Usher's Oldest Sons Are Growing Up Fast
Music megastar Usher has four children: two teenagers and two toddlers. From the moment he became a parent, he was committed to being a dedicated, loving, and present father. "Dad life is everything. I live for my children," he told People in 2023. "I just hope that they see me as the dad that I didn't have. I'm a father that's 100 percent about my family."
Usher's dad left his family when he was still a baby, and that shaped the singer's approach to fatherhood. In an interview with WPGC 95.5 FM (via People), the "U Got It Bad" singer recalled discussing his lack of relationship with his own father with his older boys, Usher "Cinco" Raymond V and Naviyd Ely Raymond. At one point during the conversation, he started crying. "So my kids, they look over at me and they're like, 'Are you crying?!'" he said. "I'm like, 'Yeah, I'm crying!' They're like, 'You cry?!' I'm like, 'Yeah, I cry, and it's okay to cry.'" And this interaction with his sons inspired the 2020 song "I Cry."
Usher shares Usher V and Naviyd with his ex-wife, celebrity stylist Tameka Foster. While the two boys have mostly stayed just outside of the spotlight, their musician dad has opened up about his relationships with his kids as well as what it's been like watching them grow up.
Usher Raymond V almost drowned as a child
Usher Raymond V is Usher's firstborn child, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Tameka Foster. Born on November 27, 2007, Usher V's arrival changed the "Hey Daddy" singer's worldview. "I was born to do what I'm doing as a dad," Usher said on a 2012 episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter" (via Us Weekly). "I realized that once I had a child. When I had them, that's when they became a priority."
Usher is a loving and hands-on parent, but the unthinkable happened in 2013, when his son, then 5 years old, almost drowned after his arm got stuck in a pool drain. The incident occurred at Usher's home in Atlanta, but he was not present. Usher V was with a supervisor and the housekeeper, per Today. Luckily, two subcontractors who happened to be working on the property that day jumped into action, pulled Usher V out of the pool, and administered CPR.
"I am blessed and fortunate to say that my son Usher V is doing well and is recovering," Usher said in a statement a few days later, per E! News. He thanked fans for their support and gave an honorable mention to the healthcare professionals, his Aunt Rena, and the subcontractors who saved Usher V. "I would especially like to thank the two men who saved my son's life, Eugene Stachurski and Ben Crews. They are true heroes, and I am deeply grateful to them," the statement read.
Usher Raymond V has diabetes
When Usher Raymond V was 6 years old, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The diagnosis would change Usher V's life as he and his parents learned to adapt to the new normal. It also complicated Usher's co-parenting with Tameka Foster, which he touched on in an interview with People. "From the moment that Type 1 diabetes was a conversation, it was a re-acclimation to life. The life that we knew changed," he revealed. "It comes with a great deal of consideration and commitment in itself because we're all managing to make certain that my child makes the right decisions to have a happy, healthy life."
But Usher V's diabetes has also been a way to create awareness for the disease. The "My Boo" singer partnered with The 1 Pledge Movement becoming a spokesperson and urging people to get tested for type 1 diabetes. Usher has also praised his son for his bravery in learning to deal with everything, from changing his diet to checking his sugar levels. "A child that every day has to prick himself and has to be cautious of what he eats and also to carry this disorder around — that really is the type of bravery that we all aspire to have," he told People (via ABC News).
Naviyd Raymond is a tough critic
Naviyd Ely Raymond is Usher's second child with Tameka Foster, and he was born on December 10, 2008. According to Usher, his second-eldest kid is a bit of a critic — and the music superstar welcomes the feedback. "I love that my son is engaged and cares enough to give me his pointers based off of his rich, vast understanding of this world," the singer told Us Weekly in a 2023 interview. "And I take it. It's raw, and it's honest, and he loves me. I love him." The "I Don't Mind" musician went on to add that Naviyd's critiques are helpful "most of the time."
The singer's son is not new to the criticism game, either. Way back in 2014, Usher told Billboard (via NME) that Naviyd, who was 5 years old at the time, was already doling out the commentary. And some of that commentary was fairly tough. "He doesn't care about what I do as much," the Grammy winner said. "He's like, 'I'm the star. Who are you? You sing?' He told me the other day, he says, 'You're not a great singer.' What? I'm a great singer!"
Naviyd may be a tough judge, but the veteran musician sees the positive in all this. "If it's inspiration for him, then great. And if it's making him feel compelled to be creative, then great," he said on a 2022 episode of the "Tamron Hall Show."
Naviyd Raymond might follow in his dad's stylish footsteps
Usher is a big fan of attending runway shows. In September 2023, he posted on Instagram about the Marni show he attended, wearing a striking red polka dot outfit. He was also a regular at Paris Fashion Week in 2023. "You get to reconnect with people that you haven't seen in a long time," he told Vogue of why he loves Fashion Week. "And you're able to be inspired. [Fashion Week] is an epicenter of creativity; You see a designer's passions and emotions. I love that part." The superstar musician clearly is all about the world of fashion — look no further than his impressive sense of style — and his son Naviyd Ely Raymond may be right there with him. Or maybe not.
The musician and his son were photographed sitting at the AMIRI Autumn-Winter 2022 Runway Show in Los Angeles alongside Evan Ross. As for whether Naviyd enjoyed the show and will be a regular at future events? Well, according to his dad, he left the enthusiasm at home. "He didn't act like he wanted to be there most of the time. He was acting super cool," Usher told ET. "But I mean, wouldn't you at 13? I don't want to be around all these older people!" So, it remains to be seen whether Naviyd will love fashion as much as his dad.
Naviyd Ely Raymond may have been bitten by the show biz 'bug'
Naviyd Ely Raymond may not be overly impressed by his dad's talent, performances, or overall career, but that critical eye and ear could very well lead him to follow his own path in the entertainment industry one day. As Usher told "Extra" in 2022, Naviyd seems to be interested in the work that goes into putting on a giant stage show night after night. "Everyone else is having a great time, and he is just like zeroed in, like, 'Missed that cue...' So, he may have already been bitten by the bug," the singer said.
Meanwhile, his older brother, Usher Raymond V, has shown natural dance ability. "When seeing me perform on tour in the past ... and most of the time it's past his bedtime, but he's just sitting there studying every move, every second, like laser focus," Usher told Billboard in 2014 of his eldest son. "And then I'll see him off by himself doing the moves."
Whether or not they choose to pursue a career in show business one day, Usher will support whatever path they end up on. As he said to "Extra," "They got their own lives. They either playing basketball, acting camp."
Usher has tried to shield his kids from the media
Usher is used to living in the spotlight, but this was his choice, not one his children made for themselves. While information about their lives is available because the proud dad has discussed them in interviews, he has also tried to shield them from the media. Usher is not one of those open celebrities who share every little detail of his life with fans. This has afforded his children some privacy and normalcy that some celebrity kids do not have.
But there are a few photos on Usher's Instagram of his kids celebrating special moments, like Halloween and Father's Day. In a cute post on June 20, 2023, for Father's Day, the musician shared a bunch of pictures of his family. "Hold on to them while you can mannn ... BIGS & littles," he captioned the Instagram post.
For Usher, finding time to be a superstar and a dad can be challenging. "I really want to be at every recital, wanna be at every basketball game. I want to be at every step," the "Yeah!" singer told Us Weekly in 2023. "And God willing, I'm able to instill very incredible valuable things, lessons that'll help assist them when I'm not around, believe it or not, that's when it actually applies. And it matters more than anything."
Usher V and Naviyd Raymond 'don't care' their dad is famous
In his aforementioned "Tamron Hall Show" appearance, Usher said that his eldest sons, Usher Raymond V and Naviyd Ely Raymond, "don't care" that their dad happens to be a best-selling musician with a career that has spanned decades. "My boys, they enjoy it. I have one son, Cinco [Usher V] who does not like to be called Usher, who tries to get away from it," he said. "Then another son, Naviyd, who really does love entertainment."
To many, Usher is one of the coolest celebs, but his sons don't see him as some larger-than-life superstar. To them, he is just their dad. Regarding his two teenagers, earning cool points is still a challenge. In a 2023 interview with People, Usher noted that while his two younger kids — who were born in 2020 and 2021 — still seem impressed by him, he couldn't say the same about his older boys. "But my almost 16 and almost 15 year olds, they may think I'm not. They'll say 'You need to update this' or 'You could be doing this,'" he shared. "I'm trying to make certain I stay cool to them."