Hailing from Atlanta, Ga. Usher signed a record deal with LaFace Records and recorded a single for the Poetic Justice soundtrack. In 1994 Usher’s released his debut self-titled album. Sean “P Diddy” Combs served as producer on several tracks and acted as co-executive producer. The album peaked at number 25 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. All of this happened before Usher graduated from high school.

In 1997 Usher released his second album, “My Way,” and found success with two singles. He toured with Mary J. Blige, P Diddy and Janet Jackson that same year and received his Grammy nominations. Usher also appeared on the TV show “Moesha” and the feature film “The Faculty.” In 1998 he was cast in the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and appeared in two more films, “She’s All That” and “Light It Up.” For more on Usher’s soap opera turn read Soap Opera Digest; for his other acting endeavors read Entertainment Weekly.

In 2001 Usher released his third studio album called “8701” and spawned three top-performing singles. In 2002 Usher won the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Grammy for the single “U Remind Me” and the following year for “U Don’t Have to Call.” In 2003 Usher was featured in a special music issue of Esquire magazine, in which the singer posed as music icon Michael Jackson.

Though Usher had already established a successful career, 2004 is considered his breakthrough year. He released his fourth album Confessions, which sold 1.1 million copies in the first week. Confessions would spawn several top charting singles and sold more than 19 million albums. Usher won several MTV music awards and Billboard Magazine awards.

In 2007 Usher announced he and his fiancée Tameka Foster were expecting a baby boy. The couple planned to wed shortly before the baby’s due date but the wedding was abruptly cancelled. Later Usher and Foster married in a quiet ceremony in Atlanta and welcomed their son Usher Raymond V in November. The family now lives in Alpharetta, Ga., just outside of Atlanta. Magazines like People, Essence, Vibe, Ebony and Jet have full coverage of Usher’s wedding, reception and baby.

Usher has recently made more magazine headlines for his personal life than his professional music career. In January 2008 he was featured in Ebony magazine and Jet magazine as a supporter of Presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama.

Usher appears on the cover of the August issue of Essence magazine. In the issue Usher talks about how marriage and fatherhood have changed his life. The interview also includes baby photos.

In 2008 Usher released his sixth album, “Here I Stand,” which charted on the Billboard magazine 100 rising to the No. 1 spot in June. The same week, Vibe magazine featured an article on the singer’s Apollo Theater concert, calling the performance, “a true testament to the skills Usher has acquired as a seasoned entertainer.”

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For more magazines featuring Usher, visit http://www.magazines.com/ncom/mag?id=4156120179480&subject=0074 Jessica Vandelay is a free-lance writer in New York City.