‘U Got It Bad’ Business Blunder: Usher Sues His Longtime Producer Over Unpaid Loan For Atlanta Restaurant That Never Opened

Usher is suing one of his longtime music producers–along with a few other people–over a loan for a restaurant that never actually opened.

The singer filed a lawsuit on Nov. 14, in which he claims that producer Bryan-Michael Cox–who produced huge Usher hits including “U Got It Bad” and “Burn”–approached him in 2024 to invest in an Atlanta restaurant and lounge called Homage ATL. Entertainment lawyer Alcide Honoré and entertainment industry officials Keith Thomas and Charles Hughes are also named in the complaint.

In the filing, per Complex, Usher revealed that while he didn’t want to invest in the restaurant, he agreed to loan the group $1.7 million. He says he wired that money over in January.

After months passed and the property for the location still hadn’t been purchased, Usher reportedly asked the group to repay the loan. He claims to have received $1 million in compensation in August, but he still hasn’t received the remaining $700,000.

Usher goes on to claim that Honoré explained returning the money was “not that easy” since it had already been used for “other purposes,” though he hasn’t received an explanation about what those purposes are. As a result of these claims, the R&B star is seeking $4.9 million in damages, which is $700,000 for each of the lawsuit’s claims.

Following news of the lawsuit going public, Bryan-Michael Cox took to Instagram to make a statement. He posted two photos of him and Usher together, insisting that their friendship is still going strong, despite the headlines.

“I’ve learned a lot recently about being careful with who you choose to invest in a business with no matter how small the investment,” Cox began in his caption. “I’m currently in the middle of a failed deal that I didn’t orchestrate, and while the situation has been disappointing, I know my name will be cleared by both sides. It’s just unfortunate that this clarity didn’t come sooner.”

He continued, “My legal team has also advised me of a lawsuit involving a company where I am only a passive minority shareholder. I was not a participant in that business transaction and have no involvement in the ongoing legal process. While I’m unable to share more details right now, I want to make one thing absolutely clear: my 27-year friendship with @usher remains fully intact.”

Usher has not commented publicly on the lawsuit.

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