Usher Rehires Mommy as Manager

© Kevin Terrell/PR Photos

R&B star Usher has rehired mother Jonnetta Patton as his manager after ending his contract with Benny Medina which works for W&W Public Relations. The decision is mutual where both parties still feel the utmost respect for each other. Usher's recording label LaFace/Zomba said, "Usher has dissolved his management arrangement with Benny Medina and has re-engaged Jonnetta Patton as his manager."

Usher has fired Benny allegedly due to a disappointing record sale of his "Here I Stand" album released on May 27, 2008. The album has also failed to hold on long enough at top ten in Billboard Hot 200. However, Benny has defended that the sale drop is caused by high expectation and steep competition among Hollywood singers that get stiff from time to time. In a statement, he said, "With an artist like Usher, the bar is set really high. Whether it was management, marketing or the music, we achieved a #1 single and a #1 album. It is a completely new day and time in music now. In four years, his audience, demographic and musical direction has changed. Records like Lil Wayne's 'Lollipop' are the type of phenomena that 'Yeah' was in 2004."

Usher dismissed his mother and hired Benny as his manager in May 2007. At the time of the split, it was speculated that Jonnetta stopped working with Usher because he announced engagement to stylist Tameka Foster and then married the woman last August. Yet, Usher has defended his wife. He said, "My wife had nothing to do with me firing my mother-nothing like that, that's trash. I hear y'all talking crazy out there. She's a beautiful black woman. Stop. Stop talking. And I love her. Stop it."

Meanwhile, Benny is now reportedly working with Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys. He has also previously settled contract with Jennifer Lopez and P. Diddy.