R&B star Usher appears on the cover of the August issue of Essence magazine along with his 8 month old son, with wife Tameka, Usher Raymond IV. It’s the first glance the world will have had of the infant who born back in November last year. Nice shot.

As singer/songwriter Keri Hilson continues to prep the release of her long-awaited debut ‘In A Perfect World’ (due in September), a snippet of ‘Kiss Me (Return The Favour) – a cut from the LP – has surfaced. Produced and featuring a feature from mentor Timbaland, the track is one of the better cuts I’ve heard from Keri thus far. Definitely has me anticipating ‘In A Perfect World’ all the more.

After the salty reception Usher’s latest LP ‘Here I Stand’ received up its release, the NY Daily News are reporting that the Grammy winner is considering re-hiring his mother Jonetta Patton, who he unceremoniously fired in May last year:

Usher is said to have been disappointed that it (“Here I Stand”) sold 433,000 in its first week, compared with his last CD, 2004’s “Confessions,” which had sales of 1.1 million in its first seven days. “Usher was livid!,” claims an insider. “He threatened to fire everyone.”

“People have been telling Usher to listen to his mother,” says a source. “Nobody knows how to sell him better than she does. Usher can be stubborn. But he may be ready.”Some claim Usher pink-slipped his mom because she failed to show proper deference to his stylist-turned-girlfriend-turned-wife, Tameka Foster. But now that Foster has given her a grandson, the two ladies are said to be getting along better. Usher, for one, denies he fired his mom. Rather, he tells Vibe, “[I paid her] the ultimate compliment – to retire her to be a full-time grandmother.”

Patton has actually been busy running her own record label and managing other artists, including Usher’s brother, Jlack. But sources say that if Usher cries momma, she’s there for him.

Is it safe to say that in between the tirades against his own fans, firing his mom and putting out a sub-par (IMO) album, that Usher has kinda lost his way? Here’s hoping things get back on track ASAP; bringing his Mom back into the fold in, some capacity, would be a start.

R&B songstress Mya was snapped over the Independence Day weekend on a beach in Barbados. She certainly looks likes she’s been eating a lil more; she looks great.

The 28 year old recently had to postpone the commencement of her run in Broadway musical ‘Chicago’, after breaking her foot. Word has it, having parted ways with Universal Motown early this year, she’s recording a new LP to be released independently. Good luck to her.

It seems Lil’ Wayne’s recent first week – million selling achievement with ‘Tha Carter III’ has other MC’s itching to emulate the same feat, namely a certain 50 Cent. The G-Unit leader’s 2005 effort ‘The Massacre’ shifted 1.1. million units first week, however sales of his more recent efforts haven’t matched his past success. Speaking to MTV, 50 thinks he can do it again with forthcoming LP ‘Before I Self Destruct’

50 Cent thinks we could see another MC sell a million copies in the first week before 2008 is over: him! He plans on dropping his next solo LP, Before I Self-Destruct, within the next few months.

“Fourth quarter,” he said of the release date. “I got some music. But I’mma make music until I reach a closing date. I’mma stay creative and continue to try and progress.

“I want to focus on the positive, and I feel I’m one of the more vocal people in hip-hop,” he added. “Even when it’s not about music, people pay attention to me, because I have something to offer. I’ll continue to create quality music at a pace they haven’t seen.”

With the release of Michelle Williams’ new LP ‘Unexpected’ on the horizon (due August 12th), the singer continues along the promo trail; this time performing at the Apple Store in her native Chicago, Illinois last week. Check out her rendition of album cut ‘Stop This Car’ below:

Singing legend Whitney Houston continued her road to redemption this weekend with a live performance in Kazakhstan. Check out her rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’ below: (the video quality is a mess, but the sound is great) {Thanks Trent!}:

The 2008 Essence Music Festival wrapped yesterday in New Orleans. Keyshia Cole and Solange (accompanied by Papa Knowles), who both performed during the three day extravaganza, hit the autograph booth to sign…well… autographs. Check out the pics:

This past Saturday marked the 2nd day of the 2008 Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. Home-grown star Estelle was among the performers (pictured above with Bryan Michael Cox and Matthew Knowles above), as were LL Cool, Solange ,Musiq, Patti Labelle and Christette Michele. Check out the pics:

The annual Essence Music Festival kicked off this past Friday, 4th July, in New Orleans. Many an artist made an appearance, performed and whatnot at the event – which took place jointly at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and Louisiana Superdome. Check out the pics of Rihanna, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Solange, Bow Wow among others below:

This week’s From The Vault clip is Pop star Britney Spears’ first foray in the Urban music world – ‘Slave For You’. The sexed-up vid for the Neptures produced song is widely considered by many as Spears’ official transition from teenage Pop sensation to edgy Pop princess. Who would have ever thought it, Britney riding a Neptunes beat? Good stuff…check it out:

As R&B songstress Brandy continues to mould her much anticipated new album – her first under new label Epic, a track, said to be from the record, has surfaced. Produced by The Underdogs, ‘The List’ is a well crafted cut that sounds unlike much of what is dominating the musical sphere at present – a good or potentially not so good thing, I guess. If the track, which features Brandy’s trademark vocal arrangements and harmonies, is indicative of the LP’s overall direction, I’m even more amped for her record than I previously was. As though ‘selling’ is no doubt a priority, there has always been something qualitatively that sets Brandy apart from the pack – even if her sound isn’t as readily serviceable to commercial radio as, say, your typical Rihanna track. Anyway, enough of my babbling…