Usher and E-40 receive honorary doctorate degrees

You may refer to Usher and E-40 as musicians, but now, you can also call them doctors. The stars received their honorary doctorate degrees last weekend and shared the news on social media to celebrate their accomplishments with fans.

Usher was honored at the Berklee College of Music for his “invaluable contributions” to the worlds of music and philanthropy.

“My goal as an artist has always been to inspire people to make a positive impact through my music, to make you feel something, and last night I felt proud … of the legacy that has been built and that we’re building together as artists,” Usher said in his speech, before encouraging the graduating class to “break the barriers” and “make great things” out of all they learned at Berklee.

The singer then took to Instagram to thank the college “for honoring me and presenting me with a Doctor of Music degree.”

He continued, “I’m so grateful for this opportunity to share a message to the next generation of artists, producers, vocalists, arrangers, dancers and more.”

Usher also noted fans can “call me D-o-c-t-o-r-R-a-y-m-o-n-d,” a nod to the lyrics in his song “Nice & Slow,” in which he spells out his name, Usher Raymond, to the beat.

E-40 received his doctorate of music degree from his alma mater, Grambling University, where he encouraged graduates to “pursue their passions and achieve their dreams,” according to Vibe.

“I came a long way thank you @grambling1901 & congratulations to the graduating class of 2023,” E-40 later wrote on Instagram. The caption accompanied a recap of his time at the university’s 2023 commencement ceremonies.

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