Is Usher ready to admit mother knows best?

The singer is said to be quietly talking with mom Jonetta Patton about becoming his manager again.

Last year, just days before Mother's Day, Usher stunned friends by telling the woman who turned him into an R&B superstar that her services were no longer needed. Shortly afterward, we revealed that he was replacing her with Benny Medina, the man who has steered the careers of Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez, among others.

But now that Usher's new album has been slow off the mark, he's blaming Medina, say sources. True, the CD, "Here I Stand," debuted at number one. But Usher is said to have been disappointed that it sold 433,000 in its first week, compared with his last CD, 2004's "Confessions," which had sales of 1.1 million in its first seven days.

Medina, who's an expert at holding artists' hands, reassured Usher that his latest sales were nothing to be ashamed of, considering the current climate of the record business. But then, three weeks later, Lil Wayne's album, "Tha Carter III," sold more than one million copies its first week out.

"Usher was livid!," claims an insider. "He threatened to fire everyone."
Also troubling were the ratings for the BET Awards. While the show pulled 6.3 million viewers when Beyonce opened it last year, the Usher-headlined show drew only 5.8 million.

"People have been telling Usher to listen to his mother," says a source. "Nobody knows how to sell him better than she does. Usher can be stubborn. But he may be ready."

Some claim Usher pink-slipped his mom because she failed to show proper deference to his stylist-turned-girlfriend-turned-wife, Tameka Foster. But now that Foster has given her a grandson, the two ladies are said to be getting along better. Usher, for one, denies he fired his mom. Rather, he tells Vibe, "[I paid her] the ultimate compliment - to retire her to be a full-time grandmother."

Patton has actually been busy running her own record label and managing other artists, including Usher's brother, Jlack. But sources say that if Usher cries momma, she's there for him.

Usher needs to learn how to write better songs. The fool is pushing 30 & still making songs about "Makin' Love In The Club". Gimme a break. Besides he's been replaced by a younger talent by the name of Chris Brown.

Usher is getting old & tired..so he needs to re-invent himself. Something other than the "I wanna be MJ-Pop Star" image.

Mama can't help u with that Usher.

krayzie said:

Bishop31 said:

Usher looks like a man now..

Brown looks like a teen.


That who is buying the music accept for friends of the entertainer on the first week.

See, hiphop and hiphop R&B types did what the Industry powers wanted, they made R & B a youth-driven market.

20 years ago there was room on so-called urban/black radio for everyone to eat.
There were singers who were over 30, and thriving.

Enter: Videos, Rap, and dancing. Teenagers pushing products (sneakers, clothing, movies, etc.)

Now the acts that were at the fore-front of this youth-movement are paying the price for getting old---earlier than Prince and others 10 years ago. and it appears to be more than Usher.

They did not care then, as long as they pulled $$$$. Who cares?


The women fans are 22-29 now, and they are into more mature music, or not buying as many CDs at all.


Too many MTV C.R.I.B.S. episodes.. "Flossin'" Showing-off too much excess is back-firing as well in this economy. Plus, they get new celebrity friends that tell their core that they are moving away from the "'hood" that gave them their slang, culture, dance-moves, and sound..

It's happened to several entertainers on R&B. When you move into The NYC and Hollywood Elite, most entertainer's core fans seem to move away from them.
[Edited 7/9/08 5:53am]

Bishop31 said:

usher doesnt write any of his songs.

Linn4days said:

i dont think that's the sole reason. if you put out a quality album people will buy regardless of downloading. downloading will not go away and will exist for all eternity. usher cries foul of losing sales and yet lil wayne sells a million first week off the back of a very average album. here i stand was just pure laziness - usher sought meaningless demos from up and coming singers and songwriters and he has no one to blame but himself. public perception of him has died down and his recent tirades only reflect his fading star potential. time to call it a day. if you can't put out a solid meaningful album, no use in blaming the fans or the marketing team, if you didn't live up to the expectation fans will not buy it let alone support trash.