usher on the cover

A super star in every sense of the word…

by Christian Lavery

USHER ON THE COVER

We’re super stoked here at NYLON Guys. Not only does our June/July issue officially hit stands today, but the one and only

Usher

is gracing our cover! The man’s a super star in every sense of the word. (And it’s been that way since he was 16, might we add.)

From chart topping albums to successfully expanding his reach to film and television, Usher can basically do it all. But even with a myriad of accomplishments under his belt, he claims he still has something to prove. So with a new album in the works, we’re patiently waiting for Usher to take over the airwaves…yet again.

Check out page 94 of this month’s issues to read the story in its entirety. In the meantime, find some exclusive quotes below, as well as a few outtakes from our photoshoot with Usher in the gallery above.

On his mentorship in music industry, starting from age 15 when he moved to NYC to work with Sean "Diddy Combs":

"Artist development made me who I am. Somebody took the time to help me find what it is that works for me as an entertainer and who I am as a music maker."

On his upcoming role opposite Robert De Niro and Edgar Ramirez in the Sugar Ray Leonard biopic "Hands of Stone":

"I wanted to show a different side of who I am, not just throw my acting chops toward a romantic comedy. When I played Sugar Ray, everything was Sugar Ray. Every day I trained like a boxer. I ate like a boxer. I moved like a boxer." ..."We spent some time at his (Leonard's) house. I spent time training with him here and out in Los Angeles, just to get the nuances of how to move and to understand his approach."

On his fans reaction to his musical output:

"In all honesty, I give one shit. I do hear them--that's why I say one shit. I do give a shit, but not two shits. Two shits is a lot. I care enough to make sure they understand that I'm making it for them, but I've got to be true to where I am."

Photos-Kenneth Cappello