Usher has shown love to a long-time friend and musical collaborator, Jermaine Dupri.
On Sunday (November 12), the eight-time Grammy-winner hit the stage at Dolby Live at Park MGM as part of his Usher: My Way The Vegas Residency, where Dupri joined him on stage, red cup in hand.
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“Found my way there with Puff. LaFace Records is the home of so many incredible artists, whether it was TLC or whether it was OutKast or any of the amazing artists, right?” began Usher, speaking directly to Dupri.
“But then I made my way back to Atlanta after trying all of that, and I said, ‘Man, it was meant for us to work together,'” he continued acknowledging his one-of-a-kind partnership with Dupri.
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“But I wanna do things… my way,” he added to cheers from the crowd as he transitioned into a performance of the Jermaine Dupri-produced track, “My Way.”
Watch the clip below.
Over the years, the duo have joined forces for a host of Grammy-nominated hits including “You Make Me Wanna,” “My Boo,” “Confessions,” “Confessions Part II,” and the aforementioned “My Way,” among others.
Should Usher have his way, there could be more to come from this power pairing. Earlier this year, the 45-year-old announced plans to “wake up R&B,” a move Jermaine Dupri has suggested could singlehandedly save a genre in a dire state.
“If Usher can come back and we do what we gotta do with the album and it pops off, somebody has to safeguard it and make sure that they say that it’s R&B,” Dupri said in a 2020 interview with BBC News. “Because if they don’t, and it gets big, then it’s gonna trend to the left and somebody’s gonna call it a pop album.”
The producer attributed the demise of R&B to the arrest of R. Kelly, describing the singer as a “center-piece” in the genre. However, Dupri remained optimistic about its return to relevancy — especially with Usher’s forthcoming new album.
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Fortunately for fans, the long-awaited release is finally on the horizon. The singer, who was recently confirmed as the headliner of next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, will capitalize on his bucket list moment by dropping his new album, Coming Home, on Super Bowl Sunday — February 11, 2024.
