Public Theologian, Artist and "Music History Sage/Scholar" & Independent Blogger Building an 'Indie' Bridge Between Theology and Pop Culture. Connecting with Artists, Fan Communities and Culture by Educating, Providing Commentary, Reviews and Attending Concerts. Offering Prayer and Insight. Providing a Ministry of Presence Since 2003.
It was another night of sold-out crowds, musical enrichment, stellar vocals, impeccable dance moves and stage light show enjoyment from a comfortable seat. There were moments when I thought I was viewing the actual firmament beyond the risers of Soldier's Field and in the midst of an actual star filled universe. It was awesome and not in the more mundane use of that word. Check out this video capture of Usher performing "You Got it Bad" before a packed Soldier's Field recorded by producer extraordinaire Jermaine Dupris. Dupris of course, has produced some of Usher's greatest hits. It was great seeing him supporting the superstar and exchanging greetings with the concert luminaries and fans before and during the show. It was Dupris who first prophesied about the greatness of the tour and what it would do for the black community months before official kick-off at Mile High Stadium in Denver. From all accounts his forecast has been uncannily accurate and on point. Also, check out this series of poses taken by a fan and posted on Instagram. Speaks to the firmament again. This time Usher's brilliantly shining suit blends in or should I say dovetails with the stellar background.
Usher has had more than the R&B concert tour success to celebrate these days. He recently checked his son into prestigious HBCU Howard University like a normal proud parent whose child is leaving the nest. His daughter also has accomplished a milestone graduating from pre-school. Usher was right there cheering her on. He also enjoys spectacular splashes in the family pool fully clothed with wife and kids upping the fun, splash harmony and humor.
There are some other things you may not know about this r&b icon. He gives back to the community graciously and consistently and has been doing so for over 25 years through his New Look foundation. Ten interns were selected for participation in the behind the scene production activities of the R&B Tour from big cities like Detroit and Atlanta through Usher's New Look Foundation. He also contributed along with Detroit's own Big Sean a Million dollars in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club to a creative studio for youth housed in Detroit's Michigan Central Station. Usher also serves as an ambassador of Global Citizen. He has also supported the careers of up and coming artists like Kehlani, Miguel and others through through the aforementioned special mentor and music training program. Gracious and graceful Usher.
Keep him lifted in prayer as he lifts up prayer to god in this photo and his and Chris Brown's (Breezy's) team with Pastor Gray before R&B Tour's opening concert in Detroit.
Big thanks to the fans who generously share their photos and videos on the Gram. I appreciate you.
Introductory Video Commentary by Rev. Cynthia D. Wilson
Ihave enjoyed following what has been proclaimed and has gained its rightful place as the biggest tour for Rhythm and Blues this year because of two of the biggest stars Chris Brown and Usher are co-headliners. As a promoter of prayer and co-founder of Chaplain of Pop outreach ministry of presence, through prayer and support, I was as thrilled to have been considered for the opportunity and happy to see the tour opened with prayer before Detroit's show at Ford Field last month by Rev. Gray. He did a great job. Also, Chris and Usher facilitated an opening prayer by a local pastor before one of the Detroit shows as well. I would have loved to have been present for such a monumental night giving the prayer myself or just being among the prayer circle. But due to unforseen reasons. I ask that you pray for me to get beyond and overcome these man-made obstacles.
I do look forward to attending in person in the future. In the meantime I can always do a video as I have been constantly reminded. Though hugs and handshakes are more effective in person. I still have enjoyed some of the performances via live stream and have messaged short prayers and comments during the "live chats". Those interactions are impotant as well.
Live chat provides an opportunity for me and others to message prayers and comments throughout the show. Its was good to listen to the perspectives and opinions of fans and also see the concert "live" from a different angle. When you can't be there in person to interview them or mingle for whatever reasons it is the next best thing. I really appreciated the setting even though intermittent loud and excited expressions from fans produced varied versions of the songs. The songs come off slightly different when overdubbed with exhilarated singing and shouts from loving fans. But I was glad to experience the concert all the more from that aspect. Though I would have preferred to be there in person even more. Working on it...!
The streamers are dedicated and very concerned about others being able to see the show, especially when the wifi connection is lost. The fade out happens but only lasts a few seconds usually. They demand uninterrupted continuity and flow of the show, as it must go on. A special "shout out" to the streamers who stood in the gap and also produced some entertainment of their own with their cheering and excited commentary. Though sometimes a bit risque you have to remember that Chris Brown is a co-headliner of the concert. And of course Usher's fans were as exhilarated from his performance as Brown's fans were of his. The tenor of the expressions and the language used varied a bit for each artist and was interesting to note.
Chris Brown and Usher continued their excellence in delivery of great music with impeccable vocals and dance routines with some exciting surprises in their guest line up and dance performance changes in the first night's show.
There was a beautifully tasteful and giant black and white background photo display of Chris Brown during the early days during one of the songs performed which provided a lovely touch.
Chris usually clad in chains, all black leather and all black pants when performing the "Under the Influence/ Take You Down" pole dance segment, the most sexually provocative scene of the show, was sporting overalls during the first night's skit which took the steaminess down a few notches. Also, the stage lights were dimmed during the ascending of the staircase scene after the pole dance interval leaving it to the audience's imagination, at least from my viewing angle. It was done in good taste though, in my opinion.
Check out this link for a terrific Instagram capture. Also you can go to Chris Brown or Usher's fan sites for other videos of this and other shows from the R&B Tour.
New York's concerts on both nights of the R&B Tour also took on a whole new dimension with an exciting line-up of guest performances. You had rappers like 50 Cents whose surprise appearance had the concert audience welcoming him to the stage with thunderous applause. Other rappers making surprise appearances were Jadakiss and Fat Joe who joined Usher on stage for a performance of a long rap and R&B medley of music and verse. The impromptu performance was reminiscent of homies in the neighborhood getting together and having a jam session of old friends. It was clear they and the audience were enjoying every second.
In non-verbal language when Jadakiss and Fat Joe swaggered onstage after climbing the stairs to join their friends their entrance body language spoke loud and clear--we are your back-up and have your back in our neighborhood. After the three of them performed together, Usher gracefully yielded the stage to Fat Joe and Jadakiss who rapped a few numbers together. There was also a surprise rap performance by Lil Baby. I couldn’t help but speculate that Jay-Z may have sent them as emissaries to roll out a New York homage and welcome for the two r&b icons. After all Usher did make a surprise appearance at his concert at Yankee Stadium.
It was great to see an array of rappers joining Usher’s and Chris Brown’s R&B Tour party. Eric Bellinger and Tank also made guest appearances performing their popular rhythm and blues songs.
R&B crooners Mario and Eric Bellinger also showed up again for the second show. The biggest surprise came the second night of the concert when two Hip Hop and r&b diva-icons Mary J. Blige and Ashanti joined Usher on stage for outstanding segments. It was great to see the ladies join the R&B Tour party. Rapper Fortune, Method Man, A Boogie made it as well.
Here's another nice video montage that was prepared of the special guests performing on day two.
Chaplain of Pop video updates forthcoming soon at link.
The audience had filled the stadium almost to capacity and the "audience-warmer" DJ enthusiastically blasted the air with recorded sounds of R&B and soul music greats while the audience responded energetically dancing in celebratory anticipation of the historic concert, co-headlining two R&B icons. It was a giant pre-concert stadium-filled party southern style with vibrant dancing and wild routines of twerking, hustle routines on the main floor embellished by audio call and responses. Some of the live concert music fans chants sounded like college fraternity and sorority chants from a roaring and cheering pre-game crowd.
It was then that I looked around and observed that the seats were filled to capacity with the magnetic energy of thousands of fans-70,000 capacity seating in unison eagerly anticipating Brown and Usher's appearance on stage. It was dazzlingly uplifting to view the coordinated light show conducted by the pre-show DJ who led the crowd in a symphony of lights by their seating sections. Instructed to "put your lights on", the result was a bright switch off-and-on that was done quickly between the sections and created a beautiful flashing light pattern by section across the stadium when that particular section received the command. The light was provided by individual cell phones.
I wish I could have filmed it. A wonderful display of solidarity among fans around the stadium created a harmony and sense of unity that would encircle the stadium throughout the concert. It was truly inspiring to observe what the love of these world class entertainers could inspire.
I had the good fortune to view it via livestream. It was an educational experience to say the least, in the midst of a vast community of concert attendees enjoying the experience of robust commentary by other fans-as they observed the vocals and dance moves of Brown and Usher. They made the kind of relational outbursts you may have experienced from excited movie fans in a neighborhood theater. Cheering the stars on like they were close family members or friends.
In summary, I thought the concert was very good. What I noted most were the vocals, both Usher's and Brown's stage presence and the audience's enthusiastic response to their favorite songs. The sound wss somehow crisper and clearer from previous concerts that I observed before. Of course, we know each artist can sing and they have the accolades, record sales and Grammys to prove it. We also know that the music for the tour is being done by the well-known and respected Avila brothers. But if this means anything to all you audiophiles out there, the microphones were indeed on, as one person interjected frequently during the singing and you could definitely tell.
Usher performed first making his entrance with customary smooth, suave and cool swagger. The ladies in the audience went wild. I had one screaming in my ear, "that man is so fine" as he made his way to center stage. All eyes were on him during his selection of a woman from the VIP section to perform one of the rather risque heated scenes. She was rather nonchalant and Usher quickly picked up on it and handled the matter with class and finesse. His performances of "Climax", "Confessions","You Don't Have to Call", "Superstar", "You Got It Bad", "Let It Burn", the joining or mixing transition with Chris on "It Depends" and of course his duet with Chris the concert finale song "New Flame" were just fine, well received by the audience and on point.
Mario performed a nice suite of songs during the break getting a strong applause for his hit song "Let Me Love You" and two others after Eric Bellinger performed an abbreviated set. Though he didn't perform long, the audience responded enthusiastically to his performance.
You could clearly hear and listen to the vocal runs. Chris Brown's singing on "Something in the Water", "Residuals", "With You", "Ain't No Way", "Forever", his dance spins and the real quasi-explicit pole dance scene with the dancer roused the audience, though it was toned down a bit. A little old-fashioned myself I appreciated that and I'll just leave it there. His flight through the air thrilled the audience. I am not too keen on that flying through the air myself. However, he and the audience seem to enjoy it immensely. I'm always on pins and needles.
I really enjoyed the show and had pretty good views throughout surrounded by some rambunctious personalities who loudly made their views known.😉 Although the Nissan Stadium's wifi was sketchy at times participating in the online chat in which I wrote a prayer before the concert started and at the end of wishing everyone a safe exit from the stadium and safe travels home.
If you have the opportunity, get your tickets to the show. The concert is definitely worth it.
God bless,
Cynthia Wilson
Edited 7.27.26 @6:25p.m. to include Usher short on his viral moment and Mario's performance and Eric Bellinger.
When I saw the first video footage in a video clip the morning after the kick-off concert in Denver, I was quite honestly simply wonderstruck by the fantastic light show and stage art design. Especially liked Usher's background show where a chess board was portrayed kind of holographically throughout the song performance. He has such a smooth and cool stage presence and an impressive majestic command of what was the vast audience before him.
Throughout the show how Brown paid tribute to Michael Jackson, Prince and other r&b artists was heartening. I particularly liked his performance of Residuals where the hood of a car was used as his stage and all the lights glowing in the backdrop from what appeared to be Los Angeles, provided an amazing backdrop.
Detroit's show was as energy packed as Denver's. The crowd really enjoyed Chris coming down from the stage, mingling and dancing with some of the audience. The performance of New Flame where Chris and Usher danced and sang together was great to see after all the build up and pre-concert enthusiasm expressed by both of them about working together. To actually see it accomplished was heartwarming. Of course, Chris flying through the air had everyone excited and probably on the edge of there seats and on pins and needles.
The concerts on both nights have been spectacular. The combination of these two entertainment icons performing live at a huge stadium with capacity crowds surpassing 50,000 created quite a buzz.
Clip from Minneapolis:
Clip from Cleveland:
Forthcoming via link
While I thoroughly have enjoyed watching the amazing concert videos and live streams,what has been most notable about the tour is the way the artists have opened up access and opportunities for our youth as well as fans in general. Usher through his non-profit Usher's New Look , 10 interns have had the paid opportunity to learn what goes on behind the scenes of such a large production. Chris has VIP receptions special behind the scene/backstage tours and raffles, Meet and Greet space for group and fan photos. And the tour has recently sent out a call to the pubic to apply for paid positions to participate in the actual stage concert performance as background extras.
Please tune into my podcast to learn more about my coverage of this and other concert and music events as well as how music plays and has played a role in our relationship with god in gospel music, jazz, blues and R&B.
God bless you and continued success to Usher and Chris on this tour. Shout out to the fans as well.
The highly anticipated and long awaited Raymond and Brown, the R & B Tour kicks off in Denver, Colorado tomorrow, Friday, June 25,2025 at the Empower Field.
Eager fans, well respected titans and old school influencers of the industry have been commenting about this historic tour for months including Jermaine Dupris who's comment was motivating and deferential. He shared it in his customary laid back style. It can be found here on YouTube:
Note- Please excuse the link malfunction. I am experiencing technical difficulties at this time of posting by way of glitch or hackers. Hopefully, things will be back to normal soon. In the meantime, you can catch this update on the related YouTube channel at the following link:
While it was recently announced that $1 from each ticket purchased from the upcoming Raymond and Brown, R&B concert tour will be donated to FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, both Usher and Chris Brown have been contributing to the Global and local communities over the years in admirable ways. Each one of them has enriched the lives of artists and youth through various community enrichment, support and outreach programs of their own. Usher already serves as a Global Citizen Ambassador and will continue his commitment to that project on this tour. For more information about FIFA Global Citizen Fund click here and view the video.
Usher recently in partnership with Big Sean contributed a million for a start up that invests in the creativity of Detroiters. Its a space where they can go to create podcasts paint, design in an arts and music studio at Michigan Central a newly renovated train station in Detroit.
The Detroit R & B concert is scheduled for July 2 and 3 at Ford Field. Pre-sale concert tickets are currently live and tickets go on sale officially April 27. For more information about what you need to do to be added to a list, get ticket codes or to purchase, click on this link.
Usher also has been quietly grooming and training up and coming artists for years through his foundation's special training program. Many of the artists we know. Once they go through the program they return as instructors and mentors to the new trainee artists, investing 15 million of his own money. See more in this Instagram post by Prime Source Media here.
Chris Brown has been active in a number of special youth programs throughout the years in the Los Angeles area donating clothes, gym shoes, hugs and basketball moves at a High School's Unity Day in particular. To get a glimpse of these past events, view the YouTube video, Funny Chris Brown. The Crenshaw event is halfway through the video.
He was honored with an award from the 2nd Call organization in 2014 for spreading hope. Check out an archived post from his archives. More recently Breezy lost one of his dancers and committed to take care of her child. The dancer passed away several months ago. See more here.
Just a reminder and brief vignette of those god has blessed with fortune, fame and favor and how they give and have given back to the community. Two brothers who made good became famous, made fortunes and do good works we don't often hear about,see, or read about in the news broadcasts.
Its important to spread the good news of celebrities and others who are doing good things and give credit where it is truthful and due.
Good news Detroit youth and broader community. Thanks to the generosity of two very high profile musicians, a new media hub has opened at the historic and recently renovated Michigan Central Station. Usher and native Detroiter Big Sean combined their resources and contributed $1,000.000.00 to the project. For more information visit this link and check out the background story on You Tube:
Oprah's parting words on today's farewell show was not a goodbye,because she did not want to use that term. Instead she told her studio audience and millions of viewers worlwide, "Until we meet again. To god be the glory." Oprah has been a tremendous inspiration to me over the years and I join with millions of friends and viewers to the show in wishing her well. Oprah's humble manner and graciousness won me over as a fan and admirer from the beginning. I have been a loyal viewer for years.
The farewell season has been phenomenal. The United Center Spectacular was riveting. But,this show today was my favorite one of all. Why? Because Oprah in the way that only she could, came full circle and stressed the importance of her viewing audience, proof positive of the magical connection she has with everyday people.On the show,Oprah has no guests onstage. There is no fanfare and she says there will be no makeovers,no cars She stands regally, yet humbly before her guests with the presence of a spiritual leader or Guru as she reminesces in her "love letter" to us about how she got her start , humble beginnings in a rural Mississippi town , video clips of her first television show and other memorable show segments. There was no studio audience at her first show taping years ago. The studio she mentioned had no heat, only her and a couple guests in the throes of cooking chili. At this stage in her career, and in view of the luminaries and celebrities she has interviewed and the vasteness of her current audience, it is difficult to imagine that she was in a television broadcast studio with no people to bounce her interviews or shows topics off of.
She makes a point to today's audience that they have been as important to the shows success as she and her team and segues into the importance of "calling" and says that the "Oprah Show" and what she does is her calling. It is her passion. She emphasizes her wish that everyone of her viewers find their calling. She feels this is one of the true keys to success.
Segments of the show that stood out to me and which Oprah highlighted as some of the best moments were the ones in which friend and producer Tyler Perry revealed he was a victim of sexual abuse. This was the show where a large audience of men were liberated from the emotional trauma as well. It is a subject Oprah has discussed intimately in sharing her personal stories over the years with viewers in what has been a very illustrious journey.
The most memorable highlights of the show for me were:
• Her sharings about "calling" and passion
• The video clip of Iyanla Vanzant and how she transformed that into a powerful lesson about validation.
Oprah sealed it with the statement that we should always take the time to validate others.
• The heart and we should be of service and let our light shine
• the show clip on sexual abuse and Tyler Perry's revelation
• when Oprah imparts line from Color Purple "Everything Done to Me, Already Done to You", urging those in abusive relationships to leave them. The scene in the movie also prompted a lesson in what comes around goes around.
The statement she made about the importance of children and wanting to prevent sexual abuse and molestation to them.
The farewell spectacular at Chicago's United Center was the party that will never be forgotten with Oprah breaking down in tears as 300 men from Morehouse college walked down the isles with candles as an expression of appreciation for help she has given by way of scholarships to them to pursue their education. Celebrity after celebrity paraded on stage with phenomenal performances accompanied with creative and power packed accolades.
Twenty thousand fans filled the United Center to celebrate her generosity,humanitarian stands and her involvement in matters that have touched their lives including mega stars Aretha Franklin,Stevie Wonder,Alicia Keys,Beyonce,Usher,Madonna, Patti LaBelle, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Halle Berry, Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning,Diane Sawyer,Josh Groban,Rascal Flatts, Rosie O'Donnell,Tom Hanks,Tyler Perry,Tom Cruise,Dr. Oz,Dr. Phil,Nate Burkus and ordinary viewers. Close friend Gayle King and partner Stedman Graham. Regular people traveled from all over the country to express their appreciation,support, and some, even sadness about the void they anticipate will be left on the tube in their living rooms during the time her broadcast usually fills for the first time in 25 years.
No matter what the controversy, the need to be met after a disaster, individual, family or community tragedy Oprah has always been a comforting presence. Two of my most poignant memories of her care and humanitarian range was the handling of the New Orleans Metro Dome disaster after Hurricane Katrina and her involvement in Barack Obama's Presidential campaign. She was there on the scene early to find out just what was going on and doing all she could, lending her influence in correcting the situation while making sure the news got out to the world. The second is the role she played in the election of President Barack Obama.
The courage to stand up for a presidential candidate in light of the risks and backlash she received was profound. Many have credited her with playing an instrumental role in the election of this nation's first Black President, Barack Obama. She while playing the feat down and being extremely modest about it--it wouldn't have been Oprah-ish to laud those laurels--will undoubtedly go down in history as achieving that whether it be an oral one in the griot tradition or substantiated on the books. I have also enjoyed blogging about several of her show episodes involving major celebrities and their involvement in humanitarian projects, which she has also embraced on her program including Alicia Keys, Bono, John Mayer and others. I enjoyed attending an Oprah taping at the Fox Theater in Detroit years ago and it was a singular experience. She was gracious and very down to earth. People,mostly women stood around the block waiting for hours to get a good seat in the audience.
Her "Oprah" show will be missed, but I feel that she is going on to broader purpose and influence on the OWN Network which has gotten off to a tremendous start with insightful, self help and life improving programming. I hope she can continue with her book club somehow as well as some spin off of "Oprah's Favorite Things" with an expansion into favorite causes and programs. Perhaps I've just summed up OWN?
I also fervently hope that I will have the opportunity to meet and work with her one day. I've been blessed with meeting many celebrities over the years,but only an audience encounter with Oprah. And,while you gave viewers and those wanting to get in contact with you your personal email address with an open invitation to send one, I can't help but think of the millions and millions of emails that will come flooding in. How will you possibly be able to answer them all? Well,I suppose in the same manner as you answered so many dreams,letters and emails of those who faithfully wrote you during your 25 years on television.By the grace of god,you answered so many.
For every tree is known by his own fruit.-Luke 6:44. I think we can all agree that Oprah has been a bearer of exceptionally good fruit.
