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Usher wrapped up the Los Angeles leg of his “Past, Present, Future” tour on Wednesday with a star-studded finale, featuring Lil Jon, Juicy J, Kevin Hart, and Tommy Richman as surprise guests for his show at the newly opened Intuit Dome . But the biggest surprise came at the end of the two-hour concert, when Usher welcomed Stevie Wonder to the stage and dueted with the music icon on the songs “Overjoyed” and “Ribbon in the Sky.”
“I know you didn't see that coming,” Usher announced, much to the delight of the sold-out crowd.
The R&B star allowed Wonder to take center stage during their performance, sometimes singing just a few lines or adlibs. After a moving performance of “Ribbon in the Sky,” Wonder offered some advice to the audience: “Don't get distracted by this unnecessary bullshit,” encouraging people to register to vote. “You are the ones who hold the key [to change]”.
“My vision has always been to see us as a united people in these United States,” the music icon added, before jokingly noting that he was “leaving now to watch the rest of the show.”
Aside from Wonder, Usher welcomed a host of special guests to the stage for the fourth night of his Inglewood stop. Juicy J came out to perform Three 6 Mafia's “Stay Fly”, along with his Usher duet, “I Don't Mind”; Meanwhile, Tommy Richman appeared to perform his hit song “Million Dollar Baby,” as Usher spoke about the importance of supporting the next generation of stars.
The crowd cheered as Kevin Hart appeared on stage, with the comedian stripping off his Usher tank top while singing a few lines of the singer's song. My way hit “Nice & Slow” (thankfully Usher was allowed to actually sing the song).
Longtime collaborator Lil Jon joined the star for an ode to “Lovers and Friends,” before returning at the end of the night for closer, “Yeah” (Usher performed his David Guetta collaboration “Without You” as an encore).
The concert, which featured many of Usher's greatest hits in a chronological sequence in the style of the Eras Tour, was described as a celebration of his nearly 30-year career. In fact, the singer became emotional as he recalled his humble upbringing with his only mother and brother (the latter of whom was in the audience). “We had to live on $20 a week,” he said, wiping his tears. “So tonight is definitely a celebration.”
Other celebrities in the crowd on Wednesday included Halle Bailey, Victoria Monet, Teddy Riley, Terry Lewis, YG and Bobby Brown, who Usher paid tribute by playing snippets of his favorite Brown tracks.
The Los Angeles stop of Usher's tour also marked the latest activation between the singer and Remy Martin. The cognac brand has been a long-time partner and collaborator of the artist, dating back to sponsoring his 2010 “OMG” global concerts. This time, Rémy Martin is the official sponsor of the North American leg of his “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 shots and concert access. The cognac brand also created three new cocktails for the tour, including “The Rémy La Pêche Noire,” which blends Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal with fresh peach puree; “The Coming Home”, based on Usher's new song of the same name and featuring Rémy Martin XO; and The Rhythm & Ginger which features Rémy Martin VSOP, ginger beer and bitters.
Fans can also win tickets to see Usher tour by entering a sweepstakes on Rémy Martin's website.
