Voice: Hi, is Chris there?
Chris: This is me.
Voice: Hey Chris, this is Usher.
Chris: [Stunned silence] right Before Chris Brown signed a record deal, before he had you saying "I can't believe that he's only 16," and before his single, "Run It!" featuring Juelz Santana, topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart (three weeks at press time), he was on the phone with Usher receiving some big brotherly advice. Brown says Usher called at the behest of L.A. Reid, who was courting Brown to join his Island Def Jam family, the label he had taken charge of. "I was anticipiating Usher telling me to go with L.A. Reid, but he didn't." Brown recalls. "He said, 'I'm not going to tell you who to go with. I'm just saying whatever decision you make, be sure it's the bestd decision for you." Chris: Okay, what were some of your ups and downs?
Usher: There's really no ups and downs. It's just you get out of it what you put into it. Judging by his tiring days and exhausting nights, Brown has heeded Usher's words. So much so that he's presently pooped at 10 p.m. on this eve of the American Music Awards. He occasionally yawns while answering questions as he sits in the lobby of the posh Bel Age Hotel in West Hollywood. But while he's telling his story as if it's no big deal, the weight of Usher's call wasn't lost on him. "He was the one who the youngsters looked up to " Brown says. "I know that we, in the dancing and singing world, looked up to him." To Read The Rest of This Story, Get This Issue At Your Local Newsstand Now! Do you want VIBE delivered to your home or office? CLICK HERE. Also in VIBE's February 2006 issue:
Strictly Business - Record Executive Kevin Liles helps artist make heir dreams come true.
NEXT: Lupe Fiasco, Shareefa, Rico Love, and Lady Sovereign.
Woman'hood - Call her conceited. Question her whatever attitude toward life. But don't expect Remy Ma to clean up her act.
StoryTeller - Men drool over her, and ladies respect her. Sanaa Lathan boasts an impeccable entertainment pedigree, but without the pretensions.
Revolutions: The Notorious B.I.G., Ne-Yo, Dilated Peoples, Chris Brown and Anthony Hamilton.
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