Usher loves being a dad. It’s evident from the broad megawatt smile on his face and the amount of time he spends with his two sons, Usher V (pictured) , 4 1/2, and Naviyd Eli, 3 1/2.
The artist, whose new album, Finding Myself, hit stores on Tuesday, says he had a blast with his sons on Memorial Day. “We used bottles of water and got totally soaked,” he told People, referring to an impromptu water fight. “Naviyd won. It was a hot day, and it just happened. I love fun times like that.”
For Usher, being a father is serious business. He tries to impart knowledge to his toddler sons all the time. “Every time I open my mouth, I try to give as much advice as possible,” says the ESSENCE Festival alum. “If my children are unclear on something, I take the time to explain it to them.”
But Usher doesn’t let his sons’ cuteness get in the way of what really matters: structure. “I took them to my mother’s house; she lives about two minutes away from me,” he says. “Naviyd is addicted to peppermint, but he had already had dinner and dessert. So I told him he couldn’t have any candy, and he walked off. A couple of minutes later, when he thought I couldn’t hear, he was asking my mother if he could open a peppermint candy. He was trying to manipulate the situation.” He revealed that despite his son’s effort to outsmart him, he had the last laugh and denied Naviyd the candy.