Star: I saw you on the back of one of those magazines. You’re throwing up the gang signs …What’s going on here? What was that about Dog?
Usher: Oh man. It’s nothing, Dog.
S: It’s nothing now, but what was it then?
U: It’s just the fingers, Dog. It’s just another way of saying, “What’s up?”
S: You had on a little spiked bracelet. What’s up man?
U: Spiked? No. That’s not me, Dog.
S: Usher, I can get it.
U: I don’t wear the spiked bracelets, Dog.
S: You had something on there, Dog. We spoke about it … I said what’s going on with my man?
U: I mean I’m saying my arm probably was frozen at the time and I was wearing a little shackle iced out.
S: Crossover, get the picture.
U: Uh-oh.
S: We’re gonna talk about it. … You’re claiming 22 right now?
U: That’s right, 22.
S: You’re claiming 22. In real life that’s 26 .. 25 .. what?
U: Nah, nah, nah. That’s 22.
S: Ok. … Crossover, get in here. Where is this guy?
Miss Jones: You got your driver’s license on you? Before they expose you.
U: Do your thing! Haha. Let’s get to it!
S: That’s what your claiming, 22?
U: Yeah. I’m 22.
S: Ok. Alright … He’s dancin’ … That’s cute.
MJ: Right. Right.
S: Alright, you’re on Arista Records. Clive Davis is the man who brought you in there?
U: No, no, no. Actually L.A. Reid is the man who put me down.
S: Oh, LA Reid. So you’ve been with L.A. from the jump?
U: That’s right. That’s right.
S: So you haven’t filed for bankruptcy yet or anything, like TLC?
U: No. We easy.. Haha.
S: So somebody .. Oh Mom Dukes is…
U: Ma dukes holds it down.
S: Oh, Ma Dukes is on top of your financing
U: That’s right.
S: Dog, I don’t know your mom and I don’t usually talk about peoples’ moms. I gotta applaud your mom. She must be gully, man. She must be like Momma Combs.
U: She put it down.
S: She puts it down. She shut down little man when he called in there.
U: Heh, heh.
S: Talkin about Sisqo.
U: Oh, you know.
S: Yeah. Did she give you details on the conversation, man?
U: No! Actually I haven’t even heard about it.
S: You didn’t even hear? Until he started flippin’.. You didn’t know nothing.
U: No, man!
S: Applaud Mom Dukes one more time.
(applause)
U: But what happened?
MJ: He said … Sisqo said that he …
S: Do we have that break? Play that break, man.
(recorded Sisqo intvw) “We never got an opportunity to talk to Usher. We talked to his mom. And his mom was like, “Well Usher’s not doing nothing to ya’ll. And I was like, “Yo, for one .. Don’t be coming at me like you bigger than me.”
MJ: Ooooooh!
S: That’s what he said, man. Now mind you, this show’s about hate. This ain’t no gossip show, Dog.
U: Yo listen, man. This guy right here has a little bit too much time on his hands, man. You know? Go sell some records, Dog.
S: Come on, come on and hate, Usher. Come on and hate, Dog. … (applause) … That’s why I wanted you here, Dog.
U: Come on, man.
S: I didn’t want you to come here to plug your album. Come with the hate.
U: Simmer down now. You know? Hey listen. My mother held her own. She told the truth.
S: Little man’s upset.
U: Yeah. He’s a little frustrated.
MJ: Just do the song.
U: Simmer down little fella … Sisqo stop. Stop while you ahead. Honestly, I got a lot of inside scoop about how little man’s really making a lot of comments about me and whatever. And you know what? This is just entertainment, dude.
MJ: Take the high road, Usher. Just take the high road.
U: I’m just saying all the way across the board; from, you know, stealing K-Ci’s rhymes …
S: Come with the hate, Dog.
U: I mean come on, Dog. You’re even hatin’ on your own group, Dog. Like I remember when he was talking bad about his group. Honestly, like he got at one of my artists and he was like, “You know the only reason I really hate on Usher is because like I look up to him.”
S: What?!
U: Yeah, yeah. He even said it in articles. Look in the papers. They’ll tell you about it. It’s like, “I looked up to him. He’s like somebody that really gave me inspiration to dance and sing and I really admire him.” … But he’s not saying that when he gets on the radio.
S: He’s straight hatin’ on you.
U: He’s like, “I’m the man. Can’t nobody see me. I’m the hardest R&B cat.”
S: Wow!
MJ: Star, stop ampin’ it up! Usher, take the high road.
U: Yo, it ain’t just me. R. Kelly was telling me about it. Like, “Yo man, this guys crazy.” I seen K-Ci and he was like “Yo man, what is this dude doing?”
S: I’m sorry. KC from KC and the Sunshine Band?
U: No, no, no. K-Ci from Jodeci.
S: Oh. Ok. He didn’t want no part of R. Kelly.
U: He said he was on another level.
S: He didn’t say he could shut him down.
U: Yeah.
S: Yeah! …. Alright, Big Man, L.A. Reid
U: Yeah.
S: I hear he’s getting a little sloppy over there, man.
U: Yeah.
S: Now, I would assume you and he are friends, or just business associates?
U: No, no, no. We’re real good friends.
S: Good friends.
U: Yeah.
S: Ok, so you wouldn’t care to elaborate on .. uh ..
U: On what?
S: Who was that he was involved with?
U: Haha. Oh sh.. hahaha!
S: Is that your sweet momma now?
U: Huh?
MJ: Chili!
U: Oh God. NO! … Wait, wait, wait, wait … He said she was involved with him?
S: Who was he twistin’ out in the group, TLC?
U: Nobody, man.
MJ: Yeah, because remember he was married to Pebbles. And then supposedly Pebbles found out that he and Chili were sleeping together. And that’s why she asked for a divorce. Or something like that.
U: That’s scandal. I mean you know, you got your rumors…
S: Right, right, right. Ok.
MJ: But that’s old. That’s so old.
S: But he completed his sexual addiction course, yes?
(applause)
U: Hey! I ain’t applauding.
S: I hear that was one of the requirements to get that big seat in Arista, man.
U: Oh yeah? Yo, you need to get L.A. Reid on the phone for something like that.
S: He ain’t trying to come through here, man.
U: I’ll tell you what. The man handles his business. I’ll tell you that.
S: Good for him. He don’t wanna talk to me. I did him a favor a couple of months ago.
U: What was that?
S: I can’t discuss it on the air, man.
MJ: Never mind.
S: I’m a man of my word.
U: Anyway, 8701 came out yesterday!
S: Yeah! Yeah!
U: New CDs in stores yesterday.
S: There you go!
MJ: Now you had a problem with the first time you tried to come out.
U: No, I didn’t have a problem. Actually, you know what? The record was leaked on Napster.
MJ: Yeah, that was the problem.
U: I mean that’s something that you sorta deal with. The fact that your record’s gonna get bootlegged after it gets out. For all you people that didn’t purchase that bootleg – Thank you. But it’s just not comfortable for me. You know, being away from the scene … it’s been about 3 years since I released a studio album. So you look out on the street and there’s your record white-labeled … You turn on the radio you hear records that ain’t never been heard. You know, material that came just from the studio. It’s like, you know what? Hold up, man. Let me push this back. This is my opportunity to take control of my own career. So I pushed it back.
MJ: How many new songs did you have to cut?
U: Oh man. Like 6 or 5.
S: The title of the CD – what’s that about?
U: 8701? That’s really my evolution as an artist. I mean, I found music in 1987, and here we are 2001. And I’m basically arriving.
S: A little concept to it...
MJ: And it just so happened that it came out on August 7, 2001. 8/7/01.
U: That’s right. We wanted to put as many little hooks together as we possibly could.
MJ: Ok, that’s good. Now tell us about you and Chili.
U: What you wanna know?
MJ: Are ya’ll going with each other? Are ya’ll dating? What?
U: Are we going with each other? I’m saying, we’re real good friends.
MJ: Are you intimate?
S: They’re comforting each other in their time of need, I would assume.
U: Uh-huh.
S: That’s the smooth way to put it, Dog. I could just say, Hey are you twistin’ the broad out, or what?
Buc Wild: Yeah, did you hump her?
MJ: Shut up!
S: She’s got a child, so you gonna wanna be a little more respectful.
U: Actually, no, we real, real good friends.
S: Alright. Is that good enough for you, Miss Jones?
MJ: No. Just friends? Or are you a couple? Come on! We’re all adults.
U: Oh yeah?
MJ: You’re dancin’ me.
S: If you are together let me say this. TLC is probably one of the worst singing groups ever. Horrible live. Horrible! But, she’s an older chick and I respect you for that. Cause only an older chick can truly understand where you’re at .. where you wanna go .. and that’s what you need right now.
U: It’s important.
S: Yeah. You don’t need a little groupie chick going “Ohh! Ohh! Let me #%^& you off in the back of the Benzo.” You don’t need that. Because you’ve manifested in the game. So you’re somewhere else mentally right now.
U: Yeah.
S: She probably has that spiritual balance. She’s toured the world.
U: That’s right.
S: So, It’s a different relationship. I can only assume.
U: She’s a beautiful person too, man.
MJ: So now are you together with her?
U: Yeah, we talk.
MJ: Alright.
S: Not a lick of talent in the group. I’m sorry, Dog. I saw them in Madison Square Garden. One of the worst concerts I’ve ever seen in my life. Christina Aguilera ripped it apart.
MJ: But she’s good.
S: But God bless your girl. God bless her.
U: Nah, nah. It’s a good thing, man. And I’m subtle with it. Yeah, we talk. We’re very, very close. If it is anything, I ain’t tryin’ to have anybody tear it down. Cause that’s what’s gonna happen, you know?
MJ: Right.
U: As soon as they get to it, they gonna try to rip it apart. And it’s special. It’s a spiritual thing, honestly. It’s a lot deeper than just, you know, the hype or whatever.
S: Well thanks a lot for comin’ by. Everybody make sure ya’ll go out and pick up that new album.
U: 8701! In stores now!
S: That’s right! Thanks, Dog.
Check out Star, Buc Wild and Miss Jones on the HOT97 Morning Show, Weekdays from 6:00 AM- 10:00 AM
