Life is good if your name is Usher Raymond. With steady album sales, thriving business ventures, and the love of two healthy sons, there’s not much to complain about in Usher’s world. But that hasn’t always been the case. The last few years have provided Usher with enough drama to launch a soap opera. With declining record sales, the firing of his mother as his longtime manager, and the marriage and subsequent divorce from former stylist Tameka Raymond, it looked as if Usher’s megawatt star was ready to dim and then fade into oblivion.
But things would eventually turn around for the crooner, and now VH1 is set to encapsulate the journey in a “Behind the Music” special, which is set to air July 19 at 8 p.m.
The special takes a closer look at the many twists and turns in Usher’s career, while providing insight into among other things: his breakup with TLC’s Chilli, his divorce settlement, the death of his father, and the firing of his mother.
Here are a few quotes from the episode.
“I never thought of him cheating, I don’t know I just, I didn’t expect anything like that from him because of how much we loved each other. But I kept hearing about it, then I went to him and I asked him and he … admitted it. You know I just, I felt like … a fool, I felt like everybody knew something and I didn’t, and I’m … just now finding out.” –Rozonda “Chili” Thomas on finding out about Usher’s infidelity.
I’m paying a lot, but I got a lot out of the deal too, you know. Um my boys, I love them, you know, and I’ll never be unavailable for them. I’ll always be there. Not having my father be there is what makes me the father that I am to my sons.” – Usher on fatherhood and being awarded joint custody of his two sons.
“The relationship between me and Tameka, uh, definitely bothered my mother… She never chooses to speak about it, but, I think that she just didn’t approve of it because she didn’t want to.” –Usher on the rift between his ex-wife, Tameka, and his mother.
So now that Usher is putting it all out in the open, will you be watching? Share your thoughts on the upcoming VH1 “Behind the Music” special. –djr
