HERE THEY STAND:USHER AND HIS SON BABY USHER V(THE ESSENCE SHOOT)
Singer Usher has matured from the young boy who first hit the music scene in 1994 to the father and husband that we know today. Usher sat down with Essence magazine’s Hill Harper to talk about how fatherhood has added essence to his life as well as how marriage life has strengthen his relationship with his son baby Usher “cinco” V . The singer also talked a little bit about how the death of his own father made him want to be a better role model for his son as well as for his three step-children.
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HILL HARPER: In the last year, you got married and you’ve had a baby. Which has changed you more?
USHER: They’re both linked—I can’t have one without the other. But the one thing that changed me the most is having a wife. Our child is an extension of that union.
HARPER: Why?
USHER: Because now I represent what he is to become. He’s gonna admire me, he’s gonna look up to me. He’s gonna say, “I wanna be”—or he should say—”I wanna be like my father. I wanna be a man of valor. I wanna possess what my father has as a man.” To get married was a choice. To have a child is a responsibility.
HARPER: Does that new responsibility challenge you to make music that is more responsible?
USHER: I started making Here I Stand before I had my son and before I was married. It was a deliberate choice to make music with substance, not just about the things that we’re accustomed to—music about being the celebrity, the player, or having the car, the girl and the bling.
HARPER: Your father wasn’t around to raise you. How do you plan to be different for your son than your father was for you?
USHER: Just simply being there. I don’t judge my father because I forgave him for anything he’d ever done to hurt me unintentionally. My father and I had a very short amount of time together throughout my entire life, but the most valuable time was during his final days. He asked me to forgive him for not being there. He asked me to give him a chance, give him a shot because he loved me, and he had always loved me. But it was very difficult for him to be in the situation he was in and be the example he wanted me to follow. So he intentionally stayed away. And he was kept away from me too. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t fight it because he knew he wasn’t living right.
HARPER: What would you say to young men and women about what they should expect from a man who’s a father? What is living right as a father? How do you define that? How would that man look?
USHER: That man would accept his responsibilities as a father, regardless of whether he was with the mother of the child. Men will leave a situation for several reasons. One, it’s not comfortable. It may be violent. The two of you may grow apart. But you should never abandon that responsibility, which is to be there, reading with your child, being supportive of your child’s growth. That is communicating. That is making the choice to put your child before your own vanity.
HARPER: If you could take your finger and touch your 9-month-old son, Usher V, on the head and impart some certain knowledge, what would you want him to know?
USHER: First of all, I’d actually look inside myself and evaluate what I felt like I missed from my own father.
HARPER: What did you miss?
USHER: Knowing that I was accepted. That I mattered. And hearing that he cared enough to put me before himself.
TO READ MORE AND TO SEE MORE PICTURES,YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE LATEST AUGUST 2008 ISSUE OF ESSENCE MAGAZINE
SOURCE
I think it’s very honorable that we see a married black man with his son on the cover of a magazine.
That is a beaufiful baby , and the heartfelt love Usher has for his wife and son is beautiful. It’s wonderful to see a man express himself in such an open, genuine manner (reminds me of my Daddy- R.I.P.). I really wish the best for Usher, Tameka and their family.
As a 30something woman who grew up in an environment where everynoe had Dads at home, this is not something to be rewarded, it should be expected. Black women have let Black Men impregnate them and create Baby Daddies. My goodness, why would anyone have a child without a husband? If you don’t believe in abortion then don’t have premarital sex. Because it is completely selfish for a woman to have a child by a man who dosn’t want the child. The one who pays is the child.
Usher has increased his sex appeal by publically being so sensative to his son. The metrosexual Dad is en Vogue. Most Dads are kaki waring guys who are not fit, work boring careers to support the family and are traditional. However, this new breed of Father is oh so sexy. Brad Bitt, Will Smith and now Usher are setting trends in fatherhood. One can be cool, fit and live the family life. Wow, that is so hot!
Yesterday, I saw this Metrosexual Dad running and pushing his child in one of those three wheel running strollers. THe first thing I was was oh my goodness he is HOT!
Usher and his doe-eyed boy are beautiful. Congratulations! Hope all is well. Just dropped my new EP “All My Life.” Come out and check me out on August 1, 2008, 9:00 p.m. at the Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia Street, (off Bleeker) (212) 989-9319. See you then, and again congrats!
Are you serious that baby doesnot look like usher. Come on people my opinion he’s not usher’s son. But time when tell when he really starts to look like ryan even more.
He just don’t look like usher to me. I saw a picture of usher when he was a baby and i just don’t see it in this kid. The baby has the same puffy cheeks and nose as tameka’s oldest two sons. They don’t look like tameka so how did that happen?
Usher is going to be a great father. Who he loves and chooses to marry is nobody’s business but his. The baby doesn’t really look like Usher right now but so what?
Some of you folks…foolishness.
First: Usher’s baby is cute.
Second: He is a BABY!!!…My characteristics didn’t set in until I was 2. Before then, I didn’t look like either of my parents. Now, my characteristics are split down the middle 1/2 dad 1/2 mom.
Yes, only time will tell but until then…close your mouths because y’all are making yourselves look FOOLISH, DUMB and IGNORANT.
The fact is he looks like ryan her ex and he shouldn’t. He’s going to look even more like ryan as he gets older. Why do people compare baby pictures. He has to look like somebody. He doesn’t even look like usher when he was a baby.
Whether its my opinion are someone elses its our opinion. Everyone is different we all have our own opinion. It doesn’t make us stupid are anything else.
Why does it matter who he looks like? I’m proud to see an African-American male taking care of his child. I’m happy for him and Tameka. Sometime I wonder if he had married a light skinned woman would he receive so much flak. For once let’s be happy for someone other than ourselves. In my opinion he doesn’t resemble her unattractive ex-husband. Not all children come out looking like the parents. Remember Tameka has family and so does Usher. I look like my mother’s sister. Good luck Usher and Tameka!
Laying down, that child looks like its grandmother..
James you need to lay off the cocktails because you obviously hav blurred vision. To me, cinco looks just like Usher and Usher’s mother. Goodnight, that child has those doeboy eyes and round head like Usher, his mom and brother have. Sorry to disapoint you but Ushers stepkids all have long heads, they don’t have round heads like Usher. That child has Usher written all over him. You all must be blind! Usher couldn’t deny that cupid bowl head, doe eyed, pointy nose, cupid lipped child if he tried. That child looks just like him.
Sorry but that baby doesn’t look like usher or his mother.
I usually don’t post on Usher- related items because most of you vapid posters are mean-spirited.Your ignorance reigns supreme. You act as though you all were there at the conception and delivery of Usher’s baby. Further, I think many of the women on here are bitter and see yourselves in Usher’s wife Tameka. The difference- and what infuriates you most- is that youd on’t have a man like Usher at home. It’s just ya’ll and your kids at home. The “men” posting on here need to stop lusting after/ hating on Usher and concern themselves with THEIR OWN MEN.
Cute baby, he has the biggest eyes I’ve ever seen in my life! Such a cutie.
Erika you are right it is ones opinion. It is my opinion that some of these folks on here are idiots. Instead of celebrating Black love, and the family these people are tearing it down. So sad.
The Best times are when father and son are together like these !
That baby is too cute! Best wishes to Usher on raising a healthy, happy son!
He has Usher’s ears…
I think he looks like a mix of him mom & dad.. Usher is so handsome & his baby is SO beautiful.. too bad there so many negative people out there.. all I see is a proud daddy & his gorgeous boy! Show some love people!!!!!!
Stop stealing JOY! Misery loves company. There are a lot of people that were only raised by one parent and it fortunate that this child will be raised by both. Childrens features change over the years. My son didn’t look like me in the beginning but I know I gave birth to him. AS the years progress he is my identical twin! If he’s not Ushers, so what, Usher is giving that child all the love a father can give. He is a Proud Daddy and don’t take that away from him. They have something most don’t a UNITY! Mother, Father, and Child living under the same roof, loving one another, caring for one another, and taking care of one another.
at least that baby have a daddy that’s there for him & supports him … [[ tear tear ]]
beaufiful baby and usher its so hot
http://pandiopasblog.blogspot.com/
If you look at theactual photo on the cover, with the baby wearing a hat, in my opinion, he looks EXACTLY like his dad….USHER!!
who gives a damn who he looks like [this is for james]..as long as usher is handling his responsibility as a man and taking care of his child then so be it. that child is gorgeuos and he does look like his dad…look at those damn ears! so while james and yall other ppl are tryna be messy and say he looks like Ryan yall need to hop off!!
That could have not been said better. Stop hating and let that man be a Father and take care of his family@@
I think Cinco looks like Gizmo from the Gremlins movie. That said, he is absolutely adorable.
usher dis picture is so cute of u and yo baby
He alright he’s no Julez(Solange son) and he’s surely no Romelo Montez Hill(Monica’s youngest son).
Jennifer,
Since we live in todays world,i do think he deserves to be rewarded.
And if a woman chooses to have sex before marriage and the father wont be around she should not have to get abortion.The child wont suffer if at least one will be there in support of it.My daddy wasn’t and still isn’t always around,and my mom is took care of me just fine.I didn’t suffer,and neither did any of my cousins or friends who had a deadbeat daddy who cant support their children.
Im just saying if at least one parent is there giving the love and support they need,they wont even care!The wont even think about the other parent.NEVER!And not trying th be rude and start something,but how should you know?Like you said,you grew up when daddies were around!