NEW YORK (AP) -August 7, 2008
The 29-year-old superstar announced Thursday that he has ended
his partnership with celebrity manager Benny Medina, whose clients
include Mariah Carey, and has rehired Jonnetta Patton.
Patton had managed her son's career since he was a teen star.
But the multiplatinum performer broke with his mother in 2007,
saying he just wanted her to focus on being his mom.
While there were reports of friction between Patton and her son,
Usher had said the relationship was great and had improved since
their professional union ended.
"I have just chosen to take the reigns of my career," he told
The Associated Press in an interview earlier this year. "We have a
different view and mind-set. I'm doing it and I'm handling it and
very happy, very happy with it."
A message left for Medina wasn't immediately returned Thursday.
Although Usher's new album, "Here I Stand," debuted at the top
of the charts when it was released in May and has resulted in a No.
1 smash with "Love in This Club," it has yet to pass the 1
million mark in sales (it has sold about 948,000 copies, according
to Nielsen SoundScan.) In comparison, his last album,
"Confessions," sold 1.1 million copies in its first week when it
was released in 2004 on its way to more than 8 million copies sold
in the United States alone.
The new album is a more mature CD that reflects his recent
marriage and birth of his son, with few club anthems and more
ballads about relationships and commitment.
Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
