Usher Reconsiders Mother's Role As Manager

The singer ended his 15-year professional relationship with Jonetta Patton and her JPat Record Label just days before U.S. Mother's Day (May08).

The 29-year-old replaced Patton with managing mogul Benny Medina - responsible for the careers of heavyweights such as Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.

But he is now allegedly blaming Medina for disappointing sales of his new album Here I Stand.

The CD debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard charts, but sold just 433,000 copies in its first week - compared to his 2004 album Confessions, which came in at a staggering 1.1 million.

A source tells the New York Daily News, "Usher was livid. He threatened to fire everyone. People have been telling Usher to listen to his mother. Nobody knows how to sell him better than she does. Usher can be stubborn. But he may be ready (to re-hire his mother)."

The singer admitted he fell out with his mother last May (08) over what he considered to be her lack of support, after Patton missed his wedding to Tameka Foster last August (07).

In July (08), he told Vibe magazine, "(I paid my mother) the ultimate compliment - to retire her to be a full-time grandmother."