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NPR Tiny Desk Concert: Usher celebrates ‘Black magic’, fans say ‘Male R&B ain’t dead’

Usher quickly secured one of the top spots on the trending list as social media users logged into Twitter to praise the crooner

Usher belted out a number of his earlier hits on Thursday, June 30, as he made his debut on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert. The motive was to close out the Black Music Month and the R&B crooner surely pulled it off in style. Usher looked dapper in an all-black outfit as he also got praised for bringing Eric Bellinger and Vedo as his background vocalists.
 
The ‘My Way’ hitmaker quickly secured one of the top spots on the trending list as social media users logged into Twitter to praise the crooner. Usher fans trolled social media users who were eyeing a Verzuz battle but instead got a Tiny Desk Concert. Usher’s Tiny Desk Concert set was also part of NPR’s celebration of Juneteenth and Black Music Month. FKA twigs, Ravyn Lenae, Denzel Curry, Monica, Adekunle Gold are some of the artists who have earlier been part of the same series.
 
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‘This is Black magic right here’

To make his Tiny Desk Concert debut memorable, Usher performed on some of his bangers like ‘You Make Me Wanna’, ‘Superstar’, ‘U Don’t Have to Call’, ‘Nice & Slow’, ‘Confessions Part II’ and ‘My Way’. During his performance, the 43-year-old crooner said, “Celebrating Black Music Month, this is Black magic right here. I really, really am happy to celebrate all of the years of music and really celebrate my brothers. I’m really happy to be able to share.”
 
The award-winning singer added, “I think that if life has taught us anything, it is that we should share with each other. Not just the music, but understanding that life is a collaborative process and being able to lift each other up, stand with each other. That’s all it’s really about.” On the work front, Usher last released a solo single ‘I Cry’ in 2020. He will soon be seen in City Girl’s upcoming single ‘Good Love’. Usher is also heading back to his Las Vegas residency which kicks off on July 15 and wraps in October.

‘Usher’s Tiny Desk is perfect’

Reacting to Usher’s debut on Tiny Desk Concert, one said, “Usher’s Tiny Desk should shut all that talk about vocals, battles, top singers, and whatever else DOWN. He hasn’t had anything to prove since he came on the scene and nothing to prove now.” Another stated, “Usher’s Tiny Desk is perfect.”  One chimed in, “I love how Tiny Desk performances are celebrations. And this is really a celebration of one of the truly great careers of my lifetime. That boy Usher has an endless bag of hits. If he just wanted to focus on 1997-2004, that'd be enough. What a catalog, bruh. Damn.”

The next one tweeted, “Usher said y'all ain't gettin' no Verzuz, you gettin' a TINY DESK. Because, look at the material.” One added, “Usher doing a Tiny Desk performance is exactly what I needed this morning.” Meanwhile, one said, “The people who said Chris Brown could take on Usher in a Verzuz need to watch this Tiny Desk. Chris ain't touching that,” as another mentioned, “Usher got Vedo and Eric Bellinger singing his backgrounds on Tiny desk, and he’s reminding y’all that male R&B ain’t dead, y’all just listening to the wrong people.”