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Usher closed out the LA run of his “Past, Present, Future” tour Wednesday with a star-studded finale, bringing out Lil Jon, Juicy J, Kevin Hart and Tommy Richman as surprise guests for his show at the newly-opened Intuit Dome . The biggest surprise though, came toward the end of the two-hour concert, when Usher welcomed Stevie Wonder to the stage, duetting with the music icon on “Overjoyed” and “Ribbon in the Sky.”
“I know you didn't see that one coming,” Usher declared, to the delight of the sold-out crowd.
The R&B star let Wonder take center stage during their performance, only occasionally singing a few lines or adlibs. After a poignant rendition of “Ribbon in the Sky,” Wonder directed some pointed words of advice to the audience: “Don't be distracted by the unnecessary bullshit,” he said, encouraging people to register to vote. “You are the ones who hold the key [to change].”
Added the music icon: “My vision has always been to see us be a united people of these United States,” before jokingly noting that he was “going to leave now to watch the rest of the show.”
Aside from Wonder, Usher welcomed a host of special guests on stage for the fourth night of his stop in Inglewood. Juicy J came out to perform Three 6 Mafia's “Stay Fly,” along with his Usher duet, “I Don't Mind;” Tommy Richman, meanwhile, popped up to perform his viral hit, “Million Dollar Baby,” with Usher speaking about the importance of championing the next generation of stars.
The fans roared when Kevin Hart appeared on stage, with the comedian playfully stripping off an Usher-esque tank top while warbling a few lines of the singer's My Way hit, “Nice & Slow” (he thankfully lets Usher do the actual singing on the song).
And longtime collaborator Lil Jon joined the superstar for a verse on “Lovers and Friends,” before returning at the end of the night for show closer, “Yeah” (Usher performed his David Guetta collab “Without You” as the encore).
The concert, which ran through many of Usher's greatest hits in an Eras tour-style chronology, was billed as a celebration of his almost 30-year career. Indeed, the singer got emotional when remembering his humble upbringing with his single mother and brother (the latter of whom was in the audience). “We had to survive off $20 a week,” he said, wiping away tears. “So tonight is definitely a celebration.”
Other celebrities in the crowd Wednesday included Halle Bailey, Victoria Monet, Teddy Riley, Terry Lewis, YG, and Bobby Brown, who Usher paid tribute to, by playing snippets of his favorite Brown tracks.
The LA stop of Usher's tour also marked the latest activation between the singer and Rémy Martin. The cognac brand has been a longtime partner and collaborator with the artist, dating back to sponsoring his 2010 “OMG” World Tour afterparties. This time around, Rémy Martin is the official sponsor for the North American leg of the “Past, Present, Future” Tour.
Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac
As part of the partnership, Rémy Martin and Usher are hosting a series of exclusive VIP fan experiences, with photo moments, pre-show bites and access to the concert. The cognac brand has also created three new cocktails for the tour, including ”The Rémy La Pêche Noire,” which mixes Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal with fresh peach puree; ”The Coming Home,” which is based on Usher's new single of the same name and incorporates Rémy Martin XO; and The Rhythm & Ginger which features Rémy Martin VSOP, ginger ale and bitters.
Fans can also win tickets to see Usher's tour by entering a sweepstakes on the Rémy Martin site.
