Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III welcomed Usher Raymond IV in 1978

Usher and Jonnetta Patton during “Burden” Atlanta red carpet screening in Atlanta, Georgia on March 02, 2020. Photo:

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Usher’s parents, Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III, have been influential in his life and career.

The R&B singer’s mother was instrumental in his success throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s. Jonnetta not only aided in business decisions but encouraged her son to reach his potential.

“The type of ambition that was required for me to be the type of entertainer that I am, it was in the spirit of my mother, first and foremost,” Usher said in an interview with Grant Cardone in September 2023.

In February 2024, the “Yeah!” singer performed at the Super Bowl where the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers. Before the NFL teams went into overtime, though, Usher graced the field to sing his greatest hits and during the musical event, he took a moment to give Jonnetta a nod for their hard work.

“They said I wouldn’t make it. They said I wouldn’t be here today but I am. Hey Mama, we made it. Now this, this is for you!” he said.

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Usher’s father struggled with addiction and died in January 2008 due to health issues. The pair had a strained relationship but reconciled at the end of Raymond’s life.

“My father and I had a very short amount of time together throughout my entire life, but the most valuable time was during his final days,” he told Essence. “He asked me to forgive him for not being there.”

Here’s everything to know about Usher’s parents, Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III.

They were married in 1977 and Usher is their only 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥Usher and his mother Jonnetta Patton.

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Jonnetta and Raymond married in 1977 and welcomed Usher Raymond IV the following year.

After they divorced in 1979, Jonnetta wed Terry Patton two years later. During their almost decade-long union, Jonnetta and Terry celebrated the arrival of their son, James “J.Lack” Lackey, in 1984.

Jonnetta raised Usher and J. Lack in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she directed a youth church choir and noticed her older son’s singing talent, according to The New York Times.

The musical gene was also passed down to J. Lack, and over the years, Usher has expressed his pride in his brother’s work.

“I’m so proud of him. J. Lack has his own individuality,” he told MTV in 2007. “A lot of celebrity brothers or family members always fall in the shadows. But he is different.”

Who Is Usher’s Brother? All About J. LackJonnetta acted as Usher’s manager in his early careerUsher and Jonnetta Patton backstage at the U.I.C. Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois in December 1994.

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Jonnetta wanted to help her son achieve stardom and initially acted as a manager for Usher, helping guide his early career.

In the 1990s, Usher was a member of the Tennessee boy group NuBeginning, but Jonnetta quickly realized he had potential as a solo performer. She moved the family to Atlanta, a decision that the young singer didn’t understand at the time.

“We had a record deal, so we had music, and I felt like my world was being taken away from me,” he told Cardone in September 2023. “And she’s like, ‘No 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦, your world is only beginning because you are a solo artist, and there’s something incredible in you.’ ”

While the “My Boo” artist felt like his dream career had vanished, his mom reassured him it was all part of her plan. “‘We are gonna figure this out. We’re gonna do it. I will start all the way from the bottom,’ ” Usher recalled Jonnetta saying.

Usher’s mom set him up for successUsher and Jonnetta Patton during the 40th annual Grammy Awards in February 1998.

KMazur/WireImage

Sometime after relocating to Atlanta, Usher began performing around town, and when he won a talent show, he met LaFace Records co-founder L.A. Reid. According to the artist, this introduction was a turning point for him, and his career started taking off.

Although Usher found management, Jonnetta wanted to continue being part of conversations about his career. In a 2020 interview with OWN, she shared that she knew how to separate her connection with Usher and the business side of things. Still, their partnership lasted until about 2007, and the “Yeah” vocalist later revealed the reason behind their joint decision.

“We began to part our ways when I wanted to expand in other areas that I felt like she wasn’t necessarily considerate of,” he explained on a September 2017 episode of Oprah’s Master Class.

“There’s a lot of love there and a lot of respect … and her being unwavering about what she felt I deserved,” he continued, adding that he still misses having her next to him during exciting moments of his career.

That said, Jonnetta always celebrates him and his accomplishments, including when Usher announced he was going to be the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show performer. “Thank you Jesus!!! Proud MAMA!!!! So deserving!!!! 30 years Strong!!!!” she wrote on Instagram alongside an event poster.

Usher’s mom was also there in person to witness his special moment.

Jonnetta is a business ownerUsher and mom Jonnetta Patton at TNT’s Christmas in Washington.

Kevin Kane/WireImage

As Usher’s stardom rose, Jonnetta embarked on her entrepreneurship journey when she founded JPat Management in 2008, per Fortune. The independent record label started when she purchased a building that included a music studio, dance studio and office space, which she could rent out.

Almost a decade later, in 2016, she opened J’s Kitchen Culinary Incubator, a commercial shared kitchen in Atlanta. Speaking with Atlanta Magazine, Jonnetta revealed that she converted Usher’s former music studio into a private kitchen, a baker’s kitchen, a tasting room and conference rooms, among other spaces.

According to the business’ website, the facility was “created to furnish early-stage business support to culinary entrepreneurs.”

Jonnetta’s bio states that she strives to “combine her business experience, vast professional network, and fondness for the culinary arts” in order to “elevate today’s budding food artisans into tomorrow’s food service moguls.”

In an October 2023 interview with Atlanta News First, Jonnetta shared that she’s also planning to launch Lion Queen Entertainment, a movie and TV production company.

Usher and his dad reconnected before he died

Throughout Usher’s 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood, his father struggled with addiction and was often absent from his son’s life. In 2007, Usher reached out to Raymond because he “wanted to have a relationship with him” and discovered his dad was dealing with health issues.

The singer later told OWN that when his father was in the hospital in need of a liver transplant, his friend and fellow musician Nelly encouraged him to make peace with Raymond. Usher decided to pay for the procedure, but Raymond went into a coma, and the artist was left to make a difficult choice.

“The hardest part of this story is the fact that, within the process of making the decision of whether my father lives or dies, if they take him off of the [breathing] machine, my son is across town just being 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧,” he told the network.

Usher’s son, Usher Raymond V, was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 two months before his father died in January 2008. That same year, in June, the performer told The Mirror how he felt about meeting his dad.

“I was happy that I did, happy that I got closure, happy that I forgave him for not being there and that I knew he really did love me,” Usher said.

The following month, he elaborated on his takeaway from the personal experience. “I don’t judge my father because I forgave him for anything he’d ever done to hurt me unintentionally,” the singer shared with Essence.

Usher’s 4 Kids: All About Usher V, Naviyd, Sovereign and SireJonnetta is a grandma to Usher’s four 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥renUsher and his family celebrate the holidays.

Usher Instagram

In November 2007, Usher welcomed his first 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, Usher “Cinco” Raymond V, with his then-wife, Tameka Foster. Days after his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡, Jonnetta told PEOPLE that she was thrilled to welcome her grandson to the family.

“I’m extremely excited and filled with joy about the 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 of my grandson, Usher Raymond V,” she said at the time. “He is beautiful, precious, healthy and such a blessing. I’m very happy for my son and his wife. God has truly blessed them with a special gift. This will be an amazing holiday season for all of us.”

Usher and Foster went on to have a second son, Naviyd Ely, in December 2008. The singer later welcomed daughter Sovereign Bo in September 2020 and son Sire Castrello in September 2021 with wife Jenn Goicoechea.

Usher’s mom was the witness at his wedding

When Usher and Goicoechea tied the knot after he performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in February 2024, Jonnetta acted as the couple’s witness at the ceremony, according to a marriage certificate obtained by PEOPLE.

“We can confirm that Usher and Jennifer Goicoechea took the next step in their relationship and did get married on Sunday night in Las Vegas surrounded by close friends and family,” a representative told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. “They both look forward to continuing to raise their 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren together surrounded by love, and thank everyone for the well wishes.”

Jonnetta supported Usher at the 2024 BET Awards

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In June 2024, Jonnetta joined Usher at the BET Awards, where he was presented with the lifetime achievement award. The mother-son duo posed on the red carpet alongside the singer’s eldest sons, wife and brother.