Usher sues business partners over failed Buckhead restaurant plan
Atlanta singer and songwriter Usher is suing his business partners and their lawyer over a failed attempt to open a Buckhead restaurant, demanding at least $4.9 million in compensation.
The artist, whose full name is Usher Raymond, claims he lent $1.7 million to music producer Bryan-Michael Cox and industry professionals Keith Thomas and Charles Hughes so they could buy a $6.3 million Piedmont Road property and turn it into a restaurant and lounge called “Homage ATL.”
In his lawsuit, filed Friday in Fulton County Superior Court, Raymond said the trio and their lawyer, Alcide Honoré, returned $1 million of the loan after the property purchase fell through. But the remaining $700,000, which should have stayed in Honoré’s trust account, was misused and remains outstanding, Raymond alleged.
“Honoré all but admitted that the Raymond loan balance was disbursed when he stated that returning that balance was ‘not that easy’ because plaintiff’s funds had been deployed for ‘other purposes,’” the lawsuit says.
Honoré told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he had not reviewed the complaint and it would be premature for him to comment on specific claims.
“I have no doubt that the facts will demonstrate I did not engage in any wrongful conduct as it relates to this matter,” he said Monday.
Cox, who produced some of Raymond’s biggest hits, said he is a “passive minority shareholder” in one of the companies involved.
“I was not a participant in the business transaction and have no involvement in the ongoing legal process,” he said Monday. “While I am unable to share additional details at this time, I want to affirm that my 27-year friendship with Usher remains fully intact.”
Attempts to contact Thomas and Hughes were not immediately successful.
Thomas and Cox are behind the popular “Ladies Love R&B” parties in Atlanta.
Hughes has previously been sued alongside Atlanta rapper T.I. in relation to another local restaurant failure.
In his lawsuit, Raymond demands at least $700,000 for each of seven claims against the defendants. Most of the claims are against Honoré, but Raymond also accuses Cox, Thomas and Hughes of contract breach and unjust enrichment.
Raymond said he was approached by the Atlanta-based trio in late 2024 and invited to be involved in the restaurant project. He said Honoré represented Hughes and Thomas and their respective companies, United Artists LLC and Goodlook Entertainment LLC.
Hughes, Thomas and Cox set up a company, U.A.F. LLC, to buy the property at 3102 Piedmont Road for $6.3 million, Raymond alleged. He said Cox’s company, Team Idris LLC, was also involved.
Honoré did the legal work for the project, according to the complaint.
Raymond said he turned down an offer to invest in the restaurant but agreed in January to loan Cox, Hughes and Thomas $1.7 million to buy the property. He said the money was sent to Honoré’s trust account.
In the summer, when the property purchase still hadn’t happened, Raymond recalled the loan. He said he was repaid $1 million in early August but that his attempts to get the remaining $700,000 were unsuccessful.
Honoré promised the money would be returned once the property was purchased and refinanced, Raymond alleged. He said Honoré acknowledged the money had been transferred to a “title company” and retrieving it would be difficult.
Raymond said Hughes promised to hand over documents showing where the money was, but never did. He said his lawyers officially demanded Honoré return the $700,000 in September, and that Honoré did not respond to the request.
The lawsuit includes four claims against Honoré and three claims against the other defendants. Each of the seven claims seeks at least $700,000 in damages plus associated interest.
Raymond also wants additional damages designed to punish the defendants, as well as his attorney fees and litigation costs. His lawyers in the case, Jordan Fishman and Jonathan Davis, did not immediately respond to questions Monday.
About the Author
Journalist Rosie Manins is a legal affairs reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
