Usher Raymond

Think Star! Think Usher Raymond IV




Usher Raymond IV popularly known worldwide as Usher is an American R&B-pop Singer, Songwriter and actor. He was born on October 14, 1978 in Dallas, Texas, the son of Jonetta Patton (nee O’ Neal) and Usher Terry Raymond III; both of African American heritage. Usher spent the majority of his young life in Chattanooga. Jonetta Patton (Usher’s mother) left her husband when Usher was one year old, and they relocated to Chattanooga, where usher lived with his mother, then step-father and half-brother, James Patton who was born in 1984. As a child, Usher joined in their local church youth choir in Chattanooga when he was nine years old, as directed by his mother, as time went on; her mother discovered his ability to sing. However, it was until Usher joined a singing group that she considered he could sing professionally.

In 1990, he won in a local talent show while attending middle school and this launched him into becoming world musical icon today. He rose to fame in the 1990s, releasing the multi-platinum album “My way and 8701”. In the belief that a city would provide greater opportunities for showcasing his talent, Usher’s family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where there was a more conducive environment for burgeoning singers. While in Atlanta, Usher attended North Springs High School. His success continued with the release of his breakthrough album, Confessions, which sold over a million copies in the United States in its debut. To date, he has sold appropriately 35 million albums worldwide and has won five Grammy Awards.

Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, which was organized by local music Svengali DarryI Wheeler at the age of 11. There, he released 10 songs with the group in 1991, and the ensuing album, Nubeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV, was only made available regionally and by mail order. However, his mother Patton took him out because, according to her, it was a “bad experience.” The album was released nationally in 2002 by Hip-O Records.

When Usher was 13 years old, he competed on STAR SEARCH, where he was spotted by an A&B representative from LaFace Records, who arranged an audition for Usher to L.A. Reid, the co-founder of LaFace; Reid signed Usher a contract with the record company. Usher’s mother left her job as a medical technician to mange his (Usher) career, but later broke-up their relationship as manager-client in May 2007.

On August 30, 1994, LaFace released Usher’s self-titled debut album. Sean “P Diddy” Combs produced several of tracks and co-executive produced the album. Usher peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was accompanied by three singles: “Can U Get With It”, “Think of You”, and “The Many Ways”. The album has sold over 500,000 copies to date.

Usher developed a friendship with American record Producer Jermaine Dupri, with whom he co-wrote and produced several tracks for his second album, My Way, released on September 16, 1997. The album’s lead single, “You Make me Wanna”, reached number one in the United Kingdom, becoming Usher’s first to achieve top single; the feat led to his popularity reaching in the country. It also became Usher’s first gold-and platinum-certified single in the United States. The album’s second single, “Nice & Slow”, peaked in January 1998 at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Usher his first US number-one single. Later in February of the same year, the single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America; My Way has been certified six-time platinum in the United States.

Between 1997 to 2002, Usher Raymond won different Grammy Awards such as Grammy Award nomination as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “You Make Me Wanna”, Best Male R&B/Soul Single at the Soul Train Music Award and Male R&B Vocal Performance for “U Remind Me” and same award for “U Don’t Have to Call”, making Usher the only artiste aside from Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder to win this award consecutively. In summer 2002, Usher contributed vocals to P. Diddy’s “I Need a Girl, Part I.” The year closed out with a trio of TV series appearances, all in November, on The Twilight Zone, 7th Heaven, Moesha, and American Dreams, the latter in which Usher portrayed Marvin Gaye. Usher has appeared in so many films and TV movies like – The Faculty in 1998, The Bold and the Beautiful, She’s All That, Light It Up, Geppetto and lots more.

Usher’s fourth studio album, Confessions, was released on March 23, 2004 – just as its first single, “Yeah!” was in its sixth week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and fifth week on top of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Chart. The album’s nearly 1.1 million unit debut sales was the highest first-week numbers ever scanned by a male R&B artiste and the seventh best of the Nielsen SoundScan history. To date, the album has accumulated sales of nearly 20 million copies worldwide, over 10 million of which were sold in the United States, earning the album a Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.



The album’s second and third singles, “Burn” and “Confessions Part II”, also topped the Billboard Hot 100, the former for eight weeks. Usher became the first artiste to top the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay with three consecutive number-one singles, and later four consecutive with “My Boo”. In September 2004, “My Boo”, a duet with American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, also peaked at number one at the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the album’s fourth number-one single. In December, the album’s final single “Caught Up” peaked at number eight on the Hot 100.

Confessions earned Usher numerous awards, including four American Music Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and three World Music Awards. At the 47th annual Grammy Awards Ceremony in 2005, Usher won three awards, including: R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals for “My Boo”, which he shared with Alicia Keys; Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Yeah!”; and Contemporary R&B Album for Confessions. At the 2004 Billboard Music Awards, Usher was recognized Artiste of the year, in addition to receiving 10 other accolades.

In spring of 2005, Usher scored a number three Hot 100 hit as a featured vocalist on Lil’ Jon’s “Lovers & Friends.” In 2007, Usher also collaborated with R. Kelly on the track “Same Girl,” for Kelly’s album, Double Up. He was also featured on the track “Shakedown” on American singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige’s 2007 album Growing Pains.

In November 2005, Usher starred as a disc jockey named Darrell in the Lions Gate film, In the Mix. On August 22, 2006, Usher took over the role of Billy Flynn in the long-running Broadway musical Chicago.

To promote the Usher’s fifth studio album, the single “Love In This Club” was sent to radio in February, 2008 and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 – and went on to spend three consecutive weeks at the top – becoming Usher’s eighth number-one single and the fastest-rising song of his career. Here I stand was released on May 26 in the United Kingdom and May 27, 2008 in the United States. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one for accumulated first-week sales of 433,000 copies. The follow-up single “Love in This Club, Part II, which features American singer Beyonce Knowles and Lil Wayne, has peaked at the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Moving Mountains” and “Trading Places” have both peaked at the Top 20 of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart. In September 2008, Usher announced he would embark on the 15-date tour One Night Stand, in which the audience is only females.

In addition, a new single leaked in November 2008 titled, “Off Your Chest”, produced by Jimmy Jam and Tarry Lewis. There is also “Hush” as a single, and “Traffic” as another leaked song. Due to the (overall) disappointing commercial performance of Here I Stand, Usher is planning to release a new album early this 2009.

Usher dated former TLC member Rozanda “Chilli” Thomas from 2001 and broke-up in January 2004. He briefly dated English model-actress Naomi Campbell in September 2004. In February 2007, Usher announced his engagement to girlfriend stylist Tameka Foster. After the sudden cancellation of a planned July wedding due to medical concerns, the two were wed on August 3, 2007 in a private ceremony. Their son Usher Raymond V was born in November of the same year. On December 10, 2008, Foster gave birth to their second child, Naviyd Ely Raymond. Usher’s father died in January 2008.

Usher Raymond IV is in the eyes of music addicts, lovers if you like this 2009, so let’s watch out for his best this 2009.


OF A TRUTH, USHER RAYMOND IV
IS TRULY A MUSICAL STAR

Watch out for our next features on a musical star

more on music visit: http://www.wannabeamusicalstar.com/