Name: Usher Raymond IV
Profession: Recording artist and actor
Claim to fame: Five-time Grammy Award winner; named an All Time Hot 100 Artists by Billboard Magazine; a film, TV and Broadway actor.
Hometown: Dallas
Current home: Atlanta
Born: October 14, 1978
Star sign: Libra
Favorite sport: Basketball
Favorite workout: Weight lifting and kendo karate
Listens to: Donne Hatheway, R. Kelly, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson
Favorite color: Yellow
Fun fact: Usher is a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA franchise
Favorite car: Bentley
Bio:
Usher hasn't stopped reaching for the next level since making his debut at 14 on "Star Search." After selling 35 million albums worldwide, winning five Grammy Awards, and achieving global superstardom as a singer, composer, producer, actor, businessman, and philanthropist; Usher has truly defined the term "ultimate entertainer."
His self-titled 1994 debut spawned the club hit "Think of You," his first Top 10 hit. His breakthrough was in 1997 with My Way, which sold seven million copies. In 2001, he dropped the 4-times-platinum 8701. But none of that success could compare to the phenomenon that erupted around 2004's Confessions. His 2008 album, Here I Stand, has been RIAA certified platinum, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums and Top R&B Album Charts.
Usher has never taken his success for granted, and has poured his energy into bettering himself at every turn. "They say to be an entertainer, you have to do it all," says Usher. "When I was young and decided I wanted to be in entertainment, I watched people like Bob Fosse, Sammy Davis Jr., and Ben Vereen. They were triple threats - dancing, acting, and singing. It really inspired me."
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Usher is the visionary leader behind Usher's New Look, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering disadvantaged youth by giving them the tools to excel in the sports and entertainment industry. Usher has further evolved as a businessman by investing in sports franchises, opening a successful chain of wine restaurants, and starting his own record label, USH Records.