From Keke to Saweetie to Winnie, virality is in the air at Usher’s Vegas run
Usher’s Las Vegas residency is one of the hottest tickets in Sin City ... maybe too hot for some people.
The “Burn” singer, who began his star-studded Vegas run last year, has now produced several viral moments as a result of a bit he does during every show where he walks into the crowd and sings to women in the audience.
Usher’s show— which includes elaborate elements such as a full-scale replica of a strip club, roller skate choreography and more than a few shirtless flips and tricks — first made headlines in September after actor Taraji P. Henson intimately danced with the singer onstage.
Henson shared a series of videos on Instagram of the moment that took place on her birthday in September.
“Welp #atimewashad thank you @usher for an amazing birthday turn up,” she captioned one of the videos.
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“We got grown and sexy in the house tonight,” Usher tells Henson as he sings and dances in the video.
One month later, Usher shared a tender moment with “Insecure” actor Issa Rae at one of his concerts, which the “Love in This Club” artist captured on Instagram.
“Issa, do you mind if I just sing a couple songs to you? Can I just serenade you a little bit?” Usher says in the clip as he sings “Superstar” and guides Rae onstage. “Come on, we’re just gonna flip the whole show up. I want you to just sit right here with me.”
Usher’s latest targets? Rapper Saweetie and model Winnie Harlow.
On Friday night, the “My Boo” artist serenaded the “My Type” rapper.
Saweetie is up for two Grammy Awards, including best new artist. Still, she says, “I feel like I’m constantly fighting for my value, and for respect.”
In a video shared on Twitter, Saweetie bobbed along and reluctantly sang with Usher as he performed his 2010 hit “There Goes My Baby.”
The following night, footage emerged of Usher trying to croon near Harlow, but she playfully denied his insistence.
Harlow, who was in attendance with her partner, NBA player Kyle Kuzma, shared a video of the interaction in an Instagram post Sunday morning.
The clip shows Harlow immediately jumping onto Kuzma’s lap as Usher neared her seat while singing. The “Yeah!” vocalist laughs at Harlow’s reaction and says, “OK, you chose.”
Keke Palmer’s boyfriend, Darius Jackson, defended himself, then deleted his Twitter after publicly disapproving of what she wore to an Usher concert.
“Figured out the secret to the Usher concert.. sit in your mans lap Mamas,” Harlow captioned the post.
The supermodel’s jokes played off the drama that unfolded last week after Keke Palmer and her partner, Darius Daulton Jackson, had a public spat following a video of Palmer being serenaded by Usher went viral.
In a now-deleted tweet, Jackson criticized Palmer, who was wearing a stylish black thong bodysuit underneath a sheer dress in the video.
“It’s the outfit tho.. you a mom,” Jackson replied to the clip on Twitter.
Despite being promptly roasted online for his comments, Jackson doubled down.
Keke Palmer’s feud with her (ex?) boyfriend is not simmering down. Fans can now commemorate the ordeal with merch, or re-create a TikTok dance to the new breakup anthem of 2023.
“We live in a generation where a man of the family doesn’t want the wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others & he gets told how much of a hater he is,” Jackson said in a follow-up tweet.
“This is my family & my representation. I have standards & morals to what I believe. I rest my case.”
Since the incident, Palmer and Jackson, who welcomed their first child together in February, no longer follow one another on Instagram or Twitter. Additionally, Jackson has scrubbed his socials of any photos and mentions of Palmer.
Palmer responded to the hubbub in several different ways. First, she shared several photos of herself on Instagram from her night out at the concert with a caption praising Usher as a performer.
She then posted a TikTok that made very clear how she was feeling.
“You ain’t stoppin’ what’s goin’ on with me sweetheart,” the TikTok begins before Palmer starts dancing to a catchy beat. “So if you gon’ act up, I’m ‘bouta link up, I’m ‘bouta link up, I’m ‘bouta link up.”
The “Nope” star also updated her merchandise line with shirts that make reference to her personal drama, including a sweatshirt emblazoned with the words “I’m a Motha.”
Times staff writers Christi Carras and Emily St. Martin contributed to this report.
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