USHER MATURES WITH “HERE I STAND”

USHER MATURES WITH “HERE I STAND”

Usher’s highly anticipated album Here I Stand, scheduled to drop May 27, definitely delivers fans with a more mature side of the talented singer. With his hit single “Love in this Club” which was a former #1 record on the Billboard charts and is currently the fifth-highest charting song in the country, Usher attempts to score another hit by enlisting the help of fellow newlywed Jay-Z on the track “Best Thing” which is ironically about losing a girl. Usher discusses with MTV how much he’s grown from his last album “Confessions”.

Usher’s “Here I Stand” is definitely filled with messages of love and monogamy and “Best Thing” and “Love in This Club” just add to the story.

“We got together on his album, got back together on this one. Of course, with the talk of both of us now being newlyweds, there is a question as to why, and is it real? Well, if you hear that [song], you’ll understand what [Jay] meant when he says, ‘Seeds becomes plants/ Boys become men/ You’ve got to grow up, not down.’ Being a positive influence, being where you are, being honest about where you are is really the ultimate objective. I think that it’s important to be honest. If it leads and people catch on to it, then they do it. If they miss it, then you’ve just missed it, but it is what it is, and you are what you are no matter where you are. If you are a playa, you’re a playa. If you’re a real man, you’re a real man, but you know you got to — in some point in life — you’ve got to grow up. Grow away from certain immaturities. I was a younger guy in my last album, I’m somewhat a more mature individual as a result of the choices I have made, the direction I have taken. And that is conveyed in the song that me and Jay-Z did together.”

More after the cut!

Usher explains that the album’s title track was played at his wedding at Tameka’s request.

” ‘Here I Stand’ was played at my wedding, which is why everybody thinks it was written specifically for that reason,” he explained. “It wasn’t; it was originally written before we were engaged or married. It was [my wife's] request to have it played at our wedding because it was suiting. If you listen to the words, it is very heartfelt, simplistic, yet very soulful. … It’s a man’s words to his woman: a vow to say that you are the one, and I’ll be there for you. You know, some people are ready to make that step, some people aren’t. I think about this every time I put my albums together. I wonder where my fans are. Are they with me or have they grown with me? Well, the fan that was 21 when I was 21 is now 29. He or she probably has experienced this, feels this or has felt this. So I speak to you, but also complimenting the younger, up-and-coming fans with ‘Love in This Club’ and ‘What’s Your Name,’ which are more lighthearted. But you get depth. It’s almost like a complete story; you get a beginning, a middle and an end, and it’s all there for you.”

Usher explains Young Jeezy’s appearance on the track “Love in this Club”.

“Well, there weren’t many people that we considered to be on the record, he said. “It’s an ATL record, so it was very different. It was ‘OK, you’ve got an ATL-sounding record, [so] you’ve gotta get one of the guys from Atlanta that really puts it down.’ It was [producer Polow Da Don's] concept to put him on it. I think that Jeezy is one of the greatest MCs of our time, especially given his credibility. He has a very grounded fanbase, and to get [him] on this song and make it better, take it to the next level, was a compliment. So it was a good move on Polow’s part.”

Click here to listen to the whole album!
I have to admit Here I Stand didn’t really grab my attention like Confessions did, but I give it 4.5 stars cuz real talk Usher is speakin’ the truth on this album.  A few of my favorites are “Before I Met You”, “Appetite” and “His Mistakes”. Just go cop the album when it drops on May 27…I know I will!

Posted under Music News by J'More