R&B NEWS: Usher returns to The Billboard 200 at No. 1

Four years after his Confessions rocked the charts, Usher returns to The Billboard 200 at No. 1 with Here I Stand. With 433,000 U.S. copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the LaFace/Zomba album is the second biggest debut this year behind the 463,000 start of Mariah Carey's E=MC2.

Here I Stand was led by the single Love in This Club featuring Young Jeezy, which was No. 1 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Usher's Confessions started at the penthouse in 2004 with a whopping 1,096,000 units and spent nine weeks on top. It went on to be the year's best-seller.

Also, despite rumours of his marriage being on the rocks, Usher has made it very clear, that it's not. On an appearance on TRL on Tuesday (May 27), the singer took the opportunity to address rumours about his marriage to Tameka Foster, which he says is going strong.

“I love my wife very, very much” Usher told MTV viewers. “There was a little rumour earlier this week about us separating. It ain't true. We in love. Matter of fact, I'm tired of people continuing to talk so much trash about me, know what I'm saying? And my relationship.”

“My wife is not 40 years old. I love her to death and I'm a black, strong man in America standing up for my people -- as a man to my wife, to my son, to my family, I'm making a stand that a lot of us should make. I coulda been like any other man who has a child and live with that woman and continue to just play the game. ... I'm trying to do it the right way. This is the way you're supposed to do it! Pay attention, fellas!”

Usher continued explaining that Foster is not the reason why he fired his mother as his manager, before continuing to express his affection for his wifey.

“And my wife had nothing to do with me firing my mother -- nothing like that, that's trash. I hear y'all talking crazy out there, she's a beautiful black woman. Stop. Stop talking. And I love her. Stop it.”