Usher

A’ja Wilson Roasts Teammates For Wanting Photos With Usher After Loss

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Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson poked fun at her teammates for wanting photos with Usher after an upset loss to the Chicago Sky. Usher set up shop in Vegas for two and a half years. His residency reportedly netted him over $1 million per show. The shows were star-studded affairs. Celebrities from Kim Kardashian to Keke Palmer made the trip to see the R&B legend live. Wilson, the two-time WNBA MVP and two-time champion, hoped to see Usher at the parade after the team won their first title in 2022. It did not happen. After two years, Usher finally made it to an Aces game.

Unfortunately, it was not to see an Aces win. The Sky stunned Vegas on their home court, winning 93-85 behind 34 points from Chennedy Carter and another double-double for rookie Angel Reese. After the game, a live mic picked up Wilson’s remarks. “They ain’t did sh*t all day, but they want to take a motherf**king picture with Usher,” she said to teammate Sydney Colson.

A’ja Wilson Roasts Teammates For Wanting Photos With Usher

At the end of the clip, A’ja Wilson also hugged Usher. She gave him a jersey and finally got the picture she hoped for two years ago. The Aces are one of the best teams in the WNBA, so one loss won’t get them down. Based on their social media antics, morale is high in the Vegas locker room. They can threepeat. If they do, they’d join the Houston Comets as the only teams in WNBA history to win three consecutive championships.

As for Wilson individually, she has had a great year. She’s getting her own signature sneaker with Nike, which is releasing in 2025. Wilson is also playing career-best basketball. She’s been the favorite for both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year since the season started. In nine days, she will have the chance to add a second Olympic gold medal to a growing trophy case. After a rocky start, the Aces are 10-2 in their last 12 games and do not look like they’re slowing down any time soon. Now, they can also say they got their long-awaited photos with Usher.

The post A’ja Wilson Roasts Teammates For Wanting Photos With Usher After Loss appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Beyonce Co-Signs Teyana Taylor And Victoria Monet’s BET Tribute

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Usher was the main focus of the BET Awards. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award, and several of the musical performances throughout the ceremony were covers of his classic songs. Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monet teamed up for a cover of Usher’s “Bad Girl,” and promptly electrified the crowd. The performance was widely praised by fans online. But the biggest co-sign came from an unlikely source: Beyonce.

Queen Bey shared clips from the performance on her Instagram Story. It makes sense, once you consider the fact that Beyonce and Usher performed “Bad Girl” together on the Truth Tour in 2004. Taylor and Monet used the same exact choreography as their predecessor, turning in a stellar cover. However, neither artist could maintain their composure when they realized Beyonce reposted them. “Everything she saidddd,” Teyana Taylor wrote on her IG Story. “Bihhhhh I’m speechless. & DATS ON QUEEN BEYYYYYYYYYYYY, I’m GAGGGGINGGGGGGGI!!!!”

Read More: Teyana Taylor Responds To Fans Thirsting Over Her Cop Uniform Photos

Beyonce’s Posts Shocked Taylor And Monet

Victoria Monet was similarly blown away by the co-sign. She joined her collaborator Taylor in praising Beyonce for her shout-out. “OOOOH MYYYY GOD!!!!! na I AM SCREAMING!! WHATTTT,” she wrote in yet another IG Story. “CAN NOT GRASP AIR I AM UNWELL HOLY SH*T I did not expect to pass out today! GAGGEDD…completely. @beyonce WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!! THE ORIGINAL BAD GYAL I will forever honor you.” She even tagged Taylor add added: “WTFFFF PINCH ME.”

The performance by Taylor and Monet is even more impressive considering the time constraints they were under. In a separate post, Teyana Taylor revealed that she and Monet had less than 48 hours to get together and perfect the “Bad Girl” choreography. “We don’t regret one moment of it,” she asserted. “We had an assignment that needed to be OVERstood for one of the GOATS… We’d do it all over again and wouldn’t change a thing.” Taylor and Monet received praise from two GOATs that night. They have nothing to change.

Read More: Teyana Taylor & Iman Shumpert Finalize Divorce With Seven-Figure Settlement

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BET Apologizes To Usher For An ‘Audio Malfunction’ During His Heavily Censored Lifetime Achievement Award Speech

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Usher won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday, but his speech was so heavily edited that viewers watching at home weren’t able to make out what the “Confessions Part II” singer was saying. BET has since apologized for what a spokesperson called an “audio malfunction.”

“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,” the spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”

As for the contents of his roughly 13-minute speech, Usher talked a lot about forgiveness.

“We’ve got to be willing to forgive. We’ve got to be willing to be open,” he said. “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.” Let’s see if he forgives BET.

You can watch the full (uncensored) speech below.

What Did Usher Say In His BET Awards Speech?

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If you watched last night’s BET Awards, you probably have a lot of questions about choices the show made with regard to Usher’s Lifetime Achievement Award honor, but one is likely foremost among them — what did he say that made the TV censors go so berserk?

In case you didn’t see it, shortly after taking the stage to begin his speech, Usher used some colorful language while speaking about his absentee father — including a few of George Carlin’s infamous “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” From that point on, the S&P watchdogs at BET — already pretty infamously touchy for a network that also aired the “Tip Drill” video (but only well after midnight) — leaned pretty heavily on the mute button, resulting in stretches of silence up to a few minutes long, just in case. So, just what did Usher say during his speech, and was it really all that bad?

Fortunately, thanks to fans in attendance posting the unedited speech online, we can hear it in full. In truth, Usher spent most of the speech talking about being motivated by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who presented his award. The salty language continued, but there was nothing conspiratorial, just a 45-year-old superstar enjoying his moment and talking his sh*t. You can check out the speech below.

Unforgettable Moments from the 2024 BET Awards: Usher, Victoria Monét, and More

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Unforgettable Moments from the 2024 BET Awards: Usher, Victoria Monét, and More

The 2024 BET Awards took center stage as a grand celebration of Black culture, creativity, and excellence, drawing the biggest names in music, television, film, and sports. This year’s event honored outstanding accomplishments across various industries, shining a spotlight on the profound impact of Black culture globally. Viewers can catch the encore of this unforgettable night on Monday, July 1, at 8 PM ET/PT on BET.

Victoria Monét emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners, securing the Video of the Year award and the BET Her Award. Her electrifying performances of “On My Mama” and her new single “Alright” received standing ovations, highlighting her as a dynamic force in the music industry. In her acceptance speech for the BET Her Award, Monét expressed gratitude to her mother and emphasized her desire to collaborate with more Black women.

Rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion kicked off the night with high-energy performances of her hits “Boa,” “Hiss,” and “Where Them Girls At.” Returning host Taraji P. Henson captivated the audience with her opening monologue and performance of “It’s About Us,” set to the tune of Kendrick Lamar’s popular track “They Not Like Us.”

Sexyy Red lit up the stage alongside The Stylistics, delivering her hit song “U My Everything” and her new single, “Get It Sexyy.” Fashion designers Shareef Mosby, Nia Thomas, Durrell Dupard, Larissa Huehleder, and Heart Roberts were honored with the Shine a Light award, presented by McDonald’s, for their exceptional contributions to fashion.

The new generation of performers also had their moment, with Heiress and Van Van delivering an inspiring performance of “Be You,” showcasing young talent. Will Smith, making his debut performance at the BET Awards, unveiled his new song “You Can Make It” alongside Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, and the Sunday Service Choir, adding a spiritual dimension to the night.

Country music had its spotlight with BET Amplified artist Tanner Adell performing “Buckle Bunny” and “Cowboy” on the BET Amplified stage, presented by NISSAN. GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion continued the high-energy vibe with performances of “Yeah Glo!,” “TGIF,” and “Wanna Be.” Shaboozey brought country flair with “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” and J-Kwon surprised the audience with his classic hit “Tipsy.”

Latto delivered a powerful performance of “Sunday Service” and “Big Mama,” while Tyla transported the audience to South Africa with a vibrant rendition of “Jump,” featuring Gunna and Skillibeng. Bronx rap star Ice Spice performed “Phat Butt” and “Think U The Shit (Fart),” adding her unique flavor to the night.

A major highlight was Usher being honored with this year’s Lifetime Achievement BET Award, recognizing his prolific 30-plus-year career. Usher’s tribute featured stellar performances by Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Summer Walker, Coco Jones, Marsha Ambrosius, Chlöe, Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét, and Latto. Each artist delivered renditions of Usher’s iconic hits, culminating in a vibrant celebration of his legacy. Usher’s emotional acceptance speech emphasized the importance of family, mentorship, and the significance of fathers standing up for their children. To further honor his contributions, Walmart announced a $100,000 grant to Usher’s charity, New Look.

The night concluded with a special performance by Ms. Lauryn Hill and YG Marley, performing “Praise Jah in the Moonlight,” followed by a surprise reunion with her former Fugees bandmate, Wyclef Jean, leaving the audience in awe.

Amidst the celebrations, BET underscored the importance of civic engagement with the launch of its “We V.O.T.E.” campaign, aimed at encouraging high voter turnout in the 2024 election cycle. This initiative highlights key issues affecting the Black community and the crucial role of voting in driving change at local, state, and federal levels.

The 2024 BET Awards not only honored the past and present achievements of Black artists and creators but also inspired future generations to continue the legacy of Black excellence.

The post Unforgettable Moments from the 2024 BET Awards: Usher, Victoria Monét, and More first appeared on The Source.

The post Unforgettable Moments from the 2024 BET Awards: Usher, Victoria Monét, and More appeared first on The Source.

Fans Are Caught Up In Confusion At The Usher Lifetime Achievement Award Tribute Performance At The 2024 BET Awards

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Usher Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show Press Conference 2024
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Tonight (June 30), the 2024 BET Awards was about giving entertainers their flowers. The most notable honorary of the evening was Usher. As the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, several other musicians joined in on the celebration.

Uproxx cover star Chlöe, Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Coco Jones, Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, and more paid tribute to Usher with special performances of his greatest hits. Despite the jammed-packed lineup, following the set, users online shared their mixed reviews of what they witnessed.

The biggest gripe folks had on Twitter was the actual acts selected to take the stage. Continue below to read a few of their responses.

“Hopefully Usher gets a better tribute at the #GRAMMYs cause this wasn’t it. #BETAwards,” wrote one user.

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“Usher deserved BETTER. Teyana Taylor was the only good one,” penned one user.

“I just don’t understand who dropped the ball for the KING OF RNB LIKE THIS?!?!?! SHOW YOURSELVES,” wrote another.

“Soooo Luke James, Tank, Vedo, Eric Bellinger, Trevor Jackson, Baby Face, Tevin Campbell, Miguel, etc weren’t available for this Usher tribute?,” added another.

View the full Usher Lifetime Achievement Award tribute performance below.

Usher’s BET Lifetime Achievement Award Speech Was Censored So Heavily, Fans Had A Lot Of Questions

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Usher has had one hell of a 2024. He’s got a new album, he’s headed on tour, he performed at the Super Bowl, and now, he’s been honored with a BET Lifetime Achievement Award. However, we aren’t sure how he feels about it, because BET’s infamously touchy censor weighed in pretty heavily during Usher’s acceptance speech after he let some colorful language fly in reference to his absentee father. The speech ended up sounding a bit like the radio edit of Snoop Dogg’s “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None),” only without the fly instrumental. Fans were quick to let their own commentary off the chain on Twitter.

Despite this, the mics were indeed on during the tribute performance honoring Usher, which featured an all-star roster of nearly all women singers covering hits from across Usher’s near-30-year run of hits. Included in the performance were Childish Gambino (“U Don’t Have To Call”), Keke Palmer (“You Make Me Wanna”), Summer Walker (“Good Good”), Coco Jones (“There Goes My Baby”), Marsha Ambrosius (“Confessions Pt.2”), Chlöe (“Good Kisser”), Tinashe (“Nice & Slow”), Teyana Taylor & Victoria Monét (“Bad Girl”), and Latto (“Yeah!”).

This isn’t the first time the BET Awards have had censor issues — it’s a tradition going back decades at this point. Nor is this the first time this month Usher has had technical difficulties on the mic, after Latto had to help save his performance at her Birthday Bash in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. Check out his speech… in all its censored glory… above.

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Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Coco Jones, And More Paid Homage To Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Usher At The 2024 BET Awards

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It was a big year for Usher, who completed his Vegas residency, then released his new album Coming Home just as he performed in the Super Bowl Halftime Show. It was as good a year as any to give him the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by none other than legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

With his new multimedia project Bando Stone And The New World on the way, and his album Atavista already out, Donald Glover — aka Childish Gambino — was the first to hit the stage at the 2024 BET Awards to pay homage to Usher with a fluttering falsetto performance of Usher’s 8701 hit, “U Don’t Have To Call,” with Keke Palmer. Palmer picked up the torch to perform his breakout “You Make Me Wanna,” then his “Good Good” collaborator Summer Walker hit the stage to perform their collab.

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Coco Jones was the next star to emerge — from the crowd, no less — to sing “There Goes My Baby” with some audience participation that would make Usher himself proud. “Confessions Pt.2” was performed by Marsha Ambrosius — and yes, she did hit that run — as she was encircled by laser beams. Chlöe popped out next to perform “Good Kisser” in a glittering bodysuit, followed by Tinashe, who performed Usher’s first No. 1, “Nice & Slow.”

Next up was Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét, who performed a sexy duet dance routine to “Bad Girl.” Latto then joined a fleet of dancers to remake the “Yeah!” video onstage, with her performing Ludacris’ iconic verse ahead of the finale, during which all the other women returned to the stage.

You can watch the performance above and find the full list of 2024 BET Awards nominees and winners here.

Latto Hilariously Stepped In To Help Usher Sing ‘Superstar’ Due To Tech Issues At Birthday Bash ATL 2024

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Uproxx cover star Latto is a proud product of Clayton County, but Atlanta is her true home. Yesterday (June 22), the “Sunday Service” rapper showed off her A-Town pride at 107.9’s Birthday Bash 2024.

Last night, Latto became the first woman to headline the annual event. So, to celebrate the momentous occasion, she was sure to surprise the crowd with half a dozen cameos from past collaborators and fellow musical natives, including Usher.

Unfortunately, as Usher went to perform his fan favorite track “Superstar” he experienced a few technical issues. As the problem were worked through on production’s end, Latto jumped in to hilariously sing the cult classic.

Usher was shocked by Latto’s attempt, put it all on the floor. Later into his set, he delivered a touching speech to praise the strides Latto has made in her career.

“You know, we have this thing that we do in Atlanta, where we just seem to keep making history,” he said. “Tonight, Latto made history, being the first female to [headline] Birthday Bash. [So,] we wanna give her, her flowers, one time.”

In addition to Usher, Latto brought out 21 Savage, Summer Walker, Flo Milli, Mariah The Scientist, Anycia, Roscoe Dash, Princess, and Rasheeda.

But don’t think the historic concert was a big payday for Latto. In a post on Instagram, she revealed spent all the money on her show’s production. “Not making a penny from Birthday Bash,” she wrote. “I invested it all back in the show.”

It’s Wednesday, Which Means Usher Won’t Eat At All Today, And He Explained Why

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Today (June 19) is Wednesday, so if you happen to run into Usher, odds are you won’t see him eating.

As People notes, in a recent Wall Street Journal interview, Usher broke down his wellness routine. Most notable was the fact that every Wednesday, Usher doesn’t eat or drink anything besides water.

He explained, “I fast, not for religious purposes, but it’s something my grandmother practiced. I typically try to start around 11 p.m. the previous day, then go the entire day on Wednesday just drinking water.”

Usher also noted that he begins most days with a “moment of reflection,” and explained, “Typically I wake up and drink celery juice. I’ve been doing this concoction of lemon, ginger, water and cayenne pepper. I drink it hot.” Additionally, he noted, “I don’t like to eat breakfast before I’ve worked out or done something physical: taking a walk, stretching or doing yoga, sitting in the sun and raising my body’s natural heat levels. Then I eat.”

As for his breakfast of choice, that honor goes to eggs scrambled with cheese.

Meanwhile, Usher faced a setback last month, when his Lovers & Friends festival ended up getting canceled due to extreme weather conditions (specifically, high winds).