When you’re large like Usher Raymond, living the life and calling shots in music, film, and even professional basketball, you must wield controversy as a weapon. With that in mind, Complex sought to disarm him, sending the infamous O.G.-crazy-white-rapper-turned-gonzo-journalist R.A. the Rugged Man to catch the consummate professional off-guard. Find out about how Usher is “keepin’ it gangsta” in his new movie, whatever happened to the “Confessions” baby, and, well, how he keeps his colon clean. Father, forgive us.

Photography by Mark Mann

Usher’s a serious dude. When you see him on TV, he’s serious. He might crack a grin, even smile sometimes, but trust that he’s 100 percent serious the whole time. When you hear him in the vocal booth, crooning his brains out, he’s serious too. His last album plays like a greatest hits, produced more singles than damn near any record since Thriller, and sold over 12 million copies worldwide. But then, he has to be so serious. This guy is a success machine. He’s 27 years old and has been banging out hit records non-stop since he was 15. He’s about to blow up the box office with his first starring role, alongside Bronx Tale vet Chazz Palminteri, in In The Mix, which, deading any question of his impending mogul status, features a soundtrack on his brand new record label Ush Records, which he operates with the Notorious B.I.G.’s longtime manager Mark Pitts. Oh yeah, and he also owns a minority stake in the NBA team LeBron James calls home, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

However, that’s just the press release Usher Raymond. You know him all too well. What you don’t know about is Usher’s goon squad, about the orgies he witnessed as a teen, and the girls he wishes he hadn’t slept with. Some of which he was happy to talk about and some not so much. But, ever the unflappable professional, big U was kind enough to avoid canned answers and give Complex a candid look at the life of a man most of us wouldn’t mind being. And through it all, he never took himself too seriously.

So tell us about this new flick you got coming out with Chazz Palminteri and Emmanuelle Chriqui...

Usher: Yeah, it’s called In The Mix and it has two things that we as moviegoers love. It has a good love story, and it keeps it gangsta. We love to see shit blowing up, we love to see people getting shot up. That drama. After I take a bullet for the Mafia don, he appoints me to bodyguard his daughter, the Mafia princess. But believe it or not it’s a romance comedy.

And of course you end up tapping her white ass, right? Like Jungle Fever meets Goodfellas?

Usher: I ain’t gonna spit it all out, but things get mighty heated up. Then there’s that story of drama and betrayal. Within a few years I hope to win an Oscar and I think In The Mix is a good step towards that. We’re also putting together the soundtrack through my record label. Home // CELEBRITIES // COVER STORY // Usher