Superstar singer Usher Raymond IV has filed a $4.9 million lawsuit in Fulton County, accusing three former associates of failing to repay a loan tied to a collapsed restaurant project in Atlanta’s Buckhead district.
According to court documents filed November 14, 2025, the dispute stems from Homage ATL, a planned restaurant and lounge slated for a $6.3 million property on Piedmont Road. The suit claims Usher never wanted equity in the venture but agreed to loan the group $1.7 million to help secure the property. When the deal fell apart, the trio returned $1 million—but the remaining balance allegedly never came back.
Usher argues the agreement required full repayment once the purchase failed, putting his former partners squarely in breach.
The lawsuit quickly spread online and unexpectedly pulled in longtime collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox, prompting the Grammy-winning producer to publicly clarify his involvement. In an Instagram statement accompanied by throwback photos with Usher, Cox said he had been “pulled into a business situation I did not manage” and stressed that he is merely a passive minority shareholder, not an architect of the deal.
Cox said he only learned about the filing through his attorneys and emphasized he is not part of the legal dispute. Early reporting, he added, inaccurately suggested he played a larger role.
“I’ve learned a lot recently about choosing partners wisely,” he wrote, calling the ordeal “unfortunate” but insisting his part was minimal and will likely be confirmed by both sides.
He also addressed public speculation about tension between him and Usher, stating plainly that their 27-year friendship is “fully intact.”
Cox thanked supporters for their patience and said he cannot comment further while the matter is ongoing.
Meanwhile, Usher’s lawsuit moves forward as he seeks to recover the remaining loan balance plus additional damages tied to the abandoned Buckhead project—yet another reminder of how even high-profile partnerships can break down once business and friendship intersect.
