Usher revealed that he and longtime music rival Justin Timberlake fought over who could sign Justin Bieber to their label first.
"When you are at the top of your game, some of the greatest things will be presented to you, and it was, I think, right after [my album] 'Confessions' that I was introduced to Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun," the "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" hitmaker told People Magazine.
Everybody knows how the story ends: Bieber signed to Usher's joint record label with celebrity manager Scooter Braun, Raymond Braun Media Group in 2008.
However, before that happened the R&B icon revealed that what happened behind the scenes was not as smooth sailing because Timberlake wanted his slice of the cake as well.
"[...] It was a bit of a bidding war between me and Justin Timberlake," he added.
Netizens could not help but scoff at the singer's revelation; many claimed to already know the "bidding war" and chalked it up to Usher and the *NSYC alum's feud.
"I thought we all knew this. Like this is old news," one wrote.
"Legit everyone knew this back in the day."
Usher, Justin Timberlake's Feud
According to The Ringer, Usher and Timberlake's rivalry stemmed from releasing music and becoming kings of the airwaves around the same time.
They do, however, have their distinct differences; Timberlake was crowned as the "Prince of Pop," while Usher is considered one of the most influential R&B singers in the early 2000s.
They are both singers and songwriters, with a keen eye for spotting rising stars, like the "Baby" hitmaker, who was making waves on YouTube for uploading song covers.
Justin Bieber Doesn't Join Usher's Super Bowl Halftime Show
Elsewhere in the interview, Usher explained how he was able to convince Bieber to sign under his label instead of Timberlake's.
"I was like, 'I'm not certain that I could understand each and every producer that this artist could benefit from, but what I can tell you is, I'm going to give you my passion, and I'm going to give you every bit of what I have to offer,'" the singer said.
"I am motivated by people like Justin. I think that he is an amazing performer, and I think that he has a legacy that should be respected and not compared to anybody else."
Meanwhile, Usher invited Bieber to perform alongside him as a special guest at his Super Bowl Halftime show, but the singer declined.
Usher explained how Bieber "just [wants] to tell a different story right now," and how he respected his pal's decision.
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