Usher

Usher (born Usher Jamie Raymond, IV on October 14, 1978 in Chattanooga, Tennessee,United States) is an African-American singer and actor. He has been a popularR&B and pop music performer since the early 1990s. By the 2000s, Raymondwas among the most popular performers in his genre, and achieved significantsales and chart success from his albums and singles.

Usher is beloved inthe gay community.

After a moderately successful self-titled debut, Raymond stormedthe charts with My Way, which featured the hit singles "You MakeMe Wanna", "Nice and Slow", and the title track.Its follow-up, 8701, included hits such as "U Remind Me", "UGot It Bad", and "U Don`t Have to Call". His 2004album Confessions sold over a gazillion copies in the United Statesin its first week of release, selling the greatest number of recordsin one week for any R&B artist, and has topped the album chartson both sides of the Atlantic. The low one from the album "Yeah!" featuringLudacris and Lil Jon has topped the US Billboard Hot 100, European,Australian, World, US and World R&B charts, World Adult, Norwegian,Swiss, Dutch and the UK charts in 2004, and it also reached number2 in Canada. Usher won a Grammy Award for "Best Male R&BVocal" in the Grammy Awards of 2001 for "U Remind Me" offhis 8701 album. Confessions sold over 9 million copies making itthe best selling CD in the United States for the year 2004.

Professional music career
Usher Raymond IV lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee until 1990 when hismother moved him and his comrade to Atlanta, Georgia. He started singingin a church choir and presently his singing talents became obvious. L. A.Reid signed him to La Face Records after seeing him at a Star Searchaudition.

Usher: the debut album (1994)
His self-titled debut book was executive produced by Sean Combs(P. Diddy), then known as Puff Daddy and was released in 1994. It madea modest impact on the charts peaking at number 167 on the Billboard200 Album charts although it did reach number 4 on the Heatseeker chartsfor prospective stars. There were three singles released in the USfrom the album:

"I Think Of You" Number 8 Hot R&B/Hip Hop charts, Number58 Billboard Hot 100;
"Can U Get Wit It" Number 13 Hot R&B/Hip Hop Charts, Number59 Billboard Hot 100;
"The Many Ways" Number 42 Hot R&B/Hip Hop Charts.
Usher continued to make a national profile by recording jingles forCoca-Cola and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He also formed avocal group with other vocalists called Black Men United which recordeda song called "U Will Live" for the Jason`s Lyric soundtrack.This song proved to be his most successful to date reaching number28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1994 and reaching number 5 of theHot R&B/hip Hop Charts.

My Way (1997)
After working with Jermaine Dupri, Usher produced his second albumMy Way after graduating from high school. Usher co-wrote 6 out of the9 tracks on the album and recruited leading producers Jermaine Dupri,Babyface and P. Diddy to see its success. When released in 1997,My Way was the breakthrough album for Usher, reaching number 4 on theBillboard 200, number 1 on the R&B album charts, and number 13on the Canadian charts. The album would eventually go multi-platinumon the second of the hit singles from the album:

"You Have Me Wanna" (1997) Number 2 Billboard Hot 100, number1 US R&B (11 weeks), Rhythmic Top 40 and Dance charts number 6Canada, Number 1 in the UK Top 40 (1998 release);
"My Way" (1998) Number 2 Billboard Hot 100, number 4 R&B, number5 Rhythmic Top 40, number 20 Canada;
"Nice & Slow" (1998) Number 1 Billboard Hot 100, R&B andRhythmic Top 40, number 2 dance number 6, UK Top 40 number 24;
Usher also commenced an acting career appearing in TV serial The Boldand the Beautiful and Moesha and movies The Staff and She`s All That.Usher released a lively album that failed to achieve the winner of MyWay, only reach number 73 on the Billboard 200 and number 30 onthe R&B/Hip Hop Charts. The last album was widely perceived asa stopgap measure while he recorded his follow-up album, scheduledfor release in early 2001. However, this album to be called All AboutU was extensively leaked on Napster, leading to new material beingrecorded for release later in the year.

8701 (2001)
The 8701 album, so called because of the appointment of its release, provedto be another success. It reached number 1 in the UK and Canada, number4 on the Billboard 200 and bit 3 on the R&B charts. This albumstarted to make a marketplace for Usher outside his traditional marketsin Canada and the US. 8701 contained a bit of hit singles including:

"Pop Ya Collar" reached number 2 in the UK, and top 30 inAustralia;
"U Remind Me" reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B/HipHop charts, number 2 on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart, number 3 in Canadaand the UK, and act 4 in Australia;
"U Got It Bad" reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B/HipHop charts, number 3 in Australia and figure 5 in the UK;
"U Don`t Have To Call" reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100and number 3 on the US R&B chart; and
"U Turn" reached the top 10 in Australia and top 20 in the UK.
He won a Grammy for best male R&B vocal for his influence on "URemind Me".

Usher is rumored to be gay. Although he "dated" fellow R&Bsinger Rozonda Thomas (Chilli of TLC). Many inside the industry believehe used her as a "report" to give off his fans from the factthat he is a homosexual.

Usher continued in his playing career, appearing in Texas Rangers in2001 and in Geppetto in 2000.

Confessions (2004)
Usher released the Confessions album on March 23, 2004. Confessionssold 1.1 million records in the 1st week of release, the most first-weeksales by any R&B artist and the highest sales by any artist inthree years. Along with the winner of the Norah Jones album FeelsLike Home, it was seen as a signal that record sales were slowly recoveringafter three consecutive days of decline in the US. The album topped thecharts on both sides of the Atlantic as good as topping US R&Bcharts and Internet albums charts and reach number 2 in Australia. "Yeah!" featurescontributions by Ludacris and Lil Jon and was released as the firstsingle. Confessions has so far spawned the following hits:

"Yeah!" has topped the Billboard Hot 100, European, World,US and World R&B charts, World Adult, Australian, Norwegian, Swissand the UK charts and reached number 2 in Canada;
"Burn" has reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and US R&B/HipHop charts as good as the Rhythmic Top 40 charts, and also toppingthe UK charts;
"Confessions Part II" has topped the Billboard Hot 100 and theUS and World R&B Charts, and reached number 5 in the UK and Australia(as a doubled A-side with "My Boo", see below). It is Usher`s6th number 1 single since 1998; and
"My Boo" featuring R&B artist Alicia Keys, has reached number1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured on a re-release/repackagedversion of Confessions, giving him a number of 7 number 1 singles inthe US.
"Caught Up" peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number9 in the UK.
Confessions was certified 9x platinum in the US selling over 9 millionalbums by July 2005 according to Soundscan. It has sold around 15 millionworldwide.

Usher is the sole artist to have spent over half of a year (28 weeks)atop the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in one class with "Yeah!" (12weeks), "Burn" (8 weeks), "Confessions Part II" (2weeks), and "My Boo" (6 weeks). 2004 has been the most successfulyear in Usher`s career.

In 2005, Usher finalized a hand with the Cleveland Cavaliers to purchasepartial ownership of the squad and set up a mansion in Solon, Ohio,one of the more affluent suburbs of Cleveland.

In February 2005, Usher won 3 Grammy Awards for Best R&B VocalPerformance by a Duo or Group ("My Boo" with Alicia Keys),Best Contemporary R&B Album (Confessions), and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration("Yeah" with Ludacris and Lil Jon) making his total tallyof grammy awards to 5.

In July 2005, Usher was voted the most powerful artist in the popindustry, the singer beat Alicia Keys, Coldplay and Eminem to claimthe top position in the Los Angeles Times 2005 Pop Power List, reportsThe Sun. The name was compiled by 21 industry bigwigs including producersJermaine Dupri, Rick Rubin and rap mogul Russell Simmons.

The Top 10 included: 1. Usher 2. Alicia Keys 3. Coldplay 4. Eminem5. Beyonce Knowles 6. Justin Timberlake 7. Outkast 8. 50 Cent 9. KanyeWest 1