Usher is getting some negative criticism after his recent vacation. The Source reported that the megastar received backlash after he was spotted enjoying yoga with disgraced music mogul Russell Simmons.
Their meet-up was captured and shared on Instagram Stories, according to the Daily Mail. In the clip, set to a song by Beyonce, Usher was seen exercising and meditating in Russell’s Indonesian home.
The footage was first shared on Russell’s Instagram, where he went on to celebrate what Usher’s friendship meant to him. The video appeared to show Russell leading the yoga class that the singer was in, according to the Mail.
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The Grammy winner was joined on his trip by his wife, Jennifer Goicoechea, whom he married in Las Vegas following his Super Bowl performance.
Russell has been the subject of severe allegations about his conduct that first emerged in 2017. Recently, several more women came forward and made allegations against him.
Since the accusations were made public, Russell has gone on record about the friendship he continues to share with Usher. He said that when he was at the “lowest point in his life,” Usher was still by his side.
Russel went on to say, “I had known Usher since he was a kid, but we really bonded because of our mutual love for self-discovery.” He added that they shared a “belief in Yogic science as a direct route to realizing God’s consciousness in ourselves.”
Russell also talked about how Usher’s friendship, which continued after the allegations, had affected him emotionally. He told people to remember that “a friend walks in when others walk out.” He would “never forget” Usher’s “generosity of spirit” at that time.
Usher Quickly Received Opinions from the Public
After the post was shared, people were quick to voice their disapproval at Usher’s continued association with Russell. One user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “He should’ve not been in Bali with Russell Simmons.”
Another user said that the fact that Usher had pictures taken with Russell at the yoga class was definitely a “choice.” They went on to suggest that it was very unlikely that the singer was unaware of the allegations made against his friend. Usher also posed with many others during his Bali trip, including pictures with his new wife and more selfies with Russell in his house.
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The backlash against the Yeah singer comes a short time after possibly the peak of his career when he performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in Vegas earlier this month. The 45-year-old stunned viewers with a dazzling show full of old hits and acrobatic choreography.
His career high point was swiftly followed by his surprise marriage to Jennifer, which both have said was unplanned. However, Usher’s personal happiness and professional milestone might now become old news following the controversy of his latest trip abroad.
