Both of the follow-up singles, 'Nice & Slow' and 'My Way,' also went platinum the former stayed at number one on the R&B chart for eight weeks and became his first number one pop single. It topped Billboard's R&B chart for 11 weeks, hit number two on the Hot 100, and eventually went double platinum. The album's first single, 'You Make Me Wanna,' reestablished Usher as one of R&B's hottest artists, and also made him a crossover sensation. In an attempt to display his maturity and songwriting abilities, he co-wrote six of the nine songs and enlisted the help of producers Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, and, again, Combs. He also teamed with teen singing sensation Monica for a remake of Latimore's 'Let's Straighten It Out.'Īfter graduating from high school, Usher released his sophomore album, My Way, in 1997. He also joined several top male R&B vocalists to form Black Men United for the single 'You Will Know,' featured on the Jason's Lyric soundtrack. In 1995, he recorded a national holiday jingle for Coca-Cola.

From that initial exposure, Usher was approached to do other projects. The first single, 'Think of You,' gained Usher wide recognition and reached gold status. The following year, Usher released his debut album of the same name, which featured co-executive producer Sean 'Puffy' Combs. He made his recorded debut in 1993 on the Poetic Justice soundtrack with 'Call Me a Mack,' a single that reached number 56 on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop chart. Reid, who signed the gospel choir boy to a recording contract. The 14-year-old auditioned for LaFace co-founder L.A. After a LaFace A&R representative spotted him on Star Search, his career took off. More than anyone else, as a singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, and all-around entertainer, Usher has been the successor to Michael Jackson.īorn Usher Terry Raymond IV in Dallas, Usher spent much of his childhood in Chattanooga, and eventually moved to Atlanta for the sake of his budding music career. Usher's achievements since then include his 12th and 13th number one R&B/hip-hop hits, 'Climax' (2012) and 'I Don't Mind' (2014), the Top Five album Hard II Love (2016), and the surprise release 'A' (2018), followed by a handful of singles into the 2020s.

It also started a streak of four releases, including another Grammy winner for Best Contemporary R&B Album, Raymond v Raymond (2010), that simultaneously topped the Billboard 200 and R&B/hip-hop charts. That LP generated four straight number one pop hits, won a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and joined the ranks of Thriller, Whitney Houston, and CrazySex圜ool by reaching diamond platinum status - over ten million copies sold in the U.S. Remarkably, he hadn't yet peaked, not until the arrival of his landmark fourth album, Confessions (2004). He achieved platinum status for the first time with My Way (1997), and soon won Best Male Vocal R&B Performance Grammy awards in consecutive years with 'U Remind Me' (2001) and 'U Don't Have to Call' (2002).

As part of the thriving LaFace label roster, he then had an instant impact on the post-new jack swing era and successfully rode mainstream songwriting and production trends across three decades. One of the most successful pop-R&B artists of the late 20th century and the early 21st century, Usher scored his first charting single as a fresh-faced teenager with 'Call Me a Mack' (1993).

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