Do-it-all attitude takes Usher to new horizons

Usher once described himself as "the king of hip-pop," but now the catch phrase is a little more complex. "It's urban-soul-hip-hop-eclectic-R&B," says the singer-dancer-producer, and now actor.

On the eve of his debut as a leading man in "In the Mix," Usher spoke from his home in Atlanta about his fast-track multimedia career and about being a performer who's not so easily pigeonholed.

Q: In "In the Mix" you play a club DJ who gets caught up in a love story with a Mafia princess. How did someone who made his name as a dancer and smooth R&B entertainer get into the movie business?

A: It's really something that evolved. When I began to notice what artists of the past did that made them stars, that's what really brought me in.

When you look at someone like Gene Kelly and the pizazz that he had, the fact that he could be so smooth on camera, the fact that he could be so stunning and death defying as a dancer and yet be so warm as a character, the fact that Frank Sinatra could do the same — all of those kinds of things introduced me to being an actor.

Q: Is this movie just for hardcore Usher fans?

A: I have a big demographic audience. I wanted to create a character in my first leading movie that everyone could follow — white, black, male, female, old, young and even kids. I remember times when I had to stay home because my parents were old enough to go to the movies but I wasn't. So I said, "let's create a film that everybody can go check out." This is a romantic comedy. There are more serious roles to come, but this one is there for you to have a good time.

Q: You mentioned Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. Do you have that same kind of "do-it-all" ambition?

A: When I decided to better myself as an actor, it came from an understanding that you were not really considered a true artist if you were not able to do it all. Maybe you could dance, maybe you could sing, but you were not considered a star unless you could do all of the above. There's really only a very few cases where the artist sings, dances and acts.

Q: What's the difference between performing on stage and taking your persona onto the big screen?

A: With music it's instant gratification. When you put out a record you get a video. If you get a response you get more, you sell more records.

With acting you have to think about what the audience is going to get, you have to think about the audience you're going to cater to, you have to think about who are the best characters.

I had to think about this also as an executive producer. What makes it so easy on stage is you get a sense of where you're taking a crowd; you can feel their excitement. As an actor it's all in a blind. You only hope that your story is leading them and keeping them and holding them.

Q: Are you still "King of Hip-Pop"?

A: I've been called so many things I don't even give myself a title anymore. I still haven't reached my pinnacle. If you listen to my albums it's not just one specific sound. I do club bangers, Marvin Gaye meets The Jackson Five, classic R&B with that urban edge. I don't want to be the king of anything. I want to be busy. Make my nickname "Busy."

Ted Fry: tedfry@hotmail.com