Usher is working on the follow-up to 2004’s ’Confessions’ – and he’s roped a special friend in.
The singer has collaborated with Jay-Z on an untitled track, after Usher sang on ’Anything’ a track from Jay-Z’s recent ’Kingdom Come’ album.
Usher said: “Jay-Z came to me with the record. He said : ‘This is one I don’t want you to miss you on.’ We had been talking for years about doing a record, and as a result of this, we’re going to work again on my album. So look out for that next step, but it’s a hot one on his album.”
Also working on the album are producers Robin Thicke, Jermaine Dupri, Dr Dre and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
He said: “I feel it’s about time for me to out with an album. I’m not extremely enthused about where music has gone. I say that coming from listening to artists like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Michael Jackson – those great artists and iconic musicians. I feel music is at a standstill.”
The singer told MTV that he plans to have a single and album out by the middle of 2007.