60 Fun Facts About Usher

In which city was Usher born?

He is a Texan by birth only; the family moved to Chattanooga, then to Atlanta to find him a bigger stage.

In which city did Usher spend most of his childhood and join a church youth choir at nine?

The city later named a road Usher Raymond Parkway in his honour, in 2001.

Usher's surname and suffix are what?

His father was Usher Raymond III, who left when his son was a year old and reconciled with him shortly before dying in 2008.

How old was Usher when his self-titled debut album came out in 1994?

The songs were about sex, and the public had trouble believing a singer that young was singing them.

Which 2004 album remains the best-selling album by a Black artist of the 21st century?

It sold nearly 1.1 million copies in its first week, then the most ever for a male R&B artist.

What was Usher's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100?

It topped the chart in January 1998; "You Make Me Wanna..." had gone to number one in the UK but not the US.

Which two rappers are featured on "Yeah!"?

Lil Jon also produced it and called the crunk-meets-R&B sound "crunk&B".

For how many consecutive weeks did "Yeah!" top the Billboard Hot 100?

The song that finally knocked it off was Usher's own follow-up, "Burn".

Who duets with Usher on "My Boo"?

It gave the album its fourth straight number one and won the pair a Grammy for R&B duo performance.

Which teenage singer's career did Usher co-found a label to manage in 2008?

Raymond-Braun Media Group was a joint venture with the teenager's manager, Scooter Braun.

On which TV singing competition did Usher serve as a coach in 2013 and 2014?

He replaced CeeLo Green, lost the first final with Michelle Chamuel and won the second with Josh Kaufman.

In what year did Usher headline the Super Bowl halftime show?

It marked thirty years since his solo debut, and he married Jenn Goicoechea in Las Vegas the same night.

Which local R&B group was 12-year-old Usher a member of before his mother pulled him out?

Their one album was re-released in 2002 as NuBeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV; his mother later called it "a bad experience".

Which Boyz II Men song did Usher sing to win a record deal on the spot?

An A&R man had spotted him on Star Search and set up the audition with the label's co-founder.

Which label co-founder signed Usher as a teenager?

The two reunited in 2023 to found the independent label Mega with Larry Jackson's Gamma.

Usher's first solo song, "Call Me a Mack", appeared on the soundtrack of which 1993 film?

The Janet Jackson and Tupac drama came out a year before his own debut album.

With whom did the label send a 15-year-old Usher to live in New York for what was dubbed "Flavor Camp"?

He described the stint as the hardest days of his life, and the host ended up co-executive-producing his debut.

Which producer became Usher's close collaborator on his second album, My Way?

The two were still working together decades later on "Don't Waste My Time" and "SexBeat".

Usher named My Way after a 1969 album by which singer?

The record also gave him his first UK number one with "You Make Me Wanna...".

Why is Usher's third album titled 8701?

It had been announced as All About U before leaks forced a retool and a rename.

Which two 8701 singles both reached number one on the Hot 100?

They spent four and six weeks on top respectively; "Pop Ya Collar" had flopped in the US a year earlier.

Which four singles from Usher's 2004 album went to number one consecutively?

He was the first artist ever to land four consecutive number ones on the Hot 100 Airplay chart; "Caught Up" only reached eight.

Whose personal life, rather than Usher's, actually inspired the infidelity songs on his 2004 album?

Fans assumed the songs explained his split from TLC's Chilli, and she did not exactly deny it on Atlanta radio.

Which TLC member did Usher date for three years from 2001?

The relationship ended around the time his 2004 album's songs about cheating came out.

Which role did Usher take over on Broadway in 2006?

Strep throat ended the run after two months and cost the production an estimated $400,000 in refunds.

Which number-one single led Usher's 2008 album Here I Stand?

It became his eighth Hot 100 number one and the fastest-rising song of his career.

Which 2010 single made Usher one of the few artists to top the Hot 100 in three consecutive decades?

It features will.i.am and drew flak for its Auto-Tune, but hit number one in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Which rapper is featured on "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love"?

It came from the Versus EP; the urban-radio single from the same set, "Hot Tottie", featured Jay-Z.

Which former boxer did Usher play in the 2016 film Hands of Stone?

Édgar Ramírez played Durán, with Robert De Niro as his trainer.

Usher made his acting debut with a recurring role on which UPN sitcom?

That led to his first film, The Faculty, and even a stint on The Bold and the Beautiful.

What was Usher's first film, released in 1998?

Robert Rodriguez's teen sci-fi horror; She's All That and his first lead in Light It Up followed the next year.

Which non-profit did Usher found in 1999 to give young people education and real-world experience?

Its four pillars are talent, education, service and career, and it starts with students in the eighth grade.

Which stylist did Usher marry in 2007?

Their sons Usher "Cinco" Raymond V and Naviyd were born in 2007 and 2008; the divorce fed the album Raymond v. Raymond.

Which soul legend called Usher "the Godson of Soul" after their duet at the 2005 Grammys?

Usher credits him with teaching him showmanship: "Because of him I was given a clear view of what a real performance is."

Which artist has Usher repeatedly named as his biggest influence?

He got to dance alongside him performing "You Rock My World" at the 30th Anniversary Special.

What was the first record Usher says he ever bought?

His Live album includes a medley of that singer's hits, and Bobby Brown presented him with a BET Honors award in 2015.

Billboard named Usher the number-one Hot 100 artist of which decade?

He was also ranked the decade's second most successful artist overall.

Which streaming service premiered Usher's interactive "Chains" video, which paused when the viewer looked away?

It used the viewer's webcam and facial recognition to force engagement with a video about racial profiling and police brutality.

Where in Las Vegas did Usher's residency begin in July 2021?

He moved the show to Park MGM the next year, announcing it on stage with Bruno Mars.

What is the title of Usher's 2024 album, released the day of his Super Bowl performance?

It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200; Flawed and UR were both abandoned working titles of an earlier record.

Which HBCU marching band played on the field during Usher's Super Bowl halftime show?

Jackson State's band was a nod to Black History Month; the show drew 129 million US TV viewers.

Which guest's voice famously cracked at the start of "If I Ain't Got You" during Usher's halftime show?

She was one of five guests, alongside will.i.am, Lil Jon, Ludacris and H.E.R. on guitar.

Whom did Usher marry in Las Vegas immediately after his Super Bowl performance?

The music executive is the mother of his two youngest children, born in 2020 and 2021.

Which award did Usher receive at the 2024 BET Awards?

Billboard named him the 11th greatest pop star of the 21st century a few months later.

With whom did Usher co-found the independent label Mega in 2023?

It is a partnership with Larry Jackson's Gamma, which Usher joined after leaving RCA in 2022.

Which producer made Usher's 2018 album A entirely on his own?

He had earlier co-produced "Papers", the divorce song that led off Raymond v. Raymond.

Which two-word phrase whispered during Usher's 2022 Tiny Desk Concert became a viral meme?

The NPR set featured Eric Bellinger and Vedo on backing vocals.

Which figure did Usher portray in a 2002 episode of American Dreams?

That November he also popped up on The Twilight Zone, 7th Heaven and Moesha.

Which cereal brand let fans download Usher's song "Clueless" free with a code from its boxes?

The promotion ran during his 2014 UR Experience tour, with boxes sold at Walmart.

For which two songs did Usher win consecutive Grammys for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2002 and 2003?

Only Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder had won that award in back-to-back years before him.

What nickname have Usher's TV coaching, films and Broadway work earned him from newspapers?

He has also been called the King of R&B, though several other singers claim that one too.

Roughly how many records has Usher sold worldwide?

That places him among the best-selling music artists of all time, with eight Grammys along the way.

Which rock band's Super Bowl XLV halftime show did Usher guest on in 2011?

He sang "OMG" with will.i.am; Slash was the other guest, and it made him the first act to perform at both a Super Bowl and an NBA Finals.

What was Usher's third album originally going to be called before it was retooled and renamed 8701?

The first single 'Pop Ya Collar' hit number two in the UK but flopped at home, and leaks forced a rethink before the August 2001 release.

Which artist is featured on Usher's 2010 number-one single 'OMG'?

The song topped the charts in Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, Australia and the US, despite criticism of its Auto-Tune effect.

What label did Usher call the genre-blending sound of his 2012 album Looking 4 Myself?

'Climax' led the album, which earned a platinum certification and was praised for his falsetto.

How long was the record-setting note a 13-year-old Usher held on Star Search?

He has a leggiero tenor range of three octaves and four notes, and his vocal coach Jan Smith calls him the most gifted singer she has worked with.

Usher's 2002 vanity label US Records released only one album, the soundtrack to which film?

The 2005 soundtrack introduced the label's acts, including a Canadian teen named Justin Bieber.

What was the name of the character Usher played on the sitcom Moesha in 1997?

He played the love interest and classmate of Brandy Norwood's title character; his 1999 film Light It Up gave him his first lead role.

Which manager, already representing Justin Bieber, signed a management deal with Usher in 2016?

The pair already ran the Raymond Braun Media Group joint venture to which Bieber is signed.