Usher gives back with summer enrichment camp

With five Grammys to his credit, Usher is accustomed to the spotlight. Usher Raymond IV released his first album when he was just fourteen years old. And now, at age 31, his third consecutive album recently debuted at the top of the billboard charts.

“This is a business. And though you may be extremely talented you have to prepare yourself,” said Usher.

WATCH THIS PROFILE’S OF USHER’S CAMP ON NIGHTLY NEWS:
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It was that lesson that drove him to build his foundation called New Look: to teach underprivileged teens business skills and the value of community service. For more than ten years, Usher has put his faith in thousands of young people. It’s the teenagers who decide which causes deserve the foundation’s time and money. They present him with the idea for a service project, like a skate-athon to raise awareness of obesity, and his foundation gives them money to do it.

“Your success doesn’t mean anything if you can’t help others or are not willing to help others,” said Usher.

That’s the mantra at New Look’s free camp. Every summer 150 teens develop their talents as dancers, singers or producers and learn the business side of the entertainment and sports industries.

“Everybody else basically looks over the youth, especially the youth that is less likely to succeed from impoverished areas. When you’re all the way at the bottom, you got nowhere to go but up.”