Usher Raymond has initiated legal proceedings against his longtime collaborator Bryan Michael Cox, demanding repayment of funds advanced for an Atlanta restaurant project that never materialized.
According to reports, the R&B superstar filed suit in Fulton County Superior Court on Friday, targeting Cox alongside Keith Thomas, Charles Hughes, and entertainment attorney Alcide Honoré.
The legal action centers on a $1.7 million advance Raymond provided in January for a proposed Buckhead establishment called Homage ATL.
Cox, whose production credits include Raymond’s chart-toppers “Burn” and “U Got It Bad,” approached the Grammy winner last year about acquiring the former Ocean Prime location at 3102 Piedmont Road.
According to court documents, Raymond declined to invest but agreed to provide financing through a loan arrangement. The funds were transferred to a trust account, with the expectation that the property purchase would proceed expeditiously.
Months passed without the real estate transaction being completed, prompting Raymond to request loan repayment during the summer months. While $1 million was returned in August, the remaining $700,000 balance has not been satisfied.
The lawsuit alleges that Honoré acknowledged the difficulty of repaying the outstanding amount, stating it was “not that easy” because the money had been used for “other purposes.”
Raymond’s legal team is pursuing $4.9 million in total damages, calculating $700,000 for each of seven distinct claims outlined in the filing. The defendants have not yet filed responses or counterclaims as of Tuesday.
The failed restaurant venture represents an unusual business dispute between Raymond and Cox, whose collaborative history includes some of contemporary R&B’s most recognizable hits.
Cox’s production company, Blackbaby Inc., has shaped the sound of numerous chart-topping records across multiple decades.
The four-time Grammy-winning producer has maintained a professional relationship with Raymond spanning over two decades, contributing to the singer’s most successful albums, including the diamond-certified Confessions.
Usher is not new to the restaurant business. Last year, he opened his first Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise.