101 Facts About Usher Raymond

1.

Usher Raymond was born in Dallas, Texas, but raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, until moving to Atlanta, Georgia.

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2.

Usher Raymond released his self-titled debut album Usher, and rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way .

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3.

Usher Raymond has won numerous awards and accolades including eight Grammy Awards, 34 ASCAP Awards, nine Soul Train Music Awards, and eight American Music Awards.

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4.

Usher Raymond owns the record label Raymond-Braun Media Group, a joint venture with talent manager Scooter Braun that includes Canadian singer Justin Bieber.

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5.

Alongside a successful music career, Usher Raymond is acclaimed for involvement in humanitarian causes and is the founder of Usher Raymond's New Look foundation.

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6.

Usher Raymond spent the majority of his young life in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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7.

Usher Raymond's father left the family when Usher was a year old.

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8.

Usher recorded ten songs with the group in 1991, and the ensuing album, Nubeginning Featuring Usher Raymond IV, was only made available regionally and by mail order.

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9.

Usher Raymond's mother left her job as a medical technician to manage his career.

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10.

Usher Raymond was introduced to the public on "Call Me a Mack", a song he recorded for the soundtrack album to the 1993 drama-romance film Poetic Justice.

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11.

Usher Raymond was going through puberty and had a difficult time adjusting his voice.

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12.

LA Reid became skeptical of Usher Raymond and put his album on hold; he thought about dropping him from the label.

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13.

Usher Raymond quickly adapted to the lavish lifestyle of Puff Daddy although in an interview with Rolling Stone, he described this period as the "hardest days" of his life.

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14.

Usher Raymond appeared on LaFace's version of "Let's Straighten It Out", a 1995 duet with fellow Atlanta teen recording artist Monica; and on "Dreamin'", from LaFace's 1996 Olympic Games benefit album Rhythm of the Games.

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15.

Usher Raymond was featured on "I Swear I'm In Love" off the soundtrack to the 1996 film Kazaam.

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16.

Usher Raymond made his acting debut on the UPN television series Moesha, which resulted in a recurring role on the series and subsequently his first film role in 1998's The Faculty.

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17.

Usher Raymond completed two more films, She's All That, and his first starring role in Light It Up.

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18.

At the 2004 Billboard Music Awards, Usher Raymond was recognized Artist of the Year, in addition to receiving 10 other accolades.

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19.

In 2007, Usher collaborated with R Kelly on the track "Same Girl", for Kelly's album Double Up.

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20.

Usher Raymond was featured in a remix version of Omarion's "Ice Box".

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21.

In November 2005, Usher Raymond starred as a disc jockey named Darrell in the Lions Gate film In the Mix.

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22.

Usher Raymond played the role of Flynn for two months but a case of strep throat brought an abrupt ending to Usher Raymond's run in Chicago, which saw a spike in ticket sales after he joined the cast.

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23.

Usher Raymond made a spectacular Broadway debut, bringing a great dedication, work ethic and his amazing talent to the show.

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24.

Usher Raymond has found a new home on Broadway and is welcomed back anytime.

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25.

In September 2008, Usher Raymond announced he would embark on the 15-date tour One Night Stand, in which the audience is only females.

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26.

Raymond v Raymond was released only months after Usher's divorce from Tameka Foster.

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27.

Usher Raymond became the third artist to have at least one number one song from five consecutive studio albums.

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28.

Raymond v Raymond dominated the International Charts, debuting inside the top 10 in Canada, the United Kingdom, Holland, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Italy.

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29.

Usher Raymond made an appearance in the Super Bowl XLV halftime show to sing his song "OMG" with The Black Eyed Peas' singer will.

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30.

In November 2011, Usher Raymond revealed that for his next album he was working on a new type of music which he has depicted as "revolutionary pop", which combines different genres to form a new sound.

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31.

Usher Raymond wanted to make an album that expressed where he was going sonically and not just where he's been for the past 12 to 15 years.

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32.

Usher Raymond's growing, developing, moving, shaking, and being something that's new, cultural, and that's affecting people sonically.

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33.

Usher Raymond said to himself "I gotta go with what I feel and hopefully people will follow me".

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34.

In 2013, Usher Raymond substituted for CeeLo Green as a coach for the fourth season of NBC's The Voice.

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35.

Usher Raymond's last act, Michelle Chamuel, lost the winning title to Danielle Bradbery, mentored by Blake Shelton.

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36.

Usher Raymond returned for the sixth season and his last act, Josh Kaufman, won.

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37.

Usher Raymond furthered his acting career, starring as American former professional boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in the 2016 American-Panamanian biographical sports film Hands of Stone about the career of Panamanian former professional boxer Roberto Duran.

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38.

In March 2019, Usher Raymond posted a photo of himself in the studio next to a whiteboard with the title "Confessions 2" and a blurred out tracklisting.

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39.

Usher Raymond joined John Legend team as this season's battle advisor.

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40.

Usher Raymond had been set to host and perform at the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards, which had been set scheduled to broadcast live on Fox on Sunday, March 29.

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41.

Usher Raymond served as executive producer and judge on a dance competition series called The Sauce.

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42.

Usher Raymond was new jack swing oriented, while My Way contained influences of soul.

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43.

On many occasions, Usher Raymond has named Michael Jackson as his biggest influence.

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44.

Usher Raymond was not urban, but he was our version of what cool could be.

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45.

Usher Raymond was inspired by Frank Sinatra's My Way album released in 1969 so much that he decided to name his second album My Way.

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46.

Usher Raymond received another Grammy Award nomination in 2006 through a cover of Luther Vandross's "Superstar" he performed on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2005.

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47.

Usher Raymond is a stronger, more assured singer than he was a decade ago, though the melismas in his lower range sometimes meander off pitch.

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48.

Usher Raymond is an old-school showman who has been performing since childhood: a dancer, a singer, five feet and seven inches of raw charm and taut musculature.

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49.

Usher Raymond did not disclose of the reasons behind his participation: media speculations assumed it was related to art and feminism amid the release of single "I Don't Mind" featuring Juicy J which discusses the work of an exotic dancer thus making a reference to the new wave of feminism.

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50.

Usher Raymond was ranked number-one on BET's "All Shades of Fine: 25 Hottest Men of the Past 25 Years" special in 2005.

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51.

Usher Raymond was inducted into the 29th Annual Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2007, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016 with a star located at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.

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52.

In 2004, Usher Raymond became the top Billboard honoree by taking 11 awards.

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53.

Usher Raymond spent 28 weeks at number-one in 2004 alone, marking an all-time record for most cumulative weeks spent atop in a calendar year on the Hot 100.

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54.

Usher Raymond broke the record set by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in 1940; their records spent 26 cumulative weeks atop on charts which preceded the Hot 100 era.

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55.

Usher Raymond became the fifth artist of all-time to achieve that feat behind Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Madonna, and became the third male soloist in history to have at least one number-one single from five consecutive studio albums.

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56.

Usher Raymond has topped several Billboard Year-End charts including seven in 1998, seventeen in 2004, and one in 2010.

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57.

Usher Raymond served as the contestant mentor for the Top 10 Week of Season 9 of the television show American Idol.

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58.

Usher Raymond made his television acting debut on the American sitcom Moesha in 1997 playing Jeremy Davis, the love interest and classmate of Moesha, played by Brandy Norwood.

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59.

Usher Raymond has acted in feature films, debuting in 1998's The Faculty.

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60.

In 1999, Usher Raymond appeared as a student disc jockey in the teen romantic comedy film She's All That.

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61.

Usher Raymond starred in the 2002 Twilight Zone revival episode To Protect and Serve as a police officer.

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62.

Usher Raymond continued to make appearances in various television shows, including the period drama American Dreams in the role of Marvin Gaye.

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63.

Usher Raymond appeared in Sabrina the Teenage Witch in Season 2, episode 6 playing the role of a love doctor.

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64.

In September 2008, Usher Raymond released the fragrances UR for Men and UR for Women.

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65.

Usher Raymond donates a portion of its products to schools and has brought in over $20 million in revenue between June 2014 and June 2015, Yoobi CEO Ido Leffler told Inc The Usher line of supplies with Yoobi features a collaboration with Jonni Cheatwood, the artist who does the designing.

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66.

Usher Raymond is a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers professional basketball team.

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67.

Usher Raymond became the third pop artist to own a large stake in an NBA team.

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68.

Usher Raymond was founded in 2012 by Brandin Cohen to help children in developing countries suffering from extreme dehydration caused by deadly diseases.

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69.

Usher Raymond has worked with MasterCard since 2004, together they launched the Usher Raymond Debit MasterCard.

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70.

Usher Raymond was disguised as a street performer to surprise one of his biggest British fans, who was flown into Los Angeles as part of MasterCard's Priceless Surprises campaign in support of the 2015 BRIT Awards.

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71.

In 2012, Usher Raymond partnered with the number-one selling dance game Microsoft Dance Central 3.

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72.

Usher Raymond himself provides voiceover instruction for players participating in the Dance Central 3 game.

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73.

In 2013, Usher Raymond partnered with Samsung shooting a 2:28 minute short film directed by Rich Lee that included his single "Looking 4 Myself" from his then new album.

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74.

In 2015, Usher Raymond teamed up with Pepsi for The New Pepsi Challenge along celebrities Serena Williams, Usain Bolt, and many others.

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75.

Usher Raymond founded New Look, a non-profit charity organization which aims to "provide young people with a new look on life through education and real-world experience".

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76.

Since then, Usher has launched chapters of New Look in such cities as Baltimore, Detroit, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, and Washington, D C New Look has for basic pillars; Talent, Education, Service, and Career.

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77.

In 1999, Usher Raymond participated in "Challenge for the Children", a benefit basketball game hosted by American boy band NSYNC.

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78.

In 2005, Usher Raymond is one among the artists who signed on for a Hurricane Katrina relief concert.

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79.

Usher Raymond has performed a public service announcement to promote Do Something's campaign for civic engagement.

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80.

In 2011, Usher Raymond was honored with the Freedom Award by the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

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81.

Usher Raymond was awarded this honor for his philanthropic work done by his New Look Foundation.

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82.

Usher Raymond spoke to students at the Center for the Creative arts explaining the importance of education.

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83.

Usher Raymond's second stop was Orange Grove Center, a nonprofit that serves adults and children with intellectual disabilities.

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84.

In 2007, Usher Raymond launched his campaign in "Change in the South" in Atlanta, Georgia on the campus of Georgia Tech in support of then presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

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85.

Obama asked Usher Raymond to serve as National Co-chair for his voter registration campaign "Vote for Change".

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86.

Usher Raymond released an exclusive song "Hush" that was influenced by social issues and voting, In the video he features a motivational Barack Obama speech.

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87.

Usher Raymond continued to endorse Obama in 2012 and supported on the 2012 reelection campaign.

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88.

Usher Raymond's New Look Foundation awarded Clinton its Service Legacy Award in 2010.

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89.

In October 2015, Usher Raymond partnered with the organization Sankofa which focuses on issues of social injustice that disproportionately affect the disenfranchised, the oppressed, and the underserved.

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90.

Usher Raymond was selected among a 33-member delegate for the Presidential Committee for Arts and Humanities of the United States of America to Cuba seeking to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.

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91.

In 2001, Usher Raymond began dating TLC member Chilli Thomas, and their relationship lasted for two years.

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92.

In 2003, Usher Raymond started working on the album that would become Confessions, which contained songs inspired by the personal lives of Usher Raymond and his collaborators.

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93.

In 2004, it was reported that Usher Raymond briefly dated British supermodel Naomi Campbell for a few months, together the pair attended the MTV Europe Music Awards and it was reported that Naomi jumped out of a pop out cake to surprise him for his birthday.

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94.

In November 2005, Usher Raymond began dating stylist Tameka Foster, who worked as his personal stylist for several years.

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95.

Usher and Foster have two sons together: Usher "Cinco" Raymond V, born in November 2007, and Naviyd Ely Raymond, born in December 2008.

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96.

Usher Raymond's was induced into a coma to aid her recovery and was transferred to a larger facility, the Hospital Sirio-Libanes.

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97.

Usher Raymond canceled his performance at Clive Davis's pre-Grammy Gala in order to fly to Brazil to be with Foster.

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98.

Usher Raymond filed for divorce from Foster in June 2009 in Atlanta.

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99.

In September 2015, Usher Raymond quietly married his long-time girlfriend and manager Grace Miguel while vacationing in Cuba.

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100.

Usher Raymond confirmed the marriage during an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

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101.

In September 2020, it was confirmed that Usher Raymond was expecting his third child, with music executive Jenn Goicoechea, whom it was reported he started dating in October 2019.

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