Many giggles were shared this morning in the Suite when we saw the name of this song. Apparently Usher has been chilling with some grandmothers from Eastern Europe. It would be kinda ill though if you could order a hot toddy at the bodega but we’re pretty sure thats not poppin’ in ATL or Marcy. It doesn’t even matter though because we can almost guarantee this will bump in the clubs. Jay’s verse on this is beast for lack of better words. Hot toddy, her papi like cognac/Her mama like herb tea, we burnt a couple of sacks/and as the tea steeped I creeped all in her teepee/we did it indian style had the girl speaking. We’re gonna stop here before we go full STAN. Jay just throws away amazing verses on other people’s jams. Can we just make a compilation of his best features? Sadly, most people will take his Illuminati reference seriously but we over here are taking his FIVE PERCENTER reference seriously. Peace to the god.

[Nah Right]

Two albums in one year, OMG Usher! This is what artists at the top of their game do. His bark is as big as his bite (ha!) like DMX when he dominated with back to back debut and sophomore albums within six months of each other in 1998. Not comparing Usher’s most recent work to his self-titled opus, but this year, we’ve allowed him to reintroduce himself. So Usher’s next release won’t be a proper album, tracking in at 9 songs, making it an EP. Not exactly the first time he’s done things his way, because outside of Usher’s studio albums, there have been a few other abbreviated works. See all four after the jump.

It looks like Versus might eclipse some of the singles from it’s predecessor because his new record with Pitbull picks up where “OMG” left off—in the club. As for it’s hip-hop counterpart, the Bun B-featured single finds his producer Ace Polow Da Don at his best.

CLICK HERE FOR “GET IN MY CAR” FEATURING BUN B

Four new tracks were added to this deluxe version of Confessions, all from the best producers that helped Usher wax on his relationship woes with Chilli. The collab with Alicia Keys, “My Boo” really took off though, no one saw it coming, even though it was a chance for the pop mega-stars to share the same spotlight, and even come off a little flirty. To keep things safe though, the video was a 2-for: “Bad Girl” first then the “My Boo” finding Usher at another crossroads between his good side and his dark side. Speaking of so-called “bad girls,” keep your eyes peeled for Lindsay Lohan’s boo Samantha Ronson spinning in the opening scene.

Usher returned to his birthplace of Chattanooga, Tennessee (not Atlanta) for a stop on his tour, promoting My Way. This was Usher’s turning point from being Diddy’s little homie to Usher Raymond. Here we see Usher perform a Bobby Brown medley, back when it was really cool to be influenced by the original King of R&B. Yeah, Whitney was kind of right when she said that. This performance made it onto the 1999 live album, his first and still his best on-stage performance to date. Sorry “OMG.”

SAMPLE: USHER, LIVE FROM CHATTANOOGA

Rhythm City Volume One: Caught Up was Usher’s Moonwalker. It was a collection of videos starring Joy Bryant, co-starring high-profile celebrities like Diddy, Naomi Campbell, Clifton Powell, and even a cameo from Ryan Seacrest. A lot of the songs were filler material of Usher’s that could have been left alone, but it at least gave room for slept-on classics like “Caught Up” and the Lil Jon banger, “Red Light.” Lesson Learned: Watch In The Mix instead.

SAMPLE: USHER, “RED LIGHT”

It’s rare that Bun B is the “it” rapper featured on R&B records. Why the veteran rapper hasn’t dominated a summer like many of his other contemporary greats is baffling. Could it be because he and Pimp C’s soulful edge incorporated the feel-good dosage of Rufus on “Tell Me Something Good” or The Isley Brothers for “Cramping My Style”? Big Bun B did have a few check-ins by guys like Trey Songz and even a Jodeci sample on the heartfelt ode to Texas and his lost partner Pimp C. But those are all his; a true rapper-R&B collab has to result in the MC stealing some shine. If this possible Polow Da Don produced release from Usher’s Versus EP is a sign of things to come, then the summer has officially begun.

Download: Usher, “Get In My Car”

[2dopeboyz]

Each week Cyrus Kyle Langhorne weighs-in on hot button topics with his sharp commentary. This week’s subject: Usher.

It still seems like it was yesterday when I blasted “Miss Jones in the Morning” around 2004 and coming off the heat waves of “Throwback” (Remix) featuring Jadakiss, “Confessions Part 1 & “Part 2,” “My Boo” and countless other hits, there was good ol’ Miss Jones taking a call from a woman who had an issue with Us-her.

Caller: “I really gotta air him out.”
Miss Jones: “Girl, what happened?”
Caller: “He walked right past me and I was saying, ‘Usher, Usher! Can I get an autograph! I love you!!!’”
Miss Jones: “Uh-huh.”
Caller: “So why would he do his fans like that?”
Miss Jones: “Maybe you weren’t the exact ‘type’ of fan he was looking for.”

(laugh) Of course Jones elaborated a bit more after her statement and sparked the underlying talk of Usher secretly being a homosexual. I found it a bit funny, especially since the chemistry he had with Alicia Keys around ‘04 along with his publicized relationship with Chilli (of TLC). Surely enough I would laugh this Miss Jones statement off much like I did with her saying Beyoncé was really about five years older than her Wikipedia age and how Diddy had tons of secret babies. Well, I suppose that remark was quite true. (laugh)

Anyway, this whole idea of Usher being a gay singer really stood out in the back of my mind. Of course I would never let a sexual preference play any part in my admiration or displeasure in an artist, but I could not get past the idea of him being such a huge superstar and robbing all of these young girls and MILFs of their dreams of somehow snagging him once he has lost all of his fame but still had the royalty money. (laugh) I suppose the curiosity was not “too” extreme when you look at George Michael or a Ricky Martin, as of late, admitting their interest in the same sex.

However, the rumor/gossip mill started going again after his marriage to Tameka Foster. Now while I will not say she is “ugly” or a “WTF, USHER, ARE YOU CRAZY-looking woman,” I must admit, I had to wash my face with a bucket of ice water. For starters, this woman back in, what, 2007 when they hooked-up, was nearly a decade older than him, pretty much came out of nowhere and really looked like she was two Patron shots from being checked into a rehab facility. Say what you want about Chilli’s age, but at least she has/had the cute-girl face to save her. Wowzers.

And eh, more times than not, the “gay” celebrities tend to hook-up with huge gorgeous, super model-looking women to almost serve as camouflage, right? So either Usher really had feelings for her, which could be believable to the portion of Americans who still believe in a Tooth Fairy, but then again, maybe he thought he could really psych people out. If he were/is gay, by going just the “opposite” of what is done, get something attractive and have people think, “Wow, he must REALLY love her.”

So the marriage takes place, most people become divided on what to think, and then, man oh man, a baby? WTF? Okay, at this point it really seemed like any type of reconciliation with Chilli was out the door… seriously. But fast-forward a bit more and he has ANOTHER baby with Tameka Foster. Wow. Really a big moment in entertainment gossip as people really had to crunch their faces up in disgust/confusion. So at this point, the gossip of whether or not Usher was/is gay turned into, is he crazy, right? Most people were betting the first baby could have been accidental, but then when they welcome in a second bundle of joy. Um, huh? OH, and how silly of me to not mention this before: Tameka Foster already had three kids PRIOR to Usher, in separate relationships. Uh-huh after more gossip and rumors spread, the marriage gets tossed out the window in June 2009 with Us-her filing for divorce and then some incidents like her scratching his whip with keys, “EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TAMEKA FOSTER” spots start emerging, etc.

Well, even after their separation and songs/albums called Raymond V. Raymond, we are back to the drawing board. Sure, Miss Jones may be off the radio in New York City, but I must go back to her sly remarks about Usher’s sexual preference. It has been how many years now and the only two women he has been associated with are Chilli and Foster? Hmm… It is actually a bit upsetting to me for all the ladies out there. Honestly, I really believe Usher is straight but he tends to really have a hard time dealing with putting romance first in his life. At this point in his career, he’ll never sell like he did. The guy is at 31 and trust me, the race to 40 seems to intensify at this point. So why not take a break from music and search for l-o-v-e?

Quite honestly, I am a bit shocked he has not yet gone down the route of some R&B singers like Ray J or even Brandy—reality TV. Fo’ get about your ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ush, they will only “hope” to make the play-offs now with the departure of LeBron James, you need to get your Uncle Luke on and put a bit of testosterone back into your look and life.

Vh1 Presents: Daddy’s Home, Where’s Mommy? Premieres September 30th at 9PM

Sounds pretty catchy, right? I see it was a show where Usher gives 14 women an opportunity to battle for his love by showing just how well they know the singer. Maybe a few singing competitions of “Make Me Wanna” and “I Need A Girl” along with the typical jacuzzi talks, etc. Who knows, maybe I am looking too much into his life but I will say this, his image definitely needs to be re-vamped. Maybe he could do the break from music like he did from 1997 to 2001 and really get people interested in him again. Otherwise he is looking more and more like an “OG” who may not really have his “heart” set out on the ladies anymore, no official girlfriend, a very questionable ex-wife, two children, etc. Sorry Ush, but saying you are married to the music is over and done with. Either get laced with some of these Drake video models or just come on out and say what love you’re REALLY trying to find in the club…. just saying.

We kinda love when Usher is up to his standard antics—topless, spinning around, making out and injecting that heartfelt soulful “singing in church” face. We can’t help it. The dude was doing it way before all these young’ns. We would hate to think of all this awesomeness came out of his recent divorce but it is what it is. Sometimes its best to keep things the way they were. This ballad is the total anti-thesis of “OMG” but it’s a little too muggy for all that ass-shakin today. We’ll keep it cool, calm and collected with ya Ursher, just dont go breaking your legs trying to jump onto our Suite903 terrace. Our insurance won’t cover it.

Between these two guys, there’s an obscene amount of women between them. Together they pretty much corner the market on the rest of the female population they didn’t already conquer on their own. It’s no “OMG” but it’s close enough for fisting fist-bumping this 4th of July weekend. Enrique’s Euphoria is in stores July 6th.

Download: Enrique Iglesias f. Usher, “Dirty Dancer”

[Web Swag]

Justin Bieber has a pretty serious co-sign in Usher especially considering he’s dropping pop music with a sort of “urban” approach. We’re pretty sure the grown ass lead woman in his video is a spot on representation of the women in his life. (Remember Lil Bow Wow going in with college women at 11-years-old.) Our question is why does every 12-year-old 16-year-old think they need to fall in love. Trust us dude: shit is overrated. Enjoy the popularity, hope you don’t end up like Aaron Carter and we’re sure Usher told you: women are trouble. This video is exactly what a teen pop video should be: hella dancing. We still think that lead girl is playing with fire though. Just tell them you were there for Usher!

[Straight From The A]

Check in with us daily to see Suite903 artists take over TV. Today we’re watching Usher perform “There Goes My Baby” on Lopez Tonight.

Usher is turning to a ratings killer performing “OMG” all over late night TV. Will.i.am’s latest inescapable creation is Usher’s biggest household hit since “Yeah” but before it becomes overkill, he switched gears slowing down the pace with “There Goes My Baby.” This was Usher’s second appearance since doing “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” on Lopez Tonight a few months back. The slow jam allowed Usher to catch his wind, but it won’t be for long once it becomes the next best thing for TV producers to book him for if “OMG” ever loses steam. Watch after the jump.

Check in with us daily to see Suite903 artists take over TV. Today we’re watching Usher perform “OMG” on the Parisian talk show, Le Grand Journal.

As big as “OMG” is here in the U.S., it was made to truly be enjoyed in Europe. Overseas, club culture is at it’s best, raves are welcome with open arms (sort of), and the DJ is respected. Usher taking his party-pleaser to France’s Le Grand Journal was a fitting homecoming where it was recieved in all it’s pop-locking, fist-bumping splendor. Enjoy the video below.

[Mr. World Premiere]

Check in with us daily to see R&B singers take over TV. Today we’re watching Usher perform “OMG” on Oprah.

Usher’s made some really great entrances in front of a live studio audience. Yesterday on Oprah he trumped one of his better TV appearances like when he rocked with Diddy for his VMA medly in 2002. Usher really did it like he was doing it for TV bringing out the pyrotechnics, backup dancers, and even Will.i.am for his verse for a record that’s certified stadium status. Watch the crowd go wild below.

[Rap-Up]