USHER NO STAR-LITE HIP-HOP WONDER EARNS 8 NODS FOR CHART-TOPPING 'CONFESSIONS'.Byline: Fred Shuster Staff Writer Usher must have a big freezer for all that ice. Hip-hop's biggest male star and sex symbol rocks more diamonds than Tiffany's. Around his neck, on his fingers, in his ears. Those fab abs only add to this 14-karat heartthrob's mystique. Word on the street is the 25-year-old singer-dancer born Usher Raymond IV Raymond IV, count of Toulouse Raymond IV, c.1038–1105, count of Toulouse (1093–1105), leader in the First Crusade (see Crusades). He was also count of Saint Gilles and marquis of Provence. has snatched the glove from Michael Jackson Noun 1. Michael Jackson - United States singer who began singing with his four brothers and later became a highly successful star during the 1980s (born in 1958) Michael Joe Jackson, Jackson . With three chart-topping singles - a yearning ``Burn,'' the dance-pop platter ``Yeah!'' and the baby-mama drama anthem ``Confessions Part II'' - from the 11-million- selling ``Confessions'' disc fueling the fire, he's picked up eight Grammy nominations. Usher doesn't need anybody to help him find his seat. He's been knee- deep in diamond dust in the last year with an album everyone from tweeners to leaners can agree on. But even before the disc became a thriller, Usher was an international pop idol This article is about the British television series. For general popular culture icons, see pop icon. Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on October 5 2001; the show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer, who'd snared two Grammys, appeared in movies and on the cover of countless magazines, and endured a breakup with ex-girlfriend Chilli from the r&b group TLC TLC total lung capacity; thin-layer chromatography. TLC abbr. 1. thin-layer chromatography 2. that had the media foaming at the mouth. ``Life's lookin' good,'' the charismatic singer understated. ``I have my mind on my money and my money on my mind,'' he added, quoting Dr. Dre. Along with the abs, the ice and all kinds of nice, Usher has a few pet theories on his success. ``I know why this record was a hit. It was a natural evolution - the older you get, the more relaxed and comfortable you get. And I think that came out in the music this time. Parts of the record were autobiographical, but I draw from my friends' experiences, too. People can relate to that. And I had the right team around me.'' No kidding. Born in Chattanooga, Tenn., and raised in Atlanta, Usher got his break when LaFace Records LaFace Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony BMG. Company history LaFace was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between the producing duo Antonio "LA" Reid & Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Arista Records. co-founder Antonio ``L.A.'' Reid caught a hometown talent show in 1993. Further connections were made with monster hitmakers Sean ``P. Diddy'' Combs, Kenny ``Babyface'' Edmonds, Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri also known simply as JD (born Jermaine Dupri Mauldin on September 23 1972) is an American record producer and rapper. Dupri is the youngest inductee to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. and Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer and a leading music industry executive. From 1967-72 he was the President of Columbia Records, was the founder and president of Arista Records in the late 1970s through 2000 until founding J Records. . A slot on Janet Jackson's ``Velvet Rope'' tour and roles on Brandy's ``Moesha'' sitcom, the daytime soap ``The Bold and the Beautiful'' and in the 1998 teen horror flick ``The Faculty'' only solidified his position. And he was ``Punk'd'' by Ashton Kutcher This article is about the actor. For the Internet humorist, see Zug.com. Christopher Ashton Kutcher, (born February 7,1978 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa), is an American actor. . But ``Confessions,'' with its title track about a guy who owns up to his girlfriend that he fathered a baby while ``creepin' wit' '' another chick, put Usher through the roof. He explains the song was mostly based on problems not his own. ``I don't have a child, but it was partly drawn from personal experiences. You have to be willing to take a risk (when writing songs). I felt maybe I was telling too much, maybe people might not be able to handle this stuff. It could be negatively looked at. I've always tried to keep my personal life under wraps.'' On stage for 90 minutes, Usher is well-wrapped in a variety of outfits, many of which end up at his feet as his abs get a showing. A nonstop athlete who break-dances, gyrates and sometimes even outdoes his own videos, Usher has enjoyed some of the best box-office receipts of a generally slow concert season. ``A lot of times, good record sales don't necessarily translate to huge ticket sales,'' observes Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar, a weekly that covers the touring industry, ``but they do here. People are genuinely enthusiastic about this artist - and the ticket prices are relatively conservative for such a popular attraction.'' How enthusiastic? An Ebony magazine profile gushed: ``Usher's not the average Brother. He's today's hottest teenage heartthrob, a young man who could look cool taking his yo-yo or his Porsche for a spin. Maybe that's why everybody loves Usher Raymond IV. The ladies say he's sexy because he's the perfect mix of maturity and sophistication so·phis·ti·cate v. so·phis·ti·cat·ed, so·phis·ti·cat·ing, so·phis·ti·cates v.tr. 1. To cause to become less natural, especially to make less naive and more worldly. 2. , youth and innocence. Fellows say he's cool because of his laid-back nature.'' Usher, following the old Hollywood maxim about hair and teeth, is in for the long haul. With a daily workout routine that involves hundreds of crunches, he keeps himself in tiptop condition. ``I have a nutritionist nu·tri·tion·ist n. One who is trained or is an expert in the field of nutrition. nutritionist Dietitian, see there , and I keep to a very strict diet. You know, I take vitamins, ginseng ginseng (jĭn`sĕng), common name for the Araliaceae, a family of tropical herbs, shrubs, and trees that are often prickly and sometimes grow as climbing forms. and echinacea echinacea (ĕk'ənā`shēə), popular herbal remedy, or botanical, believed to benefit the immune system. It is used especially to alleviate common colds and the flu, but several controlled studies using it as a cold medicine have . Normally it's chicken, fish - and sometimes, sometimes, maybe on an off day, beef. But mainly on tour I'll be doing chicken, fish, light fruit, something like maybe cantaloupe cantaloupe: see gourd; melon. or watermelon watermelon, plant (Citrullus vulgaris) of the family Curcurbitaceae (gourd family) native to Africa and introduced to America by Africans transported as slaves. Watermelons are now extensively cultivated in the United States and are popular also in S Russia. . Salads, dark salads, not light salads like your romaine lettuce, but a mixed green salad, something like that. Spinach, broccoli, no carrots, no corn. As I said, a very strict diet.'' When an album sells in the multimillions and the artist is wallpapered on radio and video channels, it means he's crossed over from a niche audience into something all-encompassing. Usher explains why. ``We very consciously put something for everyone on there. Like, the older generation can respect the melodies and vocal ability - a little Marvin Gaye, a little Isleys, Michael Jackson, James Brown as well as Prince. The kids love the dancing. And the groove is there. You can dance to it. And there are ballads and slow numbers.'' Fred Shuster, (818) 713-3676 fred.shuster(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Usher performs during the inaugural ``Grammy Jam Fest'' at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles in December. The hip-hop star has been nominated for eight Grammys at Sunday's award show. Carlo Allegri/Getty Images Box: DON'T RUIN IT |
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