It seems like all Usher does these days is put on incredibly fun concerts, and we haven’t even seen one fan complain about this yet. Moreover, his most recent show was an absolute romp thanks to a viral moment with a birthday girl in the stands as he fed her two cherries from his hand. She licked and sucked on the fruits for a while, which really riled the crowd up. Then, the woman dropped it low for the singer, who couldn’t help but keep a pretty flabbergasted but still cool face amid the situation. Somehow, that still wouldn’t be the most “Steal Your Girl” moment of his recent performances.
Jokes aside, this cherry-feeding display is a particular running bit at Usher’s concerts, along with plenty of other moments to break up the flow of the show. In fact, T.I. recently had a hilarious reaction to him feeding Tiny a cherry, which fans really enjoyed laughing and jesting over on social media. Some other partners have had much more hostile reactions to the Dallas native getting up close and personal, so props to Tip for keeping it cool.
But it’s not all just fun and games at Usher concerts. It’s also a chance for him to thank those who took him to superstardom, including Al B. Sure. “Aye, man, y’all don’t really understand,” the Coming Home icon remarked. “This is A-1 for real right here. My first album, Usher, this man showed me the ropes. He wrote songs for me, was patient with me. Long nights in the studio, I was going through vocal changes and all kind of s**t. We made some incredible moments together. But more than anything, you’re a big brother to me, and I just want to say thank you, bro. I love you more.”
Meanwhile, Usher’s name popped up in the headlines for more allegedly sinister reasons in 2024, specifically his bond with Diddy and the Bad Boy mogul’s alleged abuse of him. However, we want to make it clear that this resulted from social media speculation and rumor, not any instance of proof or significant legal action. Maybe these moments of levity during shows can be a solid distraction from that dark, looming cloud.
Usher is part of a massive musical family of some of the best songwriters, producers, and music industry talents across many decades. As such, he has a lot of people to thank for his incredible success, and often takes the chance to give everyone their due. Moreover, during a recent concert, the R&B superstar embraced Al B. Sure! in the crowd, the new jack swing sensation who worked as a writer and producer during the Dallas native’s rise. They even started to dance and sing together after the Confessions creative’s remarks, which is now a staple of his live performances.
“Aye, man, y’all don’t really understand,” Usher’s words for Al B. Sure! began. “This is A-1 for real right here. My first album, Usher, this man showed me the ropes. He wrote songs for me, was patient with me. Long nights in the studio, I was going through vocal changes and all kind of s**t. We made some incredible moments together. But more than anything, you’re a big brother to me, and I just want to say thank you, bro. I love you more.”
As far as other members of this musical family, though, the controversies roll in pretty fast. For example, Suge Knight recently accused Diddy of molesting Usher and Justin Bieber, as the Bad Boy mogul was one of the industry titans who introduced the 46-year-old to the world. “Everybody knows what Puffy did,” the Death Row boss alleged. “There’s not one person that didn’t know that Puffy was f***ing Usher. […] Usher spent the night with him and Puffy being in the same bed when they did an album. They never put out one song at that time.”
Meanwhile, Al B. Sure! has a complicated relationship with his son Quincy Brown, whose mother Kim Porter ended up dating Diddy. As such, many of these moving parts and crossovers have a darker context underneath, but that doesn’t mean some genuine love, care, and appreciation can’t shine through. Usher reflected that with this mid-show shoutout, even if the online whirlwind around the Sean Combs scandal and all its alleged connections continues to ravage.
Usher’s Past Present Future tour has been a wild ride to witness, whether due to his own showmanship or based on crowd or celebrity participation. However, on that last note, sometimes their involvement can go a little bit too far, even if it’s a scripted skit. Moreover, Kevin Hart recently rushed the R&B star’s stage in Inglewood, California on Wednesday (September 25). The comedian tries to do his best impression of the singer with a mic stand in his hand, taking off his white vest in dramatic fashion. “This is the new me,” Hart said before covering “Nice & Slow.” “What the f**k are you doing?!” the real Usher eventually asked him.
Apparently, the concept of the skit is that the two misunderstood each other when they discussed whether Kevin Hart could do a song by himself. He eventually left Usher to his crowd, but not before belting out some more “Nice & Slow” notes. It wasn’t the only surprise that the Dallas native faced recently. He revealed that someone hacked his Twitter account amid rumors that the Diddy scandal prompted him to take the page down.
Elsewhere, Kevin Hart continues to cross over with the music world, incorporating his wider forays into pop culture and entertainment. For example, he tapped Lil Wayne and Ludacris to headline his Labor Day festival, and he’s had a lot of other notable moments with superstars as of late. All we can hope for is that the next crossover, whether it’s for a skit or not, goes over as well as this Usher antic. It was a pretty funny moment for the audience to witness amid a trek that makes headlines for plenty of reasons that don’t relate to the music or performance.
Speaking of musical performances, Usher recently gave Kendrick Lamar some advice for his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show. “Everybody has this fifteen minutes of fame idea, but it’s really your fifteen minutes of fame,” he told Live With Kelly And Mark. “You have to play hits. You’ve got to get right to it. […] Let’s just say, it’s been a great experience to say that I could play the Super Bowl. I understand how much pressure comes with it and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. But I would wish it on you if you’ve had the career.”
Usher’s recent live shows, residencies, and tour stops have all been nothing short of extravagantly impressive, and with plenty of viral moments to promote them, too. He definitely adopted a “Mr. Steal Your Girl” moniker from many of these, but it’s all been in great fun and with a lot of showmanship and charisma to show folks a good time without taking things too far. The singer is very confident in his ability to control these energies. If you need proof of that, look no further than this latest clip. While going through a group of fans in the crowd, a woman goes up to him and says, “Give me that mic!”
Then, Usher looks back at her with a puzzled look as she grabs the microphone, but as soon as she starts singing, he just looks impressed, leaves the mic in her hands, and sits with some other fans in the stand as the woman performed. Germaine, known on IG as @thegclassbygermaine, belted out “There Goes My Baby” during this “Past Present Future” tour stop. Fans cheered for her around the arena, and it was overall one of many other heartening (but also kind of confusing) moments to witness during these concerts.
Furthermore, the confusion comes form whether or not Usher and his team scripted or anticipated this, but in any case, everyone handled it very well. After all, this is the kind of situation that gets other concert-goers tackled if he hadn’t been so graceful with his reaction. Nevertheless, the “SOS” multi-hyphenate has many more shows to go through, and we’re sure that there will be plenty of other viral fan interactions to witness. Let’s just hope that not too many people try to follow Germaine’s lead, since that could be pretty hectic to handle.
Jokes aside, Usher is actually quite the madman for embarking on this “Past Present Future” tour. Not even a serious neck injury could change his plans, and his time onstage has been absolutely overwhelming in 2024. How can someone keep it together so consistently? Well, that’s what the fans are for sometimes: just hand the mic over, take a rest, and give someone else their time in the spotlight.
Usher had a massive day at the 2024 BET Awards over the weekend (Sunady, June 30), taking the stage to accept his Lifetime Achievement Award. However, everything surrounding him at the ceremony faced some scrutiny, including audio issues during his speech and the performance tribute to him. Folks thought that the female-led and near-17-minute-long homage from Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Summer Walker, Coco Jones, Marsha Ambrosius, Chlöe, Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét, and Latto could’ve included other male singers, while others thought that it accurately represented the Atlanta-based superstar’s influence and the state of R&B today.
Regardless of any backlash, Usher sent some very appreciative social media messages to his fans, to BET, and to his tribute’s performers, so it looks like he’s just grateful for the ride. “Reflecting on the incredible evening and mannn let me just say how grateful I am to @bet @betawards for the lifetime achievement award [prayer hands emoji],” he posted to his Instagram Story recently. “But I want to take a moment and give a very, very special thank U to these tremendously talented entertainers that graced the stage during my tribute. y’all did the DAMN thing!!! It was so amazing to witness each of your talents through the eyes of my own journey… thank U [heart emoji].”
“My tribute was amazing mannn…” Usher also added via Twitter about the BET Awards performance. “thank U to each and every one involved in the making of this moment [prayer hands emoji].” Meanwhile, here’s what BET had to say to him as an apology for his speech’s audio issues. “Celebrating global icon Usher on our stage with a star-studded tribute and having him accept his award with a heartfelt speech was an honor,” a spokesperson relayed. “Due to an audio malfunction during the live telecast, portions of his speech were inadvertently muted. We extend our sincere apologies to Usher as we couldn’t be more grateful for his participation in culture’s biggest night. Fans can catch his full uninterrupted speech across BET platforms and tonight’s encore on BET.”
“We’ve got to be willing to forgive,” Usher said during the acceptance speech. “We’ve got to be willing to be open. I’m telling you, you’re standing before a man who had to forgive a man who never showed up, ever. And look what I made with it. Look what I was able to ‘usher’ in. But that’s what’s real. That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us women and men.”
Latto recently brought out a whole slew of special guests for her historic headline performance at Atlanta’s HOT 107.9 Birthday Bash concert, the first by a female in the station’s bash’s history. However, things didn’t always go perfect, as Usher faced some technical mic issues while trying to perform his track “Superstar.” She stepped in with her own vocals and helped him sing it and move onto another cut, and he paid tribute to her with a tender speech. “You know, we have this thing that we do in Atlanta, where we just seem to keep making history. Tonight, Latto made history, being the first female to [headline] Birthday Bash. We wanna give her her flowers one time.”
Furthermore, Latto and Usher have developed a pretty close bond in recent years, bolstered by collaborations like her appearance on his new album COMING HOME. It’s great to see older and newer generations come together and support each other, even when their genre focuses might not always line up perfectly. Artists don’t always maintain this as a priority these days, but it’s resulted in some killer crossovers and opportunities over the years. We can’t help but wonder who will be the next multi-generational duo to cause a splash and try to create a big moment.
Meanwhile, we know for sure that the tension between older and newer artists doesn’t usually compare to that between two rising stars, as we’re literally seeing right now. For example, a lot of folks think that Ice Spice and Latto are locked in a not-so-cold war, trading some pretty direct shots and easily spottable subliminals. Whether or not this is the case, the perceived feud is certainly pushing their promo machines pretty heavily. Maybe it’s not that deep, but it’s working out in their favor either way.
More Performance Clips
Latto brings out Usher and he gives her her flowers at Birthday Bash in Atlanta pic.twitter.com/ttCZ28dP2Z
Still, maybe it would be best if the industry didn’t push a beef between two femcees for little reason other than they can. Nevertheless, there is too much giving credence to this idea for us to make a proper judgement. We’ll see whether there’s actually tension here if if they are as debunked as Sexyy Red beef rumors. Either way, Latto will likely continue to find massive success.
Usher, like the true soulful superstar he is, doesn’t think that R&B is dead, but if he had gone with his gut back around 2003, he might not have been the king of the genre to make that belief have weight in the first place. Moreover, according to TMZ, producer Rico Love recently went to Home Grown Radio to talk about his big break writing for Usher’s 2004 album Confessions. In addition, he also gave an interesting claim about the backstory behind the smash hit “Yeah!” While it’s not a traditional R&B cut, it’s still one of the Dallas native’s biggest hits, one that Love claims he didn’t want to record at first.
Apparently, Rico Love was there when Usher first heard the demo for “Yeah!,” which Sean Garrett wrote. Initially, he did not like the song at all, and he rejected any advances to record the track for his then-upcoming 2004 project. The producer thought that it was a little cringe, and so did the Super Bowl’s upcoming halftime show performer. Not only that, but Love even said that the opening lines “Up in the club with my homies/ Tryin’ to get a little V.I./ Keep it down on the low-key” made him burst into laughter.
Rico Love Recalls L.A. Reid Allegedly Pressuring Usher To Put Out “Yeah!”: Watch
However, L.A. Reid had something else to say about “Yeah!” as a then-music executive and the President of Arista Records at the time. He thought the record sounded like true-blue hit, and staunchly suggested that Usher release it as the first single instead of “Burn.” Allegedly, as Rico Love recalled, he fought back against these pressures until Reid simply said “Do the f***ing song!” and hung up on him. In addition, he apparently also left the SKIMS collaborator no choice but to put the song out, through other means that weren’t just a phone call.
Meanwhile, we’re sure that he will be able to see the real love that people have for “Yeah!” during his upcoming tour. The 45-year-old surely has different thoughts on the track these days, now that hindsight is 20/20. It would be interesting to hear him respond to this claim, and look back on the choices he made that propelled him into music’s upper echelon. With that in mind, stay posted on HNHH for more news and the latest updates on Usher.
Usher will be performing at the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show on February 11, 2024 at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. The event will take place close to where the legendary singer held his Las Vegas residency from 2021 to late last year. So far, there have been no reports regarding any special guests joining Usher on stage. However, he did tell Good Morning America that “it’s gonna be a great show” when asked about the possibility of surprise performers.
Usher’s headlining performance coincides with the release of his ninth studio album, Coming Home, which arrives just two days before he takes the Super Bowl stage. It has been a long time since he last performed at a halftime show. The R&B and pop icon previously performed at the Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show in 2011 as a guest of The Black Eyed Peas. That’s not to say that he hasn’t been actively performing throughout the past few years. In addition to a successful residency at Las Vegas’s Colosseum at Caesars Palace, he has played major festivals like Lovers and Friends and Roots Picnic.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show has always been reserved for “legacy artists” with sizable catalogs filled and classic hits. It is a spectacle that often sees musical giants creating an epic show out of their timeless discographies. Usher certainly fits that bill with plenty of multi-platinum and number-one hit singles. Many Super Bowl performances have managed to cram plenty of hits into a 13-minute performance, but there are certain songs that fans are expecting to see live. Here are seven hit songs that we need to see Usher perform at his Super Bowl halftime show. Listed in no particular order, take a look at the selections below.
One might not picture the Super Bowl when they hear a downbeat R&B song like “U Got It Bad,” but its iconic status makes sense for a performance meant for hit singles. Many of the best Super Bowl halftime shows balance both energetic moments of excitement with slow and intimate songs. “U Got It Bad” is a massive number-one single and fan favorite, and would fit nicely within Usher’s set of R&B classics. As an early hit and the biggest single from 8701, “U Got It Bad” helps capture the span of Usher’s illustrious career, not to mention the fans love it.
One can confidentially assume that Usher will perform “Yeah!” at the Super Bowl. The chart-topping throwback is significant in the singer’s discography, with its notoriety and upbeat nostalgia perfectly fit for the halftime show setting. As arguably Usher’s most recognizable hit, fans can expect to see him perform “Yeah!” with his famous dancing skills. Additionally, it creates the right opportunity for Lil Jon and Ludacris to possibly make a surprise appearance. “Yeah!” is an essential hit that we need to hear at this year’s Super Bowl.
“Confessions Part II” (2004)
Easily Usher’s biggest album is his diamond-certified third album, Confessions. As his best-selling work, one can expect the R&B legend to perform many songs from the album, including “Confessions Part II.” Rolling Stone recently ranked it as the greatest R&B song of the 21st century, not to mention that Usher’s performance of the record during his NPR Tiny Desk sparked the viral “Watch This” meme. With these recent celebrations of the song, fans can anticipate “Confessions Part II” to be included in Usher’s set. It is one of the most upbeat and catchy songs on his biggest album, and would certainly make for a thrilling halftime show moment.
Also on Confessions is “My Boo,” which is Usher’s highest-selling single to date. The song is an integral part of Usher’s discography. With its slow groove and catchy lyrics, it warrants a spot in his 13-minute performance. “My Boo” lends itself to a crowd sing-along, which one can picture when considering its position in Usher’s performance. Additionally, Alicia Keys’ contributions to the song opens the possibility of a live duet between the two.
“Love In This Club” Ft. Jeezy (2008)
Out of all the songs in Usher’s catalog, few are as right for the Super Bowl Halftime Show as “Love In This Club.” It contains the right characteristics for the big-budget performance spectacle. The upbeat and catchy song allows Usher to showcase his vocal range and his dance moves. Additionally, its irresistible chorus can create engagement with the audience. A staple in most of Usher’s live performances, we need to hear “Love In This Club” at the Super Bowl.
“OMG” Ft. will.i.am (2010)
Usher’s last performance at the halftime show took place over a decade ago as he joined The Black Eyed Peas to perform “OMG.” It was the biggest single from his Raymond V. Raymond album and is his last song to top the Billboard Hot 100. Performing “OMG” at the Super Bowl Halftime Show would restore the feeling of the early 2010’s era. It would also be a full circle moment in Usher’s headlining halftime show after performing the song as a guest 13 years ago. “OMG” is one of Usher’s most lively singles that fans need to hear at his upcoming performance.
Usher may be known as an R&B icon, but he made numerous classic EDM bangers during the early 2010’s. The biggest of these club-ready hits is “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love.” Not many Usher songs encourage people to dance quite like this one. It is practically made for the stadium setting with its bouncy pop beat and dynamic vocals. Many fans may favor Usher’s older R&B ballads, but he captured young audiences with contemporary dance records that appeal almost universally. The fun spirit of “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” is certainly necessary for Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.
Have you ever wanted to hear Usher, Lil Jon, and Ludacris’ “Yeah!” but with a reggaetón and house twist? Well, you’re in luck, because the first of those singers assisted J Balvin and DJ Khaled with the cut “Dientes,” which does exactly that. It’s a club-ready banger, with a big focus on driving expressive vocal runs and the iconic melody behind the original. Also present are some shuffling percussive elements like slinky bass, syncopated kicks, and crisp snares and hi-hats. It won’t be the most unique or boundary-pushing thing you’ll hear this week, but there’s a good chance it’ll be the catchiest.
Of course, this is just one of many tracks that Usher’s graced his fans with this year, including “Boyfriend” and “Good Good” with Summer Walker and 21 S*vage. This time around, though, it was actually quite curious to see him retread his old flow on “Yeah!” for a more contemporary context. It’s not as explosive as the original, but it’s much more dynamic from start to finish with swells and drops. J Balvin also came through with various melodic inflections and refrains to bring “Dientes” from one eight-bar section to the next. As for DJ Khaled… well, his ad-libs get us ready for a pop hit, and we can all agree that hearing his yells hasn’t gotten any less entertaining.
Meanwhile, “Dientes” also came out with a glitzy and playful music video that also speaks to the history behind these artists. They all have big plans on the way, with Khaled in particular teasing his next studio effort with a lot of excitement. We’ll see if these characters ever cross paths on wax again for something more to shake the dance floor with. If you haven’t heard “Dientes,” find it on your preferred streaming service, and check out the music video above and some notable bars below. Also, keep checking in with HNHH for the latest on DJ Khaled, J Balvin, and Usher.
Quotable Lyrics She got a couple bad b***hes in the room, And they asking “Where the heat at?” I would rather not explain it to her, I’m a nine times out of ten, my position is to go in my first
World-renowned artist Usher has undeniably made a groundbreaking impact on the music industry. The multi-talented singer is widely known for his unique, soulful vocals and his ability to create catchy hooks that fans can never seem to get enough of. Since his debut in 1994, Usher has released dozens of chart-topping hits. He began his career at a very young age after his family decided to move to Atlanta. There, his talents could be showcased, and he would receive many more opportunities.
Soon, he released his first album at only 15 years old, giving him years to grow as an artist and learn from the best. Ever since the dawn of his career, Usher has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry. This includes Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Ludacris, and more. Usher remains a beloved figure in the music scene and still receives praise for his abundance of 2000s hits.
“My Boo” With Alicia Keys
“My Boo” is a 2004 R&B classic written and released by Usher as a part of his fourth studio album, Confessions. The track features singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. It’s a stunning duet that is still loved by loyal fans across the globe. Initially released as a single, “My Boo” stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts for six weeks. The song’s lyrics are written to tell the story of two lovers and their heartache. It also acted as a relatable and catchy song for fans. In fact, it was even recognized as only the 36th biggest song of the decade between 2000-2009.
“Love In This Club” ft. Jeezy (2008)
Usher’s “Love In This Club” was released on February 22, 2008, as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Here I Stand. The song features rapper Jeezy, mainly along the chorus. The track also contains a Las Vegas-inspired synth beat, creating an electronic R&B sound that fans seemed to love. It quickly reached No. 1 in the United States as well as New Zealand, and was in the Top 10 in many other countries. The lyrics allude to seducing a beautiful woman in a nightclub. The first verse also shouts out to Polow Da Don, the song’s producer.
“OMG” ft. Will.I.Am (2010)
Usher’s usual blend of up-tempo Pop and R&B shines perfectly through “OMG.” The song was written and produced by icon Will.i.am. It heavily utilizes auto-tune, a popular audio effect of the early 2000s. The song was an immediate success as it was the album’s lead single. The lyrics tell a story of a woman which Usher is so incredibly enamored by that he can’t help himself from yelling “Oh my god” repeatedly.
Featuring guest vocals from global superstar Pitbull, “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” was undeniably one of Usher’s best hit tracks. This dance-pop song is also catchy, fun, and never fails to have fans on their feet. It reached the Top 3 in charts worldwide, including Japan, Canada, and France. The song received positive reviews from critics and fans alike and soon turned into one of Usher’s most successful songs of his career.
“Yeah!” landed its spot at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 12 weeks, itself a record compared to any of Usher’s other hits. It’s a brilliant musical mesh of R&B, Crunk, and hip-hop that leaves fans dancing. The song also won a Grammy award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and received a nomination for Record of the Year.
Usher has been a prominent figure in the music industry for over two decades. The singer has released eight successful studio albums, won an incredible amount of accolades, and sold over 75 million records worldwide. Usher’s career has also been marked by his ability to create music that fans carry with them. He continues to make his name heard to this day.
