Usher is a multi-millionaire several times over so you’d think that if he needed to pay an employee of his a little more should the work call for it, there would be no issue. “Tuh!” says his former nanny Cecilia Duncan, though.

In a new lawsuit, Duncan says that Uncle Usher hired her as a part-time nanny in December 2010 to care for his two sons, Naviyd Ely Raymond and Usher Raymond V.

However, she claims her work often exceeded 40 hours per week. So she brought it his attention in 2011. His response? He fired her.

Duncan says that Usher ignored her complaints for more than a year until he finally fired her last September. She never got that overtime money either.

She’s now suing for wrongful termination and failure to pay wages. Though the damages are unspecified, sources tell TMZ that she wants something in the six-figure range.

Of course, Usher denies the allegations of his ex-nanny, and a “source connected to him” (probably either him or his girlfriend/manager) told TMZ:

… this is a frivolous lawsuit and all the allegations made by the former nanny are completely false.

Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Celine Dion, CeCe Winans and Yolanda Adams all paid tribute to the late Whitney Houston in “We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston” — which was recorded in L.A. last month and aired on CBS on Friday (Nov 16).

The hour-long TV special honoring the R&B icon, who passed away earlier this year at the age 48 years old, also featured appearances from Britney Spears, LL Cool J, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Berry and Houston’s longtime mentor Clive Davis, who was seated in the audience with Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and her fiance (…) Nick Gordon.

“She inspired a generation of little girls and women to believe in their own dreams and to know that they had within themselves the greatest gift of all,” lifelong fan Halle Berry told the crowd. “I was one of those little girls who then became a woman who never ever, ever, stopped loving Whitney Houston.”

Watch “We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston” below:

[Video: Yardie]

Celebrating their 40th anniversary, the 2012 American Music Awards aired live from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles Sunday night (Nov 18), and featured a star-studded line-up of performers.

Usher kicked off the show with a medley of tracks from his latest album “Looking 4 Myself,” which was followed by performances from Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Christina Aguilera, Pitbull, Swizz Beatz, Chris Brown, Ludacris and many others.

Kelly Clarkson paid homage to her “American Idol” days with a performance medley of hit singles from her career, which she started in front of a silhouette of three judges along with an audition number pinned to her dress.

Carrie Underwood — another successful “American Idol” winner, like Clarkson — sang her heart out as she performed her hit single “Two Black Cadillacs” much to the delight of the audience.

Pink tried her best to steal the show with her performance number, which was a re-creation of her music video for her latest single “Try,” and included her singing live while performing complicated choreographed moves, earning her a standing ovation from the crowd of A-list stars.

And Korean rapper PSY closed out the show with a performance of his worldwide hit single “Gangnam Style,” and was joined by MC Hammer as they performed a mash-up of the song with Hammer’s “2 Legit 2 Quit.”

Other acts who performed were Taylor Swift, No Doubt, The Wanted, Linkin Park, Ke$ha and Carly Rae Jepsen.

Watch the performances from the 40th Annual American Music Awards below:

NICKI MINAJ:

SWIZZ BEATZ, CHRIS BROWN & LUDACRIS:

PINK:

USHER:

CHRISTINA AGUILERA:

PITBULL:

TAYLOR SWIFT:

PSY:

JUSTIN BIEBER & NICKI MINAJ:

KELLY CLARKSON:

NO DOUBT:

CARRIE UNDERWOOD:

THE WANTED:

LINKIN PARK:

CARLY RAE JEPSEN:

KE$HA:

If they’re giving out awards for people having the worst year ever, then Tameka Foster-Raymond has to be one of the leading contenders.

After losing her son Kile in a tragic boating accident and then losing primary custody of her two young boys to their father Usher, followed by a lawsuit from her landlord, Tameka just can’t seem to catch a break.

Unfortunately, Tameka will have to add one more notch to her loss column, because her bid for a new custody trial was completely dismissed.

SandraRose.com reports on the latest:

Judge Bensonetta Tipton Lane denied Tameka Raymond’s request for a new trial Tuesday. Tameka Raymond’s attorneys filed a motion for recusal in September. The motion prompted a federal investigation into corruption in the contentious child custody case between Tameka and her ex-husband Usher Raymond. Tameka Raymond’s attorneys allege a special relationship between Usher’s attorney John Mayoue and the judge.

Tameka took to Twitter to vent her frustrations a little.

Ok just got re-pissed. Goodnight tweets! Love yall, pray for clarity, live for truth, judge not & most of all don’t drink the Kool-aid! xoxo

— Tameka J Raymond (@TamekaRaymond) October 31, 2012

Damn, Meek-Meek. Maybe it’s time to just sit for a lil’ bit cause there’s some serious negative energy wreaking havoc in your life.

Usher takes refuge inside a glass box as he dances the pain away in the video for his new single “Numb” — the third offering from the R&B crooner’s latest album “Looking 4 Myself.”

Check it out below:

To the left, to the left…

Here goes round 35 of the bout between Usher Raymond and his ex-wife Tameka Foster Raymond. According to sources who continue to blab things to TMZ, Usher has asked his lawyer to have his ex-wife Tameka vacate the premises of his mansion in Georgia.

He apparently is intent on selling the property and needs Meek Meek to carry on and carry out of the domicile. He no doubt feels more inclined to kick Tameka out now that he has won primary custody of the boys.

Here’s the lowdown on what sources are saying to TMZ:

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ, Usher’s lawyer sent Tameka Raymond a letter informing her the 12,000 sq. ft. Georgia home — which Usher owns — is going on the market and she needs to find new digs.

Usher has allowed Tameka to live in the home for the last few years — but per their 2009 divorce agreement, Usher has the right to sell the pad at any time as long as he gives 60 days notice.

According to sources, Tameka didn’t take the news well, seeing as she has no income of her own and has been financially dependent on Usher since the divorce.

On the flip side, we’re told Usher feels he’s given Tameka plenty of time to get her act together … and enough is enough.

But hold up, wait a minute. Tameka is sitting easy and breezy and feeling as cool as a cucumber, contrary to TMZ’s report.

She let one fan know that the gossip site has its facts all wrong and that they’ve been reporting she’d be kicked out for 2 years now. And so far, their premonitions have not come to fruition.

@iteachoneofu @tmz They have “reported” this for 2 years now… Slow news day I assume. Pay it no mind.

— Tameka J Raymond (@TamekaRaymond) September 30, 2012

So don’t call the U-Haul truck just yet. Tameka might be staying right where she is. For now.

And the battle of the singing shows continues! After “American Idol” announced its all-star lineup this week featuring Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, their rival show, NBC’s “The Voice” followed suit with a major announcement of their own.

NBC announced that Usher and Shakira will be joining “The Voice” as new coaches next spring when Christina Aguilera and Cee-Lo Green take breaks from the show to focus on their careers.

The network said original coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will remain on board next season.

Aguilera is reportedly going on the road to support her new album “Lotus,” while Cee-Lo is working on a new album of his own, as well as a Las Vegas residency, a memoir and a new NBC sitcom based on his life.

Both Aguilera and Cee-Lo are expected to return to “The Voice” next fall. The singing contest began airing its third season last week.

The hour-long interview between Oprah Winfrey and Usher Raymond IV left pretty much no stone unturned. Mama O is on a roll with these interviews, and Usher lets his walls come tumbling on down. Well, for the most part.

When Oprah tried to corner him first on whether he cheated on Tameka, he hemmed and hawed about some nonsense on how he “emotionally” cheated.

Then Oprah pressed him about whether or not he slept with the bridesmaid as Tameka accused. Again, Usher spun like he was playing a game of Twister, and said that the bridesmaid was a longtime friend, but then claimed that their relationship only went sexual after he and Tameka got separated.

If you believe that, then how about we sell you some beachfront property in the Sahara Desert?

But besides those obvious PR cover-ups, Usher told Oprah everything about his failed marriage to Tameka Foster-Raymond. He said that there were plenty of warning signs and he admitted that his family was against the union from the start.

In particular, Usher confirmed the long-standing rumor that his mother Jonetta Patton didn’t attend his wedding.

Usher admitted that his mother’s absence on his big day wounded him, but his mother sat her big ol’ butt right on the couch and without flinching, told Oprah that she didn’t regret skipping out on her son’s wedding because she simply couldn’t stand to watch.

“I’ve been sad for 8 years… No one wants to see their child suffer,” Jonetta said.

Hot damn. It’s hard to know if the dissolution of Usher and Tameka’s marriage was a case of mama knowing what’s best or mama’s overbearing ways driving a wedge between a man and his wife.

Oprah also asked Usher and his mother about how they felt about winning primary custody of his two boys, Usher V and Naviyd.

Usher said he felt that the judge made the right call, but Jonetta looked like she was about to do a backflip right then and there.

Guess we can surmise who was really behind Usher’s push for primary custody. Grandma wanted access to her babies with less interference from the Wicked Witch Tameka.

Other things Usher cleared up:

• He DID attend Kyle Glover’s funeral. Despite Tameka’s claims that Usher didn’t care about her son, Usher teared up when he recalled how he heard about the tragic accident.
• He does make love to his own music. Call him narcissistic if you will, but if you made a baby-making song like “Nice & Slow,” you’d probably knock some boots to it too.
• That awkward moment when he walked off the stage in Berlin wasn’t due to a sinus infection like he said, but rather an intense mental breakdown. It was the result of a lot of things (his marriage, child custody and more) crumbling all at once.

We can only wait and hope for Tameka’s next move. Cause you know she’s not going to let this go unanswered.

Watch Usher’s interview below:

[Video: Yardie]

Oprah Winfrey has still got it. After scoring a headline-grabbing interview with Rihanna in which the Barbadian star confessed to still being in love with her ex Chris Brown, Oprah has hit another home run by landing an exclusive one-on-one interview with Usher.

The R&B star has been embroiled in a contentious custody battle with his ex-wife Tameka Foster-Raymond over custody of their two sons. A battle that he recently emerged victorious from, with the judge awarding Usher primary custody Usher V and Naviyd. And he’s finally decided to break his silence on the matter with Oprah.

According to Oprah, this is the only interview in which he will ever address the drama surrounding the custody battle and the implosion of his marriage to Tameka.

He even touches on how he felt about his mother Jonetta Patton not attending his wedding.

Check out the preview for the explosive interview Oprah scored with Usher below:

This interview — which airs on OWN this Sunday, September 16, at 9/8c — is gonna be so damn good.

Tameka has been running her mouth on the tweets about any and every thing concerning Usher, so it’ll be a breath of fresh air to finally hear his take on things.

However, it would’ve been even better if Oprah could’ve convinced Tameka to do a joint interview with Usher. It would’ve been straight-up Afghanistan on that set, but it would be the best television OWN has ever seen.

Sidenote: Did y’all see how hot and bothered Mama O got when she asked Usher if he really knocked boots to his own music?

Usher should’ve turned the tables and ask Oprah what she has sex to.

You know it’s probably some nasty gutter music like Waka Flocka’s “No Hands.” Ol’ freak.

Usher makes a splash alongside his leading lady, supermodel Chanel Iman, in the music video for his new single “Dive,” from his latest album “Looking for Myself.”

Watch below:

It goes without saying that Tameka Raymond is not happy about losing custody of her two sons to her ex husband Usher.

In fact, TMZ says she is “PISSED” about how their child custody battle ended, with the judge ruling in Usher’s favor, and she plans on filing an appeal ASAP:

Sources close to Tameka tell TMZ, she feels the ruling was unfair. We’re told Tameka recently found out that Usher’s lawyer’s law firm threw an election fundraiser back in 2008 for the judge who presided over the trial … and she feels that connection may have influenced the ruling.

According to the campaign contribution report for Judge Lane, the law firm that represented Usher raised $1,278 for Lane in March 2008.

Sources tell us … Tameka is baffled by the decision because she argued in court that Usher is constantly on the road, where as she has the more stable schedule … thus it makes no sense to give him primary custody.

We’re told Tameka wants to fight the decision ASAP and is interviewing lawyers for an appeal.

Sounds like Tameka isn’t going down without a fight!

Money can buy many things… But in the end. Truth & goodness will prevail. I must continue to believe this. Stand firm.

— Tameka J Raymond (@TamekaRaymond) August 24, 2012

The long, drawn out custody war between Usher Raymond and his ex wife Tameka Foster Raymond is now over, with Usher being awarded full primary custody of their two sons Usher V and Naviyd.

This means that Usher is now legally able to make ALL decisions regarding their sons, including when and where Tameka can see them.

Usher originally filed suit against Tameka, seeking sole custody of the boys, on claims that Foster was “incapable of being a proper parent” to them.

Tameka’s counter claim was that Usher is going on a world tour next year, and would be too busy traveling to take car of the children, who will most likely be put off on nannies.

According to TMZ, Tameka felt that the R&B singer was an absentee father who was too absorbed in his career to be a good dad, and also accused him of using drugs in front of the kids.

The argument from Usher’s lawyers was that Tameka “does not have the emotional stability to or capacity to bond with them, and therefore she is handicapped,” though they failed to provide any solid proof — other than the recent loss of her 11-year-old son — as evidence.

When all was said and done, the judge sided with Usher, and awarded him primary sole custody of the boys, while Tameka will remain “some” custodial rights, though the extent to which she will be able to see her kids is unclear at the moment.

The custody dispute between Usher and his ex wife Tameka Raymond is not over with just yet. In fact, things just keep getting messier and messier as the battle drags on.

According to TMZ, the judge presiding over the case found Usher to be in contempt of court because he canceled Tameka’s Saks Fifth Avenue discount card last year, which goes against the divorce settlement that the two agreed upon in 2009.

So Judge Bensonetta Tipton Lane ordered Usher to reinstate the card, which Tameka says is necessary to do her job as a celebrity stylist.

Tameka, the mother of Usher’s two sons Usher V (aka “Cinco”) and Naviyd, also complained to the courts that Usher owed her money for the unpaid nanny bills, and the singer was ordered to pay her $1,300.

Tameka also testified that she “often did not know where her children were,” and one time, she found out they were in Los Angeles when she saw pictures of them online posing on a red carpet with their superstar dad.

Further proving Tameka’s point, one of the nannies testified that she too had trouble contacting Usher when she was caring for the kids one time in Miami. She claimed that she was met with security when she arrived at the airport, and was taken to a hotel, where she remained with no means to contact Usher at all.

So in addition to being in contempt of court for the Saks card, Usher was also found to be in willful contempt of the provisions of his divorce settlement, which requires that BOTH parents have the right to information about all matters related to the health, education and extracurricular activities of their sons.

As far as the couple’s child custody and support issues are concerned — the sole reason why they’re in court in the first place — the judge has yet to determine what to do about it, though she is expected to make a ruling this week.

Usher is seeking full custody of his sons on claims that Tameka is “incapable” of being a good mother.

Usher Raymond and his ex wife Tameka returned to Atlanta’s Fulton County courthouse Monday (Aug 13), where Usher reportedly took the stand and gave his testimony about how he feels as though his two kids will be better off with him, than with their mother.

Tameka, who is still recovering from the recent death of her 11-year-old son Kile Glover (who was just buried last month), sat quietly while Usher was cross-examined, and talked about his stalker issues and revealed his intentions of taking the boys with him next year during his European tour.

Usher and Tameka currently share joint custody of their 4-year-old son Usher Raymond V and 3-year-old Naviyd under the terms of a “co-parenting agreement,” but Usher is seeking FULL custody because he doesn’t trust Tameka’s parenting skills, for whatever reason.

Our friends over at Straight From the A reported:

Tameka’s attorney referenced Usher’s worldwide work schedule, which would surely interrupt the singer’s parenting time.

The boys would most likely be with Nanny’s throughout their time spent with their father, however Usher seems to feel that’s better than them being with Tameka, who he says is not producing an itinerary and following their court-ordered agreement.

Usher remained on the stand Monday, speaking in a soft, low tone about how disturbed he was that Tameka wasn’t specific about where she was with the kids.

“It’s alarming that I never know who was actually on the trip, who was with them, who was caretaking for them,” Usher said on the stand on Monday morning. “Was the nanny there, was it a relative or a family member or one of the other children watching the kids? Was it a cousin, or an uncle—I don’t know, I never know. I never get any information unfortunately until we’re in court.”

Usher is attempting to prove that he can provide a more stable environment and safe environment for the two boys, while Tameka is merely trying to maintain joint custody.

As expected, Tameka’s attorneys brought up Usher’s crazy stalker, Darshelle Jones-Rakestraw, and made him explain just how she managed to get so close to their kids.

Rakestraw made it all the way into Usher’s John’s Creek home and even took pictures while inside … and Usher explained how it was his grandmother who let Darshelle in, assuming that she may have had an appointment.

His on-site bodyguard escorted her out to the front yard (the first time) and authorities were notified. Darshelle was later arrested after she returned to his residence.

As we previously reported, in light of the death of Tameka’s son Kile, Usher had asked the judge to delay the bitter child custody war … but Tameka claims that the singer did NOT care about her dead son, and only pretended to be affected by the tragedy to gain sympathy from his fans and the media.

In his request to delay the hearing, Usher claimed that he was worried that it would cause “unnecessary stress and strain” for himself, Tameka and their two minor children “in the immediate wake of this tragedy.”

Usher also reportedly claimed that Tameka would get an “unfair advantage” in the hearing because the court wouldn’t want to rule against a woman who is still grieving the death of her 11-year-old son.

Usher believes that the judge will rule in favor of her because she just lose a child, and giving Usher full custody would be like she’s losing two more … and somehow Usher thinks that is “unfair” to him.

However, Tameka’s lawyers say that Usher is full of it … and his claims of suffering “stress and strain” are utterly and completely “BOGUS.”

Meanwhile, the custody case is set to continue throughout the entire week, and Sandra Rose reported today that Tameka took the stand “to give explosive testimony about Usher’s controlling behavior” … and her testimony was “so moving that the judge was almost brought to tears.”

Whose side are you on? Are you “Team Usher” … or “Team Tameka?”

Your thoughts?

Tameka Raymond just buried her 11-year-old son Kile Glover last month, but that hasn’t stopped Usher from pressing forward with the child custody case, which is scheduled to resume later this month.

And Tameka, apparently tired of the growing speculation and rumors surrounding the past few months of her life, has finally broken her silence and issued a personal statement addressing the custody battle, as well as the tragic loss of her son.

Read the full statement below:

To begin, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the countless number of people who opened their hearts, extended their prayers, well-wishes and remained hopeful for my son Kile during the last weeks of his life. I truly believe that he has always been an Angel from birth and the World was just too small to contain a spirit so vast.

I’m thankful and blessed to merely be the vessel that carried him and humbled that God gave him to us to love. I also feel humbled by everyone’s show of concern, and knowing that Kile Glover touched the lives of so many has given me strength during my worst & darkest hour … Again I THANK YOU ALL!

Sadly, I remain in the unfortunate position of having to respond to and attend court proceedings that were not initiated or begun by me. I did not file this custody case (January 2011) and was content with the ‘joint custody’ arrangement that we share.

Most importantly, nor do I wish to appear in court while I am mourning the loss of my son. But I do not want to delay thus prolong these proceedings either; I’d rather continue this arduous process hoping it will help move me through this most difficult period in my life.

People seem to be privy to only my filed responses as ‘Defendant’ to the initiation of this case (Jan 4, 2011), when I have only been defending myself and protecting the best interests of my children through my counsel.

I cannot control how the media reports are written/slanted/spun or even how court documents may be manipulated in their attribution of certain statements as if they are direct “quotes” from me – yet I can control what I actually say myself.

This may sound really cliché but you must NOT believe everything you read or hear and never judge… especially without solid facts and always, but always consider the source. Discernment is key.

My boys are my entire world and I will fight tooth and nail to keep all of my sons together as a family, I pray for a swift, peaceful resolution so that we all can move forward.

Again, thank you for your concern, positive energy and hope for my family during this surreal time. There have been times when just the right words, at the right time, have provided me shelter through this storm and I appreciate you all.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

With Love & Light,

Tameka Foster Raymond

Usher‘s ex wife Tameka Raymond claims in shocking new court documents that the singer did NOT care about her dead son Kile Glover, and only pretended to be affected by the tragedy to gain sympathy from his fans and the media.

According to TMZ, Tameka’s lawyers filed new court documents in the couple’s bitter child custody war, and called B.S on Usher asking the court to delay their next hearing in light of the death of Tameka’s son Kile — who was tragically killed in a jet ski accident last month.

In his request, Usher claims he’s worried the hearing would cause “unnecessary stress and strain” for both himself, Tameka and their two minor children “in the immediate wake of this tragedy.”

Usher also claims Tameka would get an unfair advantage in the hearing because the court would not want to rule against a woman who is still grieving the death of her son. Usher fears he could lose custody of the children and believes it would be unfair to him.

But in docs of her own … Tameka’s lawyer claims Usher is full of crap … insisting U’s claims of suffering “stress and strain” are “BOGUS.”

In fact, Tameka claims Usher didn’t care about Kile in his final days, contrary to reports saying otherwise, even though Usher treated the 11-year-old as one of his own when he and Tameka were married.

Kile was on life support for 15 days, and Tameka says Usher only went to see him one time in the hospital.

Adding insult to injury, Tameka also claims she asked Usher to tweet a message about her son: “Please pray for Kile,” but he just ‘never got around to it’ … though he had time to tweet a picture of his own breakfast with the caption “Breakfast of Champions.”

Additionally, Tameka called Usher’s attempt to postpone the hearing a “sham” and asked the judge to deny his request, and require him to appear at the next scheduled hearing on August 13th.

As for Kile’s funeral, many believed the reason Usher wasn’t pictured was to keep out of the spotlight, out of respect for Tameka and her family.

But the real reason why reason you didn’t see Usher there was because he appeared briefly at the beginning of the service, but reportedly left without even offering his condolences to any of the family.

Sources close to Tameka told StraightFromTheA.com:

We feel like the only reason he came at all is because the media kept portraying Kile as “Usher’s stepson.” He wasn’t supportive to the family at all and we feel he used the situation to draw sympathy from his fans.

The sad thing about this entire situation is that Tameka swallowed her pride and actually reached out to Usher while Kile was hospitalized. She could never get him on the phone so she left a message begging him to help her with some of the expenses her insurance wouldn’t cover.

He never returned her calls and when Kile passed away Tameka reached out to him again and he still hasn’t responded to this day.

Kile Glover, the 11-year-old son of Usher‘s ex wife Tameka Raymond, was laid to rest following a funeral service at Wieuca Road Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia Friday (Jul 27).

Kile died last Saturday (July 21) from injuries he suffered in a tragic jet ski accident at Georgia’s Lake Lanier earlier this month. His biological father was Atlanta TV executive Ryan Glover.

Among the celebrities in attendance at the service was Usher (Kile’s stepfather), Ludacris, Jazze Phae and Phaedra Parks from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” who helped the Watkins funeral home handle the arrangements.

According to S2S Magazine, Kile was dressed in a white suit and glasses for his funeral. His body was reportedly brought to the service in an all white horse-drawn carriage.

Included in Kile’s funeral program was a postcard sent from his iPhone shortly before the accident:

“Hello from paradise, wishing you were here. Our vacation is everything we have hoped for and more. We’re also excited to come home to family and friends.”

A video montage celebrating Kile’s life titled “A Beautiful Mind” was also shown during the ceremony.

Tameka was said to be very brave throughout the service. The night before, after thanking everyone for their condolences on Twitter, she announced that her son’s memory will live on through the Kile Glover Fund:

I appreciate the hundreds, perhaps thousands of prayers. I’m so grateful to you guys. Kile was the most fun, creative, sweet, respectful boy

— Tameka J Raymond (@TamekaRaymond) July 27, 2012

Many have asked where to send flowers, but in Lieu of flowers. we ask that you make a contribution to the Kile Glover Fund @ Bank of America — Tameka J Raymond (@TamekaRaymond) July 27, 2012

Our goal to to increase water safety- thru implementing laws, policies & education. Kiles passing will not be in vain, we will see to this. — Tameka J Raymond (@TamekaRaymond) July 27, 2012

Sorry, I gave half info Bank of America Acct # 3340 3823 9828 OR via PayPal email TheKileGloverFund@gmail.com … I love you guys. Goodnight

— Tameka J Raymond (@TamekaRaymond) July 27, 2012

Sad news to report: Kile Glover, the 11-year-old son of Tameka Raymond and stepson of Usher, has died after his family decided to take him off life support 14 days following the tragic jet ski accident that critically injured him and left him brain dead.

When doctors determined his injuries were too severe to overcome, Kile — whose biological father is Atlanta businessman Ryan Glover — was reportedly taken off life support Saturday morning (Jul 21) and died a short time later of heart failure.

Usher, who has two songs with Tameka — Usher V and Naviyd — has been a source of comfort for his ex wife ever since Kile’s tragic July 7th accident, in which the 11-year-old and a 15-year-old female friend were both struck in the head by a jet ski while they were inner tubing on Lake Lanier in Georgia.

The man driving the jet ski has been identified as 38-year-old Jeffrey S. Hubbard, a family friend, who was part of the same group with Kile and the girl. At this time the police have determined that no drugs or alcohol were involved, and no charges have been filed.

Several of Usher and Tameka’s Atlanta friends were the first to respond to Kile’s death, and shared their condolences on Twitter:

Kim Zolciak (“Real Housewives of Atlanta”): Prayers to Tameka Raymond and family. NO mother should have to bury their child. Such a sad situation.

Frank Ski (Atlanta radio personality): Crying! I will miss you Kyle! Trying to be strong for my foundation trip today. Sometimes life is so unfair.

Valeisha Butterfield (wife of NBA player Dahntay Jones): Completely heartbroken. Fly angel fly. Our prayers are with the entire Glover family. Love you @TamekaRaymond.

DJ Gregg Street (ATL radio): Lil RG is an angel now, Ryan, Tameka, Usher, and the whole Glover family we gotta make him proud.

MTV and BET may not play music videos as much as they used to, but music videos are bigger than ever, thanks to online video sites like YouTube and VEVO.

When done correctly, a music video can inspire and entertain in ways that the song alone couldn’t. As fantastic as Beyonce‘s “Single Ladies” was, would the song really have turned into the worldwide phenomenon that it did without that iconic music video? Nope.

Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” is an example of what happens when a good song is paired with a great video. But what happens when a good song is stuck with a wack music video? Disappointment, that’s what. Severe, debilitating disappointment.

When a bad song gets a bad video, no one cares. That’s like throwing a dirty diaper on top of a pile trash. But when a crappy music video suffocates an otherwise good song, we can’t help but mourn the loss of opportunity.

Let’s take a look at 10 songs that got hosed by really bad music videos, shall we?

10. Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Jay-Z — “Monster”

When this song hit the Internet during one of Kanye West‘s now-discontinued G.O.O.D. Fridays, it set the web on fire.

Nicki Minaj‘s verse actually made a lot of hip-hop heads respect her. That hook was infectious. And having three big names like Ye, Jay and Nicki on one track was just an iconic music video moment waiting to happen.

So how the hell did we end up with this bootleg Nightmare on Elm Street knock-off instead? Talk about totally missing the mark. Kanye went way too literal with this video in what he probably thought was going to be the 2011 version of “Thriller.”

Naw, not even close, Yeezy.

Usher was very close with his stepson Kile Glover, despite any differences the singer may have had with the 11-year-old’s mom (Usher’s ex-wife Tameka Foster Raymond) … and the tragic jet ski accident last Friday that left Kile brain dead has reportedly taken an emotional toll on the Grammy Award winning singer.

“He grew close to Kyle and, of course, that has nothing to do with the situation with Tameka,” a source tells Us Weekly. “He loved Kyle. This is a terrible, awful tragedy. Usher is torn up.”

Before the tragedy (read all about it here), Usher and Tameka were engaged in a heated custody dispute over the two sons they share together, 4-year-old Usher Raymond V and 3-year-old Naviyd. But they’ve obviously put their differences aside so that they can be there for each other during this difficult time.

“Tameka and Usher don’t get along, but in this circumstance Usher is coming to her side,” a source told Us. “Usher practically raised Kyle as his own. He’s known him for seven years. It is so sad what happened.”

Kile’s birth father is Tameka’s second husband Ryan Glover, a former executive with Turner Broadcasting, based out of Atlanta, Georgia.

Kile remains in critical condition in an Atlanta hospital, and his family has been holding vigils at the hospital ever since Friday’s incident. Usher visited Kile early Saturday morning, but hasn’t returned, a source close to the family told CNN.

“We know God’s in control, and are leaning on our faith in Him and His word at this most difficult time,” his family said in a statement Tuesday. “We firmly believe in the power of prayer and ask that you all continue to pray and lift Kile up, as it’s the best way we can all support him now.”

Doctors have declared Usher‘s 11-year-old step son Kile Glover brain dead following a tragic jet ski accident that happened over weekend.

Kile Glover is one of Usher’s ex-wife Tameka Foster’s five children, including the two she has with the R&B singer.

According to reports, Kile and his friend — a 15-year-old girl — were hit by a man on a jet-ski Saturday afternoon (Jul 7) as they were floating in inner tubes while being pulled by a boat on Lake Lanier near Atlanta, Georgia.

Tameka Raymond pictured here with her son Kile

Kile, who was struck in the head, was unresponsive when he was taken out of the water, and they were both airlifted to the hospital, where the girl was treated for a cut on her head and a broken arm, and Kile was monitored for brain activity.

Despite Usher and Tameka’s differences and their ongoing custody battle, the tragic incident has brought them back together, and Usher reportedly chartered a private jet for Tameka (who was out of town) so that she could be by her son’s side.

TMZ sources say Tameka hasn’t left her son’s side since she arrived, and was extremely thankful for the grand gesture form Usher, who arrived the next day. Usher and Tameka were married in 2007, but divorced just two years later.

Doctors say that Kile hasn’t experienced any brain activity since he was admitted to the hospital, forcing them to declare him brain dead.

No decision has been made yet as to whether or not he will be taken off life support.

In the meantime, as the story develops, keep the youngster (and Usher and Tameka’s family) in your thoughts and prayers…

***

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled Kile Glover’s name as “Kyle.” The story has been updated to reflect this change.

Getting the 2012 BET Awards off to a “G.O.O.D.” start, Kanye West and his G.O.O.D. Music family kicked off the show in Los Angeles Sunday night (Jul 1).

Dressed in all white, Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz took turns hitting the stage to rap their respective verses on “Mercy” … before Kanye emerged from the gigantic white Lambo in the backdrop to perform his viral single “Way Too Cold,” and a new freestyle we think is called “New God Flow.”

Next up was R&B crooner Usher, who performed his single “Climax,” and later, Young Money rapstress Nicki Minaj — who won the award for Best Female rapper — performed a song called “Champion” and her 2 Chainz assisted single “Beez in the Trap.”

Other performances during the night came from Maybach Music Group (featuring Rick Ross, Wale, Meek Mill and French Montana), singer Melanie Fiona, who, wearing a flowy grey dress, sang a lovely rendition of “Wrong Side of a Love Song,” and Pop sensation Chris Brown, who, half-painted like a grey minotaur, danced up a storm with a laser-light backdrop while he performed his singles “Don’t Wake Me Up” and “Turn Up the Music.”

One highlight of the night was when the legendary Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, recipients of the “Lifetime Achievement Award,” performed on television for the first time ever, following tribute performances from Joe, Tyrese and Faith Evans.

R&B songbird Chante Moore also performed “Bad Girls” and “Love To Love You Baby” in a spot-on tribute to the late Donna Summer; and rappers Tyga and Cash Out closed out the show with performances of their respective singles “Rack City” and “Cashin Out.”

Watch the performances from the 2012 BET Awards here:

And check out the pics below:

Fresh off the release of the video for “Lemme See“ (Usher‘s collaboration with Rick Ross) … Rick Ross releases the music video for his collaboration with Usher — “Touch ‘N You,” the first single off the rapper’s “God Forgives I Don’t” album, which is due to hit stores on July 31st.

Check it out below:

Usher sets the mood and his way with the ladies in the seductive music video for his latest single “Lemme See.”

A shirtless Rick Ross, accompanied by two women with moving tattoos, also makes an appearance in the clip to deliver to his verse.

“Lemme See” comes from Usher’s newly released album “Looking 4 Myself,” which has already spawned videos for the singles “Scream“ and “Climax.” A video for “Touch N You” (Rick Ross’ single featuring Usher) is also reportedly on the way.

Usher’s new album is expected to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart, with first-week sales of around 130,000 copies.

Check out the video for “Lemme See” (feat. Rick Ross) below:

Usher wants to make you “Scream!”

The R&B singer cleans up nice in an all-white suit as he shows off his fancy footwork in the music video for the latest single from his just-released album Looking 4 Myself.

Check it out below!

The child custody battle between Usher Raymond and his ex wife Tameka continued in court in Atlanta this week, and Usher was accused of cheating on Tameka … by sleeping with one of her bridesmaids!

During the proceedings Tuesday afternoon (May 22) in Fulton County Court, Usher was being cross-examined by Tameka’s attorney about his claim that Tameka has a revolving door of nannies, and that he worries about who’s caring for his children at any given moment.

Then things got really interesting once Tameka’s lawyer brought up an incident where Usher was caught in bed with one of the “nannies” — who was a good friend of Tameka’s and also one of the bridesmaids at their 2007 wedding.

According to TMZ:

Tameka’s lawyer asked Usher if one of the nannies in question had “left Miami because you were discovered in bed with Maya Fox Davis?” Sources close to the couple tell TMZ Davis was a bridesmaid for Tameka … and the alleged incident happened during their marriage.

Usher’s attorney quickly objected, but you gotta watch the clip (see above) to see how it played out in court.

But get this … Maya Fox Davis was conveniently pictured with Usher and his first born son (Usher V aka “Cinco”) in September 2008 … which is when Tameka was 7 months pregnant with Cinco’s baby brother Naviyd!

At the time, magazines and websites called the then-unidentified woman Usher’s “nanny” … but now, we all know better.

The photos show Usher and Maya playing on the swing with little Cinco … and in one of the pics, Maya can be seen leaning in and giving Cinco a peck on the lips … which, at the time, was pretty awkward to say the least, and now that we know who this woman really is … WOW!!!

Earlier this week, Usher teared up on the stand when Tameka’s lawyers insinuated that the R&B singer cares more about partying than he does about taking care of his two sons.

Usher is fighting for increased visitation, while Tameka is fighting for full custody.

Unless Usher and Tameka can work all of this mess out amongst themselves — and let’s be serious, that’s most likely NOT going to happen — the child custody trial will resume this July.

Usher appeared in court in Atlanta Monday (May 21) — following his performance at the 2012 Billboard Awards in Las Vegas the night before — to continue the bitter custody battle with his ex wife Tameka Raymond over their children.

While testifying on the stand, Usher broke down into tears after Tameka’s attorney whipped out photos of the 33-year-old singer at a nightclub in Europe earlier this year, suggesting that the entertainer cares more about partying than he does about his two young sons.

Usher also talked about about how his ex goes through nanny after nanny, and he constantly worries about who is taking care of his kids at any given moment.

Under oath, Usher also explained how Tameka has a violent history, and during his testimony, he described an incident when his 40-something-year-old ex wife went ballistic and “wanted to fight” whn he showed up at her house with his new girlfriend Grace Miguel (who is also his manager).

Ush testified Tameka walked to his car and said, “I’m gonna kick your ass. Bitch get out of the car. How dare you bring this woman into my subdivision in my house?”

He added, “She continued to spit. At this point she pulled the door open, tried to swing at her.”

Usher claims he had to get out of the car and block Tameka … who then hit him. Usher said he pleaded with Tameka to calm down, but claims “she threw a plate of food at the car” … as he fled the situation.

[TMZ]

As you may remember, during Tameka’s sworn testimony earlier this month, she admitted to telling Usher and his girlfriend “I will f**k you up“ … so this incident in which she physically attacked the couple isn’t surprising at all.

Usher was also grilled about his alleged drug use because Tameka claims that he abuses them.

While he did admit to smoking weed, his lawyer jumped in and objected when he was questioned about using ecstasy, and he insisted that he has NEVER used ANY drugs in front of their children, which is an allegation Tameka made early on in their custody battle.

Usher and Tameka — who married in 2007 and divorced before their 2-year anniversary in 2009 — are fighting over custody of their two kids Usher V (aka “Cinco”) and Navid … and so far, things (obviously) aren’t going so well.

What do you think about how Usher and Tameka are handling their child custody dispute?

Usher thrilled the crowd Sunday night at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Decked out in a an all-black tuxedo, the sharply dressed singer performed his Pop single “Scream” with a lady in red, who turned into a mirror-image of himself … which sounds really weird, but was actually really cool. (You’ll have to see for yourself!)

“Scream” is the latest single from Usher’s upcoming seventh album “Looking 4 Myself.”

Watch Usher’s 2012 Billboard Music Awards performance below:

Some of the biggest names in music/entertainment were on hand to attend the 2012 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Celebs who posed it up outside on the red carpet included singers Usher, Justin Bieber, Brandy, Miguel, Monica and Robin Thicke; rappers Wiz Khalifa and Swizz Beatz; and many others.

Take a look at the pics below!

Kicking off promotion for his new album “Looking for Myself,” which hits stores in June, Usher took to the SNL stage to perform two singles from the project: his latest, “Scream,” and its predecessor “Climax.”

Watch both performances below!

R&B superstar Usher and his Pop/R&B protege Justin Bieber — who are both gearing up for the release of their new albums — share the cover of a special edition of Billboard Magazine.

Usher also poses solo on a separate cover for the same issue, in which the singer talks about growing as an entertainer and more.

Check out an excerpt (via Billboard.com) below:

He also has new management behind him. Grace Miguel of Coup D’Etat/URIV Group now heads up his management, taking over from AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips, who briefly managed Usher after the star relieved his mother, Jonnetta Patton, of managerial duties a second time in late 2008.

“I see this record continuing the artistic journey Usher began the first time he was recognized for fusing sounds with Lil Jon to create ‘Yeah!’” Miguel — [GOT Note: Usher's rumored girlfriend] — says. “Usher revels in the challenge of expansion and is courageous enough to take risks to grow as a performer.”

“In life we have to grow,” Usher says of his management changes, “and one thing that’s been beautiful is that I’ve been able to grow along with my mother and people of my past. They’re proud of me as I move forward, and are able to acknowledge the work I’ve been doing and say, ‘I like what you’re doing, and I like that you’ve been able to pick it up and continue to move on.’”

Both Usher and Justin Bieber are also scheduled to perform — separately, of course — at this year’s Billboard Music Awards on May 20th.

Usher’s next studio album “Looking 4 Myself” is set for a June 12th release, while Justin Bieber’s third project “Believe” (preceded by the hit single “Boyfriend”) will be released a week later on June 19th.

And the custody battle between Usher and his ex wife Tameka Foster Raymond continues…

As we previously reported, the two were recently ordered into mediation by the judge presiding over the case to come up with a solid custody agreement for their two sons … or else he was going to impose a temporary order.

READ: Usher and Ex-Wife Tameka Ordered by Judge to Settle on Child Custody Agreement

Well, at least a week has gone by, and it looks like the pair still haven’t worked something out amongst themselves, which means that the case will continue to drag on.

When Tameka — who was accused of making death threats towards Usher — took the stand in court last week, she denied that she ever threatened her ex, though she did admit, under oath, to telling him, “I will f**k you up!” (No shame in her game, huh.)

According to TMZ:

Tameka took the stand and, as you can see in this video, was questioned by Usher’s attorney about her verbal and abusive threat towards the singer — where she allegedly said “I will kill you both,” referring to Usher and his current girlfriend.

Foster went back and forth with her answer before coughing up a half-admission, saying she didn’t threaten to “kill” him … but admitting, “I did probably, out of anger, say ‘I will f**k you up’ and it’s not acceptable.”

Foster claims the menacing statement was a result of Usher gallivanting in and out of town with his new GF, which was “embarrassing” for her in such a tight knit community.

The trial is set to continue this week. Grab your popcorn and stay tuned, folks. This could get interesting!

Usher and his ex wife Tameka Raymond have been battling each other over a custody agreement for their kids for years, but now a judge has given the divorced couple an ultimatum to work something out … “or else.”

Usher and Tameka attended a court hearing in Atlanta Tuesday (May 1), and the judge ordered that the two of them sit down privately and work out a temporary custody agreement.

If they can’t work something out amongst themselves, the Fulton County Court judge says he will impose a temporary order.

Usher — who filed for divorce from Tameka in June 2009 after almost two years of marriage — also addressed child support payments during the hearing.

Tameka previously accused Usher of being behind on at least $34,000 worth of child support payments, and according to court documents, she is also requesting more child support on account of a “substantial change” in Usher’s income since they divorced.

Tameka filed court documents in Georgia last year asking the singer to be completely stripped of joint physical custody of their two sons, 4-year-old Usher V (aka “Cinco”) and 3-year-old Naviyd.

Tameka also suggested that Usher was an unfit father, and even went as far as to go to the judge and demand the singer be drug tested because she thought he was “popping pills and who-knows-what-else” around their kids.

Usher denies the drug abuse allegations and is asking for an increase in the time he’s allowed to spend with his children. For now, the pair currently share custody.

Drugs or no drugs … Usher is probably a better fit parent than a sober Tameka. Or maybe SHE‘s the one on drugs.

Usher teams up with Rick Ross on “Lemme See,” a song from Usher’s upcoming album “Looking for Myself.”

Take a listen below:

“Looking for Myself” is due in stores on June 12th!

Usher heats up the dance floor with his new single “Scream”, the second offering from his upcoming seventh studio album Looking For Myself (which is due in stores on June 12th).

Take a listen below:

[See post to listen to audio]

Social media killed off yet another celebrity this week.

This time around Usher was the unfortunate victim of another one of those fake celebrity death stories that end up becoming viral on the Internet through Twitter, Facebook and random text messages; something that has become somewhat of a trend in recent times.

As usual though, the rumors are NOT true. Usher is not dead, and 100% of the time, a quick search on Google will tell you that.

Anyway, to prove that he is alive and well, Usher tweeted a couple of shirtless photos of himself flexing his muscles and showing off his toned body. Looks like somebody has been hitting the gym!

“I must’ve died and went to heaven… Alive and cold kickin ass!! URIV,” the R&B crooner tweeted, before adding, “Never scared, never dead…Just #Lookin 4 myself… Livin’ Legend!!! URIV”

Usher’s death hoax originated from Global Associated News, which falsely claimed that Usher was killed in a car accident. Read the website’s highly detailed, but still very fake, “report” below:

Usher died in a single vehicle crash on Route 80 between Morristown and Roswell. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics responding to the vehicle accident and was identified by photo ID found on his body. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to have been a factor in this accident.

Usher flipped vehicle Highway Safety Investigators have told reporters that Usher lost control while driving a friend’s vehicle on Interstate 80 and rolled the vehicle several times killing him instantly.

The vehicle was believed to have been traveling at approximately 95 miles per hour in a 55mph zone at the time of the accident.

Witnesses have stated that Usher’s car crossed the double lines several times prior to the accident and hit the center lane divider causing the vehicle to flip and roll.

Toxicology tests will be performed to determine whether he was driving under the influence, however initial findings indicate that durgs or alcohol did not contribute in any way to this accident as it was more likely to been caused by road conditions.

Memorial services for Usher have not yet been announced. The service is expected to be a closed casket funeral due to the severe head trauma.

It should be noted that “Global Associated News” is a hoax website where people plug a celebrity’s name into a generator that creates fake celebrity death headlines. Pretty weird, right?

But just to reiterate … Usher is NOT dead. Okay?

Playing the role of a very hands-on dad, R&B singer Usher was spotted hanging out with his two adorable sons, 5-year-old Usher Raymond V (aka “Cinco”) and 4-year-old Naviyd Raymond, this past weekend at Disneyland in California.

The “Climax” vocalist wore a snakeskin t-shirt with black pants, while Naviyd sported a stylish pair of leopard Jeffery Campbell Adidas sneakers with a tee, and little Usher donned a pair of stars & stripes Jeffery Campbell Adidas sneakers with a grey jumper and a gold chain.

Cinco and Naviyd were stuntin’ like their daddy as the three of them walked around the magical kingdom!

Check out pictures of the stylish trio below:

[Photos: GG]

Usher recently went on a trip to Africa with his friend, producer Rico Love, and while there, the R&B crooner went to a wildlife park where he took a couple of pictures of him posing with animals.

“If ya’ll didn’t know I love owls,” Usher tweeted. “Eagle owls are one of my favorites. Say what up to ‘Howdidit’ and ‘Hootie Hoo.’”

Usher — who released the video for his hot new single “Climax” this week — even took a picture with a Cheetah! “Cool Kats chillin in the shade,” he wrote, sharing a photo of him posing with the wild animal.

WATCH: Usher’s “Climax” Music Video

Usher was in South Africa headlining the Hansa Festival of Legends concert in Soweto where he performed (in the rain) for about 30,000 screaming fans.

Check out more photos from Usher and Rico Love’s wild adventure in Africa below:

Usher finds himself caught in a sticky situation in the music video for his newest single “Climax,” the first single from his upcoming album.

In the clip, the R&B crooner has to choose between shooting another guy to get his girl back or letting things go and move on.

Watch below to see which decision he chooses to make!

Usher aims to make you reach your “Climax” in his new track produced by Diplo.

“I hope [this] doesn’t sound silly…seriously the best record ive been part of…Really proud of it…Big up,” Diplo tweeted about the record.

The track is the first offering from the R&B star’s upcoming album that has no name or release date set.

Check it out below:

[See post to listen to audio]

We’re loving this track! What are your thoughts???

Who knew Tameka Raymond had a son who was a full-grown adult? We didn’t!

The woman most famous for being the ex wife of R&B singer Usher shows off her 5 sons, including her 21-year-old son Darin, Ryan (12), Kile (10), and of course little Usher V (4) and Naviyd (3), in a new feature for Uptown Magazine where she talks about her businesses, motherhood, dating as a single mother of 5, and of course, her very public custody battle with Usher.

According to Tameka, it was Usher who first filed for sole custody of their 2 kids back in January 2011. Nine months later, she filed for sole custody as a counteraction, sparking a nasty back-and-forth between the former couple.

Naviyd and Usher V are always playing in Tameka's bed. “I love it, but we can’t make it seem like there isn’t room for anyone else in here, right?” she laughs.

Tameka thinks Usher’s reasoning behind wanting full custody of their young children is because he wants to control her.

“He is a man very accustomed to having his way,” Raymond says. “This has nothing to do with how I parent. Trust me, I never will have a desire to keep a man away from his kids. I am not June Cleaver or head of the PTA, but I know I am a good mother.”

Read more excerpts from the interview below:

Watching Raymond interact with her kids is as exhausting as it is endearing. Cinco and Naviyd are running around lawlessly in little Marc Jacobs suits. Ryan is the football star obsessed with girls. “Go into my office and do your homework,” she tells him. “And don’t get on Facebook.”

Kile is a budding Steve Jobs; one time he disassembled his mothers malfunctioning Beats by Dre headphones, then rewired and repaired them. Today, she is helping him with his science project– a robot he built that’s unfortunately fallen to pieces– yet, he skillfully sneaks in some younger-brother hateration. “Ryan is on Facebook in your office,” Kile says nonchalantly.

“And you’re snitching,” Raymond says quickly. “That’s why your robot broke!”

Neither Carol Brady nor Clair Huxtable, Raymond manages motherhood by her own rules, which is evident in her relationship with her son Darrin, 21, whom she had at age 19. (His father was murdered before he was born.) During the photo shoot, he noticed me snapping a pic with my cell phone and immediately signaled to his mother. He is ?ercely protective. “Because I had him at such a young age, he and I basically grew up together and we are extremely close. But I am very conscious not to be an overbearing mother.”

On meeting Usher:
“Usher and I met because I was one of the top stylists in the game. You don’t get to work with someone of his stature in music, especially back then, without being one of the best. And I still am hardworking.”

On managing relationships as a single mother of 5:
“I am dating,” says Raymond, who keeps her body toned by practicing Pilates and yoga a few days a week. “It’s refreshing. I have not been single in a while. I got divorced and married in the same year. It was a run-on relationship,” she jokes. “But a lot of guys like to play games. I like a man that’s a boss. I am not the dominant one. But a lot of the ones with the right mind-set wear OshKosh overalls. And if they are not ?y, I don’t like them.” She also has strict rules. “I don’t bring men around my children. They have never met an ‘Uncle Tony.’ The two that I did bring around, I married.”

While we don’t doubt that Tameka is a good mother, we still think she’s an attention whore, and she most definitely has this “thing” where she uses Usher’s kids against him just to make herself look good. We have a feeling this interview is simply a way for her to clean up her “crazy lady” image.

Still, the full interview is an interesting read. CLICK HERE to check it out!

Your thoughts?

Usher isn’t going to let his ex-wife Tameka Raymond get off so easy…

As we previously reported, Tameka filed court documents in Georgia asking a judge to strip him of joint physical custody of their two children.

She also claimed that he cancelled her Saks 5th Avenue credit card, failed to get her approval before hiring nannies, and refuses to give her permission to travel with their kids.

Well according to TMZ, Usher has fired back, claiming that he never cancelled Tameka’s Saks card, and her claims are all BS, including the bit about him being a bad father.

The R&B singer has even filed his own response asking a judge to reject Tameka’s request for full custody, on grounds that her allegations are utterly and completely false.

For right now, the pair both currently share joint physical custody of both of their kids, pending a trial date that has been set for February 27th.

As he goes through all of this drama with Tameka, we’re pretty sure Usher wishes more and more that he had just listened to his mom back in the day when she told him not to marry that crazy woman …. SMH!

Tameka Raymond — Usher‘s ex wife who still uses his last name … for whatever reason — is dead serious about getting a judge to order the singer to take a drug test.

Right after filing court documents in Georgia asking a a judge to strip Usher of his joint physical custody rights, Tameka recently demanded that the R&B crooner take a drug test because she thinks he’s “popping pills and who-knows-what-else” around their two young children, according to TMZ.

Usher has since refused to take the test, on grounds that Tameka’s demands are “frivolous and unfounded” and her only intention is to “harass and embarrass” him.

But now Tameka’s lawyers have taken the case back to the judge, and are pleading with the courts to force Usher to take the drug test, because she’s afraid that if they wait too long, he’ll have more time to clear his system of any illicit substances.

This woman is crazy, people. And apparently, she constantly uses the children against Usher, and even posts pictures of them on Twitter along with kooky captions trying to elude that the kids don’t like to see their dad. As Sandra Rose pointed out on her blog last week:

Struggling celebrity stylist Tameka Foster is at it again. Earlier today, she posted Twitpics of her sons, Usher IV, 4, and Naviyd, 2, on their way to visit their father at his home in Los Angeles. Under one photo of a sulking Naviyd, Tameka’s tweeted: “Navi is pissed to the bitter end. Haha. I’m sure candy, toys and Neverland awaits … He’ll be ok. My loves!”

Apparently, she meant that Naviyd was sulking because he did not want to see his dad. Once again, Tameka continues to shamelessly exploit her own children for sympathy and attention.

And not only that, while Tameka is going around trying to make it seem like Usher is a bad parent, it sounds like she’s the one who is a bad parent. Sandra Rose continued:

Yesterday I spoke with a family friend who begged for anonymity. The source revealed juicy information about Usher and Tameka’s ongoing child custody battle. He confirmed that Usher gets the boys more often than Tameka because he simply does not believe she is a fit mother.

Check out some of Tameka’s most recent tweets below:

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/142248494848151553"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/142249277765337089"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/142297398302093312"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/143127177016254464"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/143126461837090816"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/143125660779552768"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/142248494848151553"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/143124932468031489"]

[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/#!/TamekaRaymond/status/142621554658918400"]

Usher joined Valerie Simpson (of the songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson) and Mike Stoller (of the songwriting team Leiber and Stoller) and performed a moving tribute to the late songwriters Nick Ashford and Jerry Leiber Wednesday night (November 30) at the 2012 Grammy Nominations Concert in Los Angeles.

Watch below:

The official nominees for the upcoming 2012 Grammy Awards were announced with a special concert in Los Angeles last night.

Rapper LL Cool J hosted the event with a little help from Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry. Other celebs who appeared and/or performing at the Grammy Nominations Concert were Usher, Ludacris, Bruno Mars, Common, Grandmaster Flash, Jason Aldean and more.

Check out 30+ photos below:

While random chicks are accusing Justin Bieber of being their baby daddy … his mentor Usher may be facing a few “daddy” issues of his own.

The R&B singer’s ex-wife Tameka Raymond has filed court documents in Georgia asking a judge to strip him of joint physical custody of their two children.

Tameka also claims Usher is required and has failed to:

– get her approval before hiring nannies
– give her first shot to watch the kids when he’s away for more than 8 hours
– allow her to take the kids for 2-weeks in the summer of 2011
– let her have custody of the kids during Christmas break 2010

Tameka also claims Usher closed her Saks 5th Avenue credit card — which he specifically said he wouldn’t do — and now she can no longer take advantage of the “special benefits” the card offers.

According to the docs, Usher also promised to pay $5k per month so Tameka could hire her own nanny for the kids — but he hasn’t paid in months, and now owes $34,000 worth of payments.

Tameka also claims there has been a “substantial change in [Usher's] income” since they got divorced — and because of his success, she should get even more money for child support.

A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Wednesday.

[TMZ]

Ironically … Tameka recently uploaded a video of the oldest child — Usher V — sliding down the outer rail of a flight of stairs. (That’s definitely a great demonstration of good parenting!)

Justin Bieber accidentally flubbed the lyrics to the popular Christmas tune “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” while performing on the “Today” show this week.

The young Pop star, joined by his mentor Usher, made an appearance on NBC’s “Today” Wednesday morning (Nov 23) and performed a few songs from his newly released Christmas album.

During his performance of “Santa Clause is Coming to Town,” the 17-year-old entertainer blanked out midway through and forgot the lyrics to the song, simply simply repeating the lines “He’s making a list” and “He sees you when you’re sleeping” to fill in the gaps.

Instead of singing “He sees you when you’re sleeping,” the Biebz accidentally sang “He’s making a list.” Then, when he was supposed to say “You better watch out,” once again, he said “He’s making a list.”

At one point, Bieber, dressed in a festive red and cream snow flake-patterned sweater worth $1,650 and jeans that sagged below his waistline, just let the backing track guide him through some of the song, leaving a few moments of awkward silence. (Hey … at least we know he’s wasn’t lip-synching!)

Even though he messed up a few lines during the performance, the star refused to let the mistake stop the show and continued on with his performance unfazed. Honestly, if you’re not really paying attention, you won’t even notice the few blips.

The song, among a few others he performed, like “Mistletoe” and “The Christmas Song: Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” (featuring Usher), appear on Bieber’s first Christmas album “Under the Mistletoe,” which the Today show noted is the first album from a male recording artist to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Watch Justin Bieber’s full “Today” Show appearance below:

Setlist:
Never Say Never (Video #1 – 01:40)
The Christmas Song: Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire F/ Usher (Video #1 – 10:00)
Under the Mistletoe (Video #2 – Beginning)
Santa Clause is Coming to Town (Video #2 – 04:40)

Pallbearers help carry the casket of rapper Heavy D at his funeral service at Grace Baptist Church on November 18, 2011 in Mount Vernon, New York.

Heavy D, who died at age 44 in Los Angeles from what his family said was complications from pneumonia, was laid to rest in a star studded funeral service in his hometown of Mount Vernon, New York on Friday (Nov 18).

A-List stars like like Jay-Z, Will and Jada Smith, Diddy, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Usher, Samuel L. Jackson and many more were all in attendance at the rap legend’s two-and-a-half hour funeral service at Grace Baptist Church, which was reportedly filled to capacity.

A mourner holds the program for Heavy D's funeral service at Grace Baptist Church on November 18, 2011 in Mount Vernon, New York.

Heavy D’s 11-year-old daughter Xea Myers spoke briefly during the service, telling the mourning attendees that her father was “still here, not in the flesh, but in the spirit.”

Diddy also talked about his late friend, including how he helped give him his start in the music industry, and how their longtime friendship continued up until Heavy D’s death.

“He became my friend. He became my brother, and I’m not talking about friend-brother like we cavalierly use the word, I’m talking about a real friend, a real brother,” Diddy said. “Somebody I shared my dreams and my secrets with, somebody that’s been there for me at my lowest point, my darkest hour when nobody wanted to be beside me.”

President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama even offered a few words of encouragement to Heavy D’s family in the form of a note, which was read aloud by Rev. Al Sharpton:

“We extend our heartfelt condolences at this difficult time. He will be remembered for his infectious optimism and many contributions to American music. Please know that you and your family will be in our thoughts and prayers.”

A memorial fund has been set up to help financially aid Heavy D’s young daughter Xea. Details can be found on the website: http://rememberheavyd.com

Usher’s younger brother James Lackey is in hot water with the law.

A few weeks ago…..Lackey was arrested for domestic violence, cruelty to a child, and reckless conduct.

According to sources, he allegedly attacked his baby mama and their child.

He was released from jail two days later on $5,500 bail.

Damn, J-Lack! WTF is going on son??

R&B singer/songwriter and philanthropist Alicia Keys rounded up some of her A-List celebrity friends to join her last Thursday night (Nov 3) in New York City for her annual Keep A Child Alive Ball.

The gala, which raised $3 million for the children’s charity “Keep A Child Alive” featured appearances from Keys’ husband Swizz Beatz, Serena Williams, Carmelo and LaLa Anthony, Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington, Tyra Banks and more, as well as performances from Usher, Will.i.am, Jay Sean, Nora Jones and Alicia Keys herself, among others.

The $3 million raised will go towards providing lifesaving AIDS treatment, care and support for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and the Middle East.

“I am overwhelmed by the kindness I witnessed last night at the eighth annual Black Ball NY,” Alicia Keys said in a statement. “I am forever grateful to all of our supporters whose generosity will provide AIDS treatment and care for so many in desperate need.”

Look below for 30+ photos from the 2011 Keep A Child Alive Ball: