Atlanta-bred Usher told Emory grads that although he was first put in remedial classes in school, he was able to find success because of his passion.

“I can proudly say I’m the bastard of Usher,” he said, referring to his father Usher Raymond III, who he explained left him and his mother when he was a baby. “But I made something of it ...

He referenced his late father Usher Raymond III in his speech, saying, 'I really was searching for some identity and I was doing that specifically because I was trying to make sense of this name ...