It wasn't like he was hella exciting before, but marriage and fatherhood make Usher a dull boy. (Link)
By SONIA MURRAY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/19/2007
After a business lunch meeting Wednesday to discuss his partnership with the National Hockey League, R&B's Usher took time out to talk to us about being a family man as well as what's going on with him musically:
• What he's learning as a new father: "I think I'm learning how selfish I really can be as an individual. Man, before you just get up and go everyday and you work people to oblivion — and I do. But when you have a child it's like, 'Wow!' All of this time now goes toward making sure that one, he has the milk that he needs. He's being burped properly. Diapers are being changed — and Lord knows he has let me have it! I am changing diapers!"
• "The funniest thing ever was (Atlanta music mogul Jermaine Dupri) watching me change a diaper. He was like, 'You're officially a daddy, dog.' "
• While the Raymonds are figuring out how they will release the first baby photos, Usher pulls a few from his wallet. One is a black and white he took when his first child was born. "I've become an instant photographer," he offers. "Developing them and everything." Another shot is of Usher V — who may have more hair than daddy — during his first bath in the sink. "It looks like he's posing doesn't it?" the admiring father says. "I wonder where he gets that from? He's going to be a lady-killer!"
• What he's learning as a new husband: "Just to be a little more patient. Marriage is not a sprint, it's a marathon. You have to take your time and be very patient. Sometimes you've got to breathe. Step away. Walk away from each other. You'll drive each other crazy if you're not considerate of that."
• What he's learning as a new dog owner: "That's my buddy right there! I went and got a dog a week before I had my child. Crazy, huh? But his name is Mr. Scottie Benson." (Scottie, he explains, because the standard schnauzer's facial hair is similar to Scottie from the R&B group the Whispers. And Benson because "he's kind of like a butler. They can be somewhat uppity dogs. Very intelligent dogs.")
"He almost got me thrown out of the house last night though, because he peed on the carpet."
• Getting a Grammy nomination earlier this month, and he doesn't even have a new CD out: "Shoot, I'm winning even in my sleep ... even in hibernation. That's a heck of a compliment."
• When he'll finally have a new CD out: "I've been diligently working on creating a masterpiece. It's going to be out first or maybe the second quarter. I see the second quarter of next year. And there will be a video and single out at the top of the year."
(Usher added that a collaboration with Michael Jackson and Atlanta rapper-singer T-Pain is in early stages. "It's been created, but it's not recorded. And as long as Michael is open to it, hey, anything goes.")
