USHER’S surprising first concert may have triggered a series of events that helped him reach the level of superstardom that’s had him coasting for more than two decades now.
In a remarkable revelation, USHER took fans on a trip down memory lane, recounting his wild experience at his very first concert. To the surprise of many, his first-ever live music experience didn’t entail the smooth sounds of R&B but rather the hard-hitting, controversial lyrics of rapper Ice-T.
The concert, which took place in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the UTC Arena, wasn’t just any show, either. In fact, it occurred at the height of Ice-T’s infamous “Cop Killer” controversy. And believe it or not, USHER’s unlikely concert companion, his aunt, worked for the police department at that time.
“First concert that I went to was an Ice-T concert in Chattanooga, Tennessee at UTC Arena,” USHER reminisced. When asked his age, he responded, “Old enough to be invited by my aunt who was given these tickets as a gift. She worked for the police department and he had a song called ‘Cop Killer’ at the time. Kind of crazy how it all worked out.”
Usher says the first concert he went to was Ice-T.
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Also, Usher reveals that before he was famous, Ice-T gave him a spark of inspiration when he visited the Boys and Girls Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to speak to him and the other kids.
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But the story doesn’t end there. In fact, the concert itself becomes somewhat of an afterthought based on what USHER revealed happened after the night of hardcore Hip-Hop music. The “Let It Burn” singer went on to vividly recall a chance encounter with Ice-T at the Boys and Girls Club in Chattanooga following his experience at the concert. USHER declared that it was in this moment when the rapper made the surprise appearance that lit the spark that ignited Usher’s dreams of becoming an entertainer.
“I mean, even what’s crazier is that I happened to be at the Boys and Girls Club and he [Ice-T] dropped by and oddly enough, being able to see him talk to us in the gymnasium in Highland Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee, It gave me a spark,” USHER said.
“Like, ‘wait a minute, so you can be an entertainer and have a girl that looks like that,’ He had a beautiful wife. I was like, ‘man, that looks cool. I might want to do that’.”
It’s safe to say that the seeds planted from that moment truly blossomed into a fruitful reality for USHER and his legendary career. However, not all of the credit can be given to Ice-T. USHER did go on to reveal that his second concert, which he admits was much more his “speed” was New Edition!