Usher

This is worse than the time he got kicked in the face.

Usher canceled a concert in Berlin, Germany yesterday after coming down with what is being called an upper respiratory illness, according to the singer's rep.

That's too bad and we wish him a speedy recovery. The odd thing about it, though, was that he was on stage at the time he determined he could not sing.

Ush, who has now canceled two subsequent shows as well, ended his concert early on a subdued note, apologizing to his fans for having to pull the plug ...

Usher Live in Berlin

"After consultation with doctors, he has been advised to reschedule the dates in order to get the rest he needs to ensure a complete recovery," his rep said.

Usher personally released a statement adding, "I deeply regret having to reschedule the shows. I am truly sorry for any inconvenience I have caused my fans."

"My fans are the best in the world and I am looking forward to getting better so that I can give them all the show they deserve."

Usher serenaded a fan up close in concert at Madison Square Garden the other night, only to get kicked in the grill in the process. By accident, of course.

Chalking it up to the "hazard of my job," he made light of it, saying "We play rough in Atlanta, you know ... we kick each other in the face all the time."

The following day, the "OMG" singer said "In all my years, this is one of the most interesting experiences ... I got a kick out of it!" Pun intended, most likely.

"It looked worse than it was ... the audience and I had a good laugh. Wherever you are baby, don't feel bad," he says. "No hard feelings." Watch it here:

Usher Kicked in the Face in Concert

Usher is under pressure these days.

The burden of being the next Michael Jackson would take its toll on any man. Not sure who is pressuring him to assume that role, but he feels under the gun.

"You know, we lost Michael Jackson. A lot of pressure is on me," he confesses to the Daily Star, and while "I don't mind taking it," it's also not an easy task.

THE NEXT MJ? It's a challenge, but Usher won't back down.

"I want to make sure that you get that type of experience that leaves you saying, 'OMG'. The impression I like to leave is that this guy is really stepping it up to a level where people can hopefully compare me to Michael Jackson."

"I basically tear myself apart inside, emotionally, energetically, connecting with you and making sure that you enjoy this moment."

Dude ... chill.

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Below is THG's most favoritest songs of 2010. These are tracks we can't get out of our heads, and ones that stand out most as we reflect on the past year.

Before we unveil the top ten, here are a handful of disclaimers:

• We did not say "best," nor are we implying this speaks for everyone.
• It's just one site's take, and we encourage you to submit your own.
• Yes, we are aware Ke$ha, Miley and Justin Bieber do not appear.

Rihanna and Cee-Lo Green both ended up on THG's list ... and near the top to boot. Who joined them among our top ten jams of '10? Find out after the jump!

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Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Usher are going dark.

All in the name of charity. The aforementioned foursome and others are signing off Twitter and Facebook Tuesday until they raise $1 million for World AIDS Day.

Keys' charity, Keep A Child Alive, is staging a campaign that will have celebs such as Lady GaGa, Justin Timberlake, and Usher signing off of all social media.

PEACE OUT: Donate money or Usher won't be back on Twitter!

The "Digital Life Sacrifice" will feature the stars' filming "last tweet and testament" videos which will show them lying coffins to represent their "digital death."

"It's really important and super-cool to use mediums that we naturally are on," Keys said. "It's so important to shock you to the point of waking up."

"It's not that people don't care or it's not that people don't want to do something, it's that they never thought of it quite like that. This is direct, instantly emotional way, a little sarcastic too, as a way to get people to pay attention."

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Usher turns 32 today and it isn't only fans of this hip hop artist who should send him their birthday wishes.

Anyone afflicted with a case of Bieber Fever must give thanks to this singer/producer for discovering the boy, the myth and the legend that is Justin Bieber.

It's been difficult a 18 months for Usher, as he divorced controversial wife Tameka Foster and fought of rumors of infidelity. But the abs of steel and the hit singles remained throughout these tough times and in the man's honor, we say "OMG" to this photo montage:

Katie Holmes, Alicia Keys, Kim Kardashian and others have come out to Keep A Child Alive.

The organization provides care and support to families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India, as readers can get donate $5 to the cause by texting the first names of any of the celebrities participating to 90999.

Keys and husband Swizz Beatz founded the charity. Says the former:

“With the launch of our BUY LIFE campaign, I am confident less people will needlessly have to die because of lack of proper care which means more children will still have parents to raise them and guide them. I’m never more inspired, then when I’m doing this!”

Usher believes that God sent him Justin Bieber as a protege.

But will the hip hop artist be so grateful and spiritual if his young friend defeats him in the following fashion face-off? That's the question, folks. Compare the two artists in black below and cast your vote:

[Photos: Splash News]

Who looked best on the white carpet?

Justin Bieber fans should give thanks everyday to Usher. That hip hop artist discovered the 16-year old and signed him a record deal. The rest, of course, is adorable, chart-topping history.

So, who does Usher thank for the presence of Bieber in his life? That's easy: The Man Upstairs.

Usher thanks God for Justin Bieber. Literally!

"I feel as if God specifically placed [Bieber] in front of me, because of how I started," Usher told USA Today this week. "I understood the hardships of trying to find yourself in this industry at that age, and I wanted him to have an instant, organic connection to his fans. And he's done that."

Has he ever! A new report states that Justin and his followers are responsibility for a whopping 3% of all server use on Twitter. That's incredible.

Over the last couple of years, Usher has had a few hits ("OMG," the discovery of Justin Bieber) and one noticeable miss: Tameka Foster.

Following a couple years and a couple sons together, she and the artist got divorced last summer. Asked about the relationship, Usher tells the latest issue of People: "I love her as the mother of my children... we're two different people and we have two different goals. It just was never going to work out 100 percent."

He then touched on a few other topics, as the interview is excerpted below:

On raising his sons:
"Usher [V] is always in everything. He's an instigator. He's the one who leads his brother astray. I was like that when I was his age... if one gets in trouble, the other one does, too. They both have a lot of energy. They can wear me out."

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