On Friday, BET President Debra Lee announced that Usher and Justin Timberlake would be last minute additions to the BET Awards/Michael Jackson tribute. Obviously that didn't happen. Justin Timberlake didn't give an explanation, but Usher issued a statement explaining that he was overseas and couldn't make it to the awards in time. more..

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As you read this, Usher should be touching down at an airport in Brazil. His wife, Tameka Foster-Raymond was in the biggest South American country — fifth largest in the world — to have a piece of her body patched up to her liking. Last night, Usher got word that Tameka suffered serious complications from the surgery and canceled his pre-Grammy party performance. No word on what she was having done, but here's a question: was it necessary to fly to Brazil to have it completed? And a second? Did you think no one would find out? For sure Tameka has her haters, but I wish her well all the same. more..

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A few weeks ago, Usher rehired his mother Jonnetta Patton to oversee his career. Not a month into the job she's made her first tweak with a ladies only mini-tour. It's to tighten the connection Usher has with the ladies; one that many believe slipped away with his marriage to Tameka Foster. Specific dates aren't set, but it's working out to be 15 concerts scattered around the country. Usher speaks.. more..

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Jay-Z was on hand to represent the New Jersey Nets at tonight's NBA draft lottery. With a 1% chance of getting the number one pick, Jay-Z hoped his other nickname "Lucky Lefty" would hold true. The balls bounced and The New Jersey Nets got the tenth pick - (Chicago Bulls 1st, Miami Heat 2nd.) Oh well, there's always the Carmelo Anthony trade. How pissed would Allen Iverson be if that happens? Jay-Z was interviewed just before the picks were selected. more..

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Usher and Nelly performed at UK Radio 1's Big Weekend festival over the weekend. Since they were in the area, yesterday they shot over to London's Amika nightclub. The occasion? Kelly Rowland's last night in London (a slim excuse to throw a party.) Partying from 11:30 p.m. to 4 in the morning, Usher, Nelly, and Kelly (with friends,) racked up $31,000, on liquor alone. When they walked through the door at Amika, the club owner offered them a $1,200 magnum of Cristal. Nelly was overheard by a Daily Mirror source, saying.. "We don't support Cristal." The club owner didn't understand the problem. Someone else in the group explained the Cristal boycott that is apparently still in force in hip-hop circles. The club owner sent the Cristal back to the bar and four bottles of white-gold Dom Perignon were brought over instead. more..

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The video for Usher's "Love in this Club" made it's way online yesterday. The preview gave the impression that it was a lazy repeat of Yeah!'s video. Luckily, that's not the case - entirely. It feels like the extended-bonus cut version of Yeah!. You know, like what took place when they touched down in the after-hours spot. I'm sure that's not what was intended, but the way the spotlights slice across the scenes make the comparison unavoidable. Keri Wilson made her much talked about guest spot in the video. Not sure why. I've watched it with a couple of people and none of them said.. that's Keri Hilson. She come across as just another pretty face in a video. more..

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It seems celebrities only get their close-up in the public's eye during their worst moments. Yeah, it makes for great gossip (I read it and talk about it) but sometimes it's nice seeing them involved in things outside of la' nonsense. Usher and Kerry Washington are doing just that: as official surrogates, they stumped for Barack Obama in South Carolina. Last week, Kerry Washington was at the Essence Oscar gathering; asked by Inside Edition how and why she was involved with Barack Obama's campaign, Kerry was ready with the goods (thanks to blacktreemedia). more..

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So Tameka convinced Usher to put work on a new album on hold until their baby is born. She also thought it might be nice to do some early shopping for the kid - and themselves, unless the kid is gonna be kicking around in Louis Vuitton booties. more..

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Miss Jones be damned, as the afternoon turned to night, Usher got to putting the mist in the air at Macy's. I'd love to know what this stuff smells like, but I will not be dropping coin on a bottle. Perhaps a free sample or a peel back.. you know the kind that rubs off on your hands from the pages of a magazine. The press release description describes it as.. "representing strength and sexiness, and more than anything, it represents mystery and a journey.. no different than a beautiful song .. another way of interpreting emotion .. It's sophisticated for a woman, and confident for a man." You can't rely on the press statement for an honest assessment. more..

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Usher is in NY promoting his new fragrances, creatively named, "Usher for Men" and "Usher for Women." This afternoon he'll be at Macy's Herald Square to spray people down, so he called up Hot 97's Miss Jones to get the word out. Of course Miss Jones had little interest in his fragrance/perfume, she wanted scoop on all the gossip that's surrounded him over the last six months. So I hear Miss Jones and confrontation and was all ready to hate (because I don't like her), but there was nothing wrong about it. She was really asking the question that's been on people's minds. more..

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