Is Usher Really Ready To Make A Comeback With 'Raymond vs. Raymond'?

Usher is prepared to make a comeback with his brand new album Raymond vs. Raymond. With a fresh new divorce and single status by his side, Usher, ready to channel those energies, is ready to give birth to a hit collection that will be reminiscent of his Confessions days, but is that possible?



The singer was recently dealt a serious blow when his newest effort hit the faucet and leaked in its entirety. And even with the leak, not many are even in the least bit excited about the project. Of course, his diehard fans still got Usher’s back, but what about the passerby’s of the genre? Some of the genre’s veteran artists and producers have disowned the genre saying that it is no longer what it used to be, so most are counting on artists like Usher to represent for R&B.

2009 was meh for Usher thanks to his much publicized separation from his wife Tameka Foster. From the time Usher announced that he was dating Tameka during the earlier parts of the 2000’s, fans were left disappointed in his selection, considering his reputation for dating notable beauties. Surely had he married a woman like his ex-girlfriend TLC’s Chili, who was more than ready for marriage and was much more polished than Tameka, his fans would have had little problem with it.

Though in reality Usher’s personal life should be off limits in regards to his career, many do consider it a major part of his image and it would be naïve to ignore that him marrying Tameka has hurt his career in some way.

But that is then and this is now, and now Usher is ready to bring forth a new album with a new image. His lead single “Papers” failed to attract the audience he craved and the leaked singles that followed did very little to rev up anticipation. Observers have given more attention to Usher’s personal dramas then they have his album and the chances of Raymond vs. Raymond performing high numbers when it is released are very slim.

Usher has a lot of work to do if he wants to earn back his loyal following; however, music fans should not count Usher out just yet as he is equipped with an impressive group of producers who are assisting in the project’s success. If I were Usher, I would take a walk down memory lane and take a hard look at the songs that fans gravitated towards in the past.

It wouldn’t be wise for him to copy the same blueprint to success he used back then, but it might give him a little insight on how he can stay true to his signature style and still grow as an artist that has to mold to the standards of what a hit is today. With that said, the chemistry between a songwriter, the artist and the producer is golden. Usher linking back up with the producers and songwriters that allowed him to see success in the past would be ideal.

Usher’s best bet is to enlist Jermaine Dupri to assist in shelling out additional tracks in hopes of landing a monster lead single whether it be a slow jam or a club worthy track; either one will do just fine.

Hopefully, Usher will take into consideration his current standing in the music realm and decide to release Raymond vs. Raymond at a later date. Based on what has been heard thus far, this is looking to be yet another flop if it isn’t handled with care.