Usher is an R&B legend, so when he has an opinion about the genre, he has everybody’s ear.
During Billboard’s Live Music Summit, Usher shared what he thinks is missing from R&B.
“In the same way that I think all other industries have managed to monetize what they are. Whether it’s hip-hop, rock & roll, country — I want the same thing for R&B. That is the thing that I haven’t done yet,” Usher told Gail Mitchell, Billboard executive director of R&B and hip-hop. “I want us to celebrate the legacy of what it is that we created. Not just look at these nostalgic things that have come and gone, but be able to savor them and savor their legacy.”
Usher also spoke about how “U Got It Bad” is his favorite song to perform live. He takes his stage show seriously.
“I want to impress them. And I would like to be as theatrical and use my imagination as much as I possibly can to lift the song higher than what it was when I delivered it as a piece of intellectual property,” Usher said.
Usher shared that studying the legends helped him become a performer. He reflected on opening for Diddy‘s 1997 No Way Out Tour, Mary J. Blige‘s 1997-98 Share My World Tour, and Janet Jackson‘s 1998-99 The Velvet Rope Tour.
“I had another notch on my belt in terms of what I was capable of being able to handle. So when I went to try to headline my own tours, we knew that we had the ability to hold a crowd,” Usher explained.
Usher recalled performing covers of Bobby Brown, Babyface, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis because he didn’t have enough hits.
“I’m an artist who was inspired by legends. If I study the legends, then hopefully one day,” he said.
At the end of the session, Usher received the Legend of Live Award.