Personnel: Usher, Monica, Lil' Kim (vocals); Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal (various instruments, background vocals); Greg Phillinganes (piano); Babyface (keyboards, bass, drum programming, background vocals); Nathan East (bass); Randy Walker (Midi programmer); Jagged Edge, Trey Lorenz, Trina Broussard, Shanice Wilson (background vocals).

Producers: Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Jermaine Dupri, Sprauge "Doogie" Williams.

Engineers include: Phi Tan, Rob Williams, Manny Marroquin.

Recorded at Somewhere In College Park, College Park, Georgia; Sony Studios, New York, New York; Brandon's Way Recording, Los Angeles, Califonia; Future Recording Studios, Virginia Beach, Virginia.

"You Make Me Wanna" was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

"My Way" was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Three years after his debut album, 18 year-old Usher returns with a newly mature, seductively smooth voice, and a palpable sense of self confidence. What remains so appealing about Usher's soulful crooning and sexy whisper, however, is a youthful freshness and vibrancy. This unpretentious approach is felt throughout the album in the simple, clean production, especially on songs like the Babyface-produced ballad "Bedtime," which has lovely background vocals by Shanice Wilson. Funkier, more up-tempo songs include the title track, an R&B-tinged song endearingly lacking the slightest hint of humility: "from this day forth you know I'm all about heat/And what I do be the major league/That's why your girlfriend's paging me."

What the critics say...

Q (8/02, p.148) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Cemented the Georgian gospel singer's reputation as the precocious master of R&B slow jams..."
Vibe (10/97, p.170) - "...Usher conveys a luscious sensuality....succeeds with MY WAY by accenting the mystery of sex....[He] leaves a little something to his listeners' imaginations..."
The Source (11/97, p.174) - "...Usher proves that he's aiming to become more than just R&B music's best kept secret..."