You may as well call Usher Raymond IV "Slash."  As in singer slash dancer
slash actor slash producer slash... who knows what's next?  After selling
a zilling albums (five million, actually), appearing in "The Faculty" 
and "She's All That," (not to mention MOesha and The Bold and the Beautiful)
and touring the nation with Janet Jackson, you'd think this Atlanta boy
would want a rest,  Yeah, right.  He just released a live album, "Usher 
Live," and will soon be starring in the movie "Light It Up" (due this
fall).



Usher Up Close
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*BORN: October 17, 1978, in Dallas Texas (raised in Chattanooga, TN)
*SIGN: Libra
*CURRENTLY LIVES IN: Atlanta, Georgia
*DRIVES: Porsche Boxster, Range Rover, Lincoln Navigator
*FAVORITE MOVIE: The Exorcist
*TOP THREE ALBUMS (RIGHT NOW): Eminem, The Slim Shady; Redmen, Doc's Da
 Name 2000; Flipmode Squad, The Imperial
*FAVORITE BOOK: Concversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch
*PET PEEVE: People who don't work hard
*FAVORITE ACTOR: Denzel Washington
*IF I DIDN'T SING, I WOULD BE: A clothing desinger
*FIRST KISS: When I was four years old
*I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: Music
*WITH MY FIRST BIG PAYCHECK, I BOUGHT: My mother a house
*FAVORITE BRAND OF UNDERWEAR: Calvin Klein
*CARRER HIGHLIGHT (SO FAR): being on tour with Janet Jackson
*ONE WORD THAT DESCRIBES ME BEST: WORK
*PAIRS OF SHOES I OWN: Millions
*CHILDHOOD NICKNAME: "Big Ush"



Question & Answer:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: What's up with taking the shirt off in concert?
A: That's just something for the ladies.

Q: That's your trademark, right?  That and the shoe thing.  [Usher 
   leaves his hhoes onstage after a show.]  You must have a lot of 
   pairs of shoes.
A: [Laughs] Yeah.

Q: Do you work out a lot?
A: I really don't have time.  I have a busy schedule.  I only have the
   time to keep what I've got goin' here.  [points to his six-pack abs.]  
   Luckily, it's hereditary.  I had it at the age of 10.

Q: Just don't eat too many burgers.  [Usher is eating a turkey 
   cheeseburger at this moment.]
A: I love junk food.

Q: Like what?
A: Pizza, candy, cupcakes, chocolate, chocolate milk. I'm the worst when 
   it comes to chocolate. Like, if I have a hot choclate, I have choclate
   syrup too. It's vitiamin C. [Laughs]

Q: More like vitamin CH! [Not that we don't trust Usher, but we'd suggest
   that all of you stick with OJ.] You must eat some healthy stuff, though.
A: How 'bout this burger? You got mustard-that's good. The tomato, the
   lettuce-they're vegetables. You got the turkey-the meat group, see?
   A balanced meal, right here.

Q: Enough small talk. It's time for the stuff we all want to know.
A: Do I have a girlfriend? No. I want one, though.

Q: What kind of girl are you looking for?
A: I like a girl with an intriguing personality, someone who at the same
   time can be very sensitive and feisty. I need somebody who definitely
   has a creative side. The reason I want all these things is 'cause 
   when I get into a relationship, I want it to be serious.

Q: Do you want to have a family?
A: No doubt. I'd love to have a family. I'd love to have kids someday. 
   It's definitely a big step, but I can be committed to one woman. I 
   wouldn't cheat on her.

Q: Do you consider yourself a romantic person? 
A: Very.

Q: What's one romantic thing you've done that has worked?
A: I painted a girl's toenails. She thought that was really sweet.

Q: What makes a great date?
A: I like the simpler things in life. Something as simple as taking 
   time from what U do to go to Burger King with a date.

Q: What would you do if you wanted to impress a girl
A: Well, you have to really improve on your manners. If you're kickin' 
   it with the boys all the time, then you might need to calm down. Girls
   really like for a man to pay attention to them, to admire their features 
   and face, their lips, their hair. They love guys who open the door for 
   them. Start, by opening the car door for her. Then when you get in your 
   ride, you want to set the mood for the night so you get yourself some
   really, really, nice music. I prefer, like Usher. [Smiles] Play yourself
   a really nice song-all depending on the restaurant you're going to. If
   it's Burger King, hey, you know what I'm saying, you can play "My Way."
   Have it your way, right away. [Laughs]

Q: Shameless plug! So did your mom teach you a lot of stuff?
A: Actually, I learned a lot of this stuff from books...But my mother has
   always made sure that I stay  a perfect gentleman, or as much of a 
   perfect gentleman as I possibly can be. Hopefully, a nice guy, really
   kind-hearted and gentle toward women's feelings.

Q: What's the biggest crowd you've ever seen that wasn't at a show? 
A: One time, I decided-I don't know why-I'll go to the mall to try to 
   shop. I think we were in New Jersey. All I wanted to do was buy some
   shoes for my little brother. We were lookin' at 'em and there was just
   this one little girl, then a group of 30 fans, and all of a sudden,
   everybody in the mall was chasing me. [Laughs] I'm runnin' up and down
   the elevators, esclators, in and out of rooms and doors. I love my fans,
   but this was nuts! You know what else is funny? The security didn't
   know who I was. They thought I was doin' something wrong and they tried
   to arrest me 'cause they saw me running.

Q: You're a big brother. What's your relationship with your little 
   brother James like? [James is 14]
A: My little brother lives in my new house, too. [Usher just bought a 
   huge new pad in Atlanta.] He has his little branch downstairs  in my
   house next to the arcade. When I bought my house I though, WIll it be
   nice for everybody? Will it be comfortable for everybody?

Q: So, when you hang around with your brother, what do you do?
A: We kick it. We play games. We just hang around each other a lot. Just
   being each other's company is always goood.

Q: Are you protective of him?
A: Very. Everything that I love I try to protect.

Q: What was it like growing up without a father? [Usher's father left
   home when he was very young.]
A: I had to be responsible. I had to be responsible  a lot.

Q: Are you sad that you didnt' have a father figure?
A: I mean, it didn't get me mad. I can't say that I didn't want a father 
   figure, but I'm not upset with myself or with him. I don't knock
   anybody for the decisions that they make in their life, but you do
   have to be ersponsible for your mistakes. Now, it's like the guy who
   I might call my dad...I can't callhim that, 'cause I don't know him as
   a Dad. 

Q: What is Usher trying to do for the world?
A: Well, my goal is to show the world that people can achieve anything
   they want if they put their minds to it, have enough patience, and
   put their faith in God. I try to be positive in myself and yet I don't
   profess to be some perfect guy. I may make mistakes, too, but no matter
   how much people might put me down, I'm still responsible for my own 
   mistakes. I'm only human.

Q: So you're proud to be a role model?
A: Very proud.

Amanda's Opinion:  I think Usher songs are really great! He's not only
                   a great singer but he puts on a great live show.

Lindsey's Opinion: Of corse since I am into the R&B style I like Usher's
                   tunes. He's a good singer and has a great personality!
                   Keep it up!!!