People: Ushering in a new era

For more than a decade, Usher‘s music has been the soundtrack to a player’s lifestyle.

From singing about casual sex when he was just 15 to detailing the devastating details of an affair on his blockbuster CD “Confessions,” his songs have been filled with sex, passion and partying.

Lyrics about commitment and enduring relationships were hard to find on his platinum-plus albums – until now.

Usher, the newly married father of a 7-month-old son, has moved on from the party scene to the family life.

His new sense of responsibility has spilled over into his music on his new release, “Here I Stand.”

“I wrote about so many tumultuous relationships and issues that I’ve had in relationships and people reacting to it,” says the 29-year-old singer.

“Let me change the stakes. Let me talk about the pleasures of a relationship.”

For some fans, Usher’s relationship has been hard to accept.

He’s had a string of public romances, most notably his three-year relationship with Chilli from TLC. But his connection with his wife and former stylist, Tameka Foster, lit up the blogosphere with negative feedback.

Maybe it was their age difference (at 37, she’s eight years older), or the fact that Foster had been married before and has three children.

After they wed last year, and she gave birth to their son, Usher Raymond V, there were plenty of good wishes but not universal joy.

“People are so attracted to drama. That’s easier to take than a story of righteousness,” Usher says.

“I’m a guy that decided to marry a woman – a black woman – that wasn’t perfect, that had flaws, that through all in all, she’s been successful on her own. … and that’s a bad thing,” he says with a laugh.

“It’s not like I got caught with a gram of coke in my car or speeding or was caught for murder, so why would I be ridiculed, that’s why I don’t understand – that’s the part that is mind-boggling. Why would I be ridiculed for that, even a year later?”

There was more buzz when Usher dropped his mother, Johnetta Patton, as his manager in favor of Benny Medina, who has guided the careers of Diddy, Will Smith and Mariah Carey.

Some suggested that Foster pushed Patton out of the picture, which Usher denies.

“Me and my mother are still in a good place, have always been, but we had our time as it relates to manager and artist, and now it’s more important to be mother and son,” he says.

“That matters to me. I took charge of my life and my situation, and I dictated to my mother and the world this is what I’m going to do. It’s called taking charge, it’s called being a man – it’s called manning up. It’s called being responsible. And it ain’t bad. It’s a good thing.”

The birthday bunch

Actress Sally Kellerman is 71. Actor Ron Ely (“Tarzan”) is 70. Actor Stacy Keach is 67. Drummer Charlie Watts (the Rolling Stones) is 67. Composer Marvin Hamlisch is 64. Actor Jerry Mathers (“Leave It To Beaver”) is 60. Actress Joanna Gleason is 58. Actor Dennis Haysbert (“24”) is 54. Comedian Dana Carvey is 53. Rapper B-Real (Cypress Hill) is 38. Comedian Wayne Brady is 36. Actor Zachary Quinto is 31. Actress Nikki Cox is 30. Actor Justin Long is 30. Actor Deon Richmond is 30.