beyonce doesn’t have the hits like she did years ago, but she has such a strong connection with her fans that she gain success a different way. That’s where Usher should be at. But whatever, at least his style of fashion is of age.
Shut your f***** ass up. I swear you Rihanna fans are so f****** annoying. Ironic though, talentless artist have dumbest fans, and Rihanna sits on the throne as the most talentless.
No, s****** spears is probably the most talentless. But annoying pop artist rihanna comes in a close second.
You must be a pest. Don’t know what Rihanna has to do with my comment, but cool beans dude.
??
A pest? I’m assuming you’re calling me a Beyonce fan, your name for the Bey Hive. Typical dumbass Rihanna fan. So because I think your fav is talentless, i’m a Beyonce stan, wrong. Since you do want to go that route
Beyonce>> Rihanna.
Ye you’re not fooling anyway. Bye pest.
Anyone*
Dumbass.
On Researching His Bloodline:
“I always felt like there was a disconnect to me as an African American. I know that I’m from the South, but if I go deeper, where am I from? Who am I? I know that obviously I’m part of the diaspora descended of Africa, but where am I from?
Dude, just do a genetic test.
How’s Justin and his ugly little son doing?
Making fun of a baby is never funny, your comment wouldn’t have that many likes if you were talking about Beyoncé’s daughter, I can’t with TGJ commentators ?
EWWW @ you coming for a perfectly innocent and yes, BEAUTIFUL baby boy. You don’t have to like an artist but to come for their kids is just gross. Fix it, Jesus.
Did I lie though, he’s ugly, plain and simple.
That’s your opinion and your entitled to it, just don’t share it with the world, it’s not right, the funny thing is that if I say the exact same thing you just said about JT’s baby to Beyoncé’s daughter, all of you would be calling me racist or probably something even worse, just got to show how hypocrites all of you are, they’re even giving you likes, disgusting.
I’m Hispanic, so miss me with that. The kid is still ugly, no matter who you try and bring up.
I didn’t know that Hispanic is a race, listen ignorant, being Hispanic is just a linguistic classification, you can be Hispanic and being black, white, Asian or Native American, so you must be part of one of those, I can’t believe I have to teach you about this.
You said all that, but guess what. The kid is still ugly.
Troll.
Still ugly.
He sounds like he doesnt really care that much about being an artist or doing music that has a more artistic/personal approach, but more about being current.
maybe that’s why his music is struggling (like most artists from the 90s on other hand)
Shut your f***** ass up. I swear you Rihanna fans are so f****** annoying. Ironic though, talentless artist have dumbest fans, and Rihanna sits on the throne as the most talentless.
I want blacks to know that whites don’t know their past as well. Sure they all claim to be from one of those more known European countries, but they don’t KNOW unless they’re 3rd or 4th generation. They want to think that they were kings and Queens, but the truth is they were swimming over here for a simple job and better life just like the Mexicans are now. Because when everyone in one place is White, classic comes in and they were racist towards each other as well.
Bend over and grab your ankles lol
What you wrote is true but I think that applies to white Americans only, the ones whose families arrived 1677567 years ago. My parents are Swedish, they didn’t moved to NC for economic reasons, they were working for a Swedish company (which they were part owners) at the time of my birth, so I’m not one of those white people who doesn’t know their past. I returned to my original homeland (Sweden) which I visited every summer when I was a kid. Btw, African Americans are the first to claim to have been Kings and Queens, see: Did ancient Egyptians were really black……My case is different, and I’m aware of the fact that my ancestors were dirty savages (Vikings) not kings, just in case you were referring to me ?
You fall right into that “unless they’re 3rd or 4th generation.”, but in your case, 2nd gen, same thing. And yes I’m referring to 1800s and prior. The whole Egyptian statement comes from Black stating that Black history goes further back than just slavery. It’s a fact that most Egytians were of black skin and black features (wide noses, full lips) Every White person I know or speak to claims their family name traces back to some form of King and that they have a castle somewhere in the family names. I know it’s BS along with every Black person having Native American blood and that was the point of my comment. In short, don’t think my world revolves around yours, I have no problem calling you out my @ name. 🙂
It’s been the same thing, since they’re not Americans, they are pure Swedish, born and raised there,they were in the US for just 18 years, when I was 18 they separated and moved back to Europe, I stayed here since I was studying and of course I was already big enough to decide where I wanted to stay. I moved to Stockholm 2 years ago, because I don’t have family in the US, and I’m not a foreigner here, Swedish is my first language and I was raised with an strictly Scandinavian culture by my parents, so much that I didn’t learn English until I was like 5 or 6 years old, so not is not the same. Btw, Egyptians were probably the first multicultural society in the world, ain’t no such thing as Egyptians were black, they were people of different backgrounds all over the land.
Sorry for the typos, IPhone problems.
He cares about finding the balance between pleasing fans as well as doing what’s in his heart. How’s that not caring about being an artist?
Thank u. These ppl are absolutley un-f******-beleivable at times.
I love him he’s an icon! He doesnt have to compete with nome of these artists today. I just prefer R&B Usher over pop Usher
Well if “no limit” passes for “R&B Usher”, I prefer “pop Usher!”
Great shots. Usher was cute in his 20s but like fine wine, he’s gotten better with age. Look, he should just drop the album and get it over and done with. It’s been two years and my anticipation is on it’s last rope. Then again, he had a perfectly good R&B song to set up an album with Good Kisser and that flopped but trash like I Don’t Mind picked up (even went Platinum) and now the same thing is happening with No Limit. This shows that the whole “We want Usher to go back to R&B” argument is void because people don’t support when he actually delivers just that.
People don’t support real r&b. If you can’t bob your head to it and play it in the club it’s no good these days.
I Don’t Mind is closer to what Usher should be doing now than No Limit. I still think he’s commercially viable, but he needs to stop trying to compete with teenagers.
False starts? This is a seriously delayed album! He will flop anyway.
A man !!!
But at the stage of his career he should not have to worry about a hit… having hits is certainly good but if you don’t have its not an issue.
He must create an art a world.
Most of the artist of his size from the 90 and 2000 to 2005 try to create that artistic world that signature.
If even Rihanna try now to stay relevant above HAVING HITS it’s not Usher who can’t afford that.
Do what you like, do good music and start building your legacy apart hits and succesful era it have to start somewhere.
Beyoncé flopped with 4 but it helped building that world we know today and she is now able to stay relevant without real hits (#1 in billboard)
Sorry if this might sound petty but he needs to let that stupid goatee go…It looks awful on him.Other than that,I hope we get a good album from him this year..He’s an icon,very talented too
Lmao! I actually got used to his beard. He’s shaved it off now though. Hopefully he’ll keep it that way, haha.
Usher better come through with this album, I don’t need another disappointment! His last few albums have been just…meh. Come on Usher you still got the voice and talent and everything, you just gotta use it! For one stop making generic songs that require no vocal skills with talentless hacks like migos, young thug, and booty club anthems with juicy j the king of nursery rhymes, and actually make some real music! Take a few lessons from Brian McKnight, Maxwell, Johnny Gill and others, all of them put out real good albums. I just don’t wanna see usher go down the R. Kelly/Tank route, (this is where a very talented artist dumbs down their music for most of the population, the dumb people to enjoy and understand.) So you have a very talented artist like R. Kelly doing songs on the same level as some piece of trash untalented moron like chris brown/jeremih, no thanks! Of course real music doesn’t sell as well as that lame bs with idiotic rappers on the songs, and we all know that as talented as Usher is, he’s a trend follower, just like R. Kelly, yes they care about making good music too but it’s the money that is first for them! Meanwhile someone like Johnny Gill puts out a masterpiece album “Game Changer” and it is unheard by most people.
These kids actually have enough time in their hands for back and forthing??? Can one of you please get my psychology assignment for me???? ????
Chris Brown isn’t a better dancer than Jason Derulo. Stop it!
Wow