Usher, 41, had us fallin’ in love amid his beach day in Malibu on June 20! However, the family fun day took a surprise turn when a paparazzo snapped a photo of the Grammy-winning singer changing behind his car. Nothing too explicit, but a peak of Usher’s thigh was revealed.
More important than Usher’s slight wardrobe malfunction, however, was an op-ed he wrote about Juneteenth for The Washington Post. The “Yeah!” singer was calling for the United States to recognize June 19 as a national holiday that celebrates the country’s abolishment of slavery and freedom for Black people.
“Recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday would be a small gesture compared with the greater social needs of black people in America. But it can remind us of our journey toward freedom, and the work America still has to do,” Usher wrote in his column. The R&B singer acknowledged that he can’t separate his art from social justice issues that are currently rocking the country amid the Black Lives Matter movement.
“As an artist, it is my duty to reflect the trying times in which we live. My heart is shattered by the ongoing injustices in this country, incited by its long history of racism that has led to deadly outcomes for too many of our people. This country must change. And it must change quickly,” he wrote. Usher’s moving words joined the chorus of celebrities who also urged for Juneteenth to become an officially recognized national holiday, including Taylor Swift and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Although Usher’s op-ed was well-received, he didn’t receive as positive a reaction after shading Nicki Minaj during an Instagram live chat with producer Swizz Beatz in May. “I see a lot of, Lil’ Kim versus Foxy Brown. Then I see a lot of — Lil’ Kim versus Nicki? I see a lot of that. Nah, Nicki is a product of Kim,” the singer said, leading to backlash from Nicki’s loyal Barbz fanbase. Well, Nicki didn’t take long to seemingly clap back in her new song “Trollz” with Tekashi 6ix9ine — at least, fans thought she sneaked in a diss!