More than 25 years removed from the release of his sophomore studio album, My Way, Usher is aging gracefully within an industry that often discards its elder statesmen. Within the last calendar year, he’s elevated his Las Vegas residency, headlined the first night of Pharrell’s Something In The Water festival and put together a viral and timeless Tiny Desk performance. Heading into the heat of 2023, the Atlanta native has no signs of slowing down any time soon.
The Dallas-born artist may be entering a new chapter of his career. Fresh off of the release of “Good Love” with City Girls, he’s gearing up to share a new single called “GLU.” When the single arrives, it may be released through a new label venture. Within a newly-published GQ profile, the timeless R&B hitmaker revealed that he and L.A. Reid were starting a new label together. It’s unclear when the label will launch, but he will certainly be the first artist on it.
“His system is what created that expectation for me, as a young artist,” Usher told GQ.
“So now, damn near 25 or some odd years later, we feel inspired to go out and create more artists.”
Later in his time with GQ, Usher also offered praise for another important figure in music over the last few decades, Christopher “Notorious B.I.G” Wallace.
“He didn’t write anything down…He lined up four blunts, ran it back, just listening [to the beat],” Usher said about being in the studio with the Brooklyn native.
“He was the most profound talent I think I’ve ever seen in an MC. Coming up with shit off the top of his head, the ability to make things so vivid. That sh*t was profound, man.”
