Sean Garrett Reveals Usher Initially Hated “Yeah” and Didn’t Want It as a Lead Single [Video]

Songwriter and producer Sean Garrett revealed that Usher initially hated what would later become his biggest hit.

Video

During an interview on the “We In Miami” podcast, Garrett, the mastermind behind Usher’s 2004 smash hit “Yeah,” shared the surprising backstory.

“He hated it… Yeah, he didn’t like that,” Garrett said. “When I went out, flew out to L.A., Usher made me wait eight hours downstairs… so finally he came downstairs, and not only did he do it, but he put his foot in it.”

Garrett explained that after Usher recorded the track, Lil Jon, who is featured on the song along with Ludacris, began promoting the single to radio DJs, and the rest was history. The track went on to achieve monumental success, becoming 13 times platinum in the United States and marking Usher’s first diamond-certified single. The party tune dominated the Billboard Hot 100, holding the No. 1 spot for an incredible 12 weeks.

Even as the record became an instant hit, Garrett revealed that Usher still had doubts about its potential as the lead single for his “Confessions” album.

“When it came time to do the video, it was the number one record in the country. And Usher still wasn’t with it,” he said.

In addition to “Yeah,” Garrett has penned hits for other major stars, including Ciara, Summer Walker, Beyoncé, Nelly, and many more.