Usher serenaded the ‘Empire’ actress during the Las Vegas show.
ByMark Elibert
September 6, 2026
Taraji P. Henson got the full Usher treatment during the latest stop of his tour with Chris Brown.
During the Saturday (Sept. 5) R&B Tour show at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Usher brought the Empireactress onstage and serenaded her with his 2004 track, “Can U Handle It?”
Henson appeared to enjoy every second of it, smiling and blushing as Usher performed directly to her. At one point, the R&B legend picked Henson up during the performance, as video from The Shade Room shows.
The moment soon got fans talking online.
Several people joked about what Jody, Tyrese Gibson’s character from Baby Boy, would think about the serenade, while others referenced Henson’s Empire character Cookie Lyon. Fans also showed love for the actress and her cropped hairstyle.
Usher invites women onstage as a regular part of The R&B Tour, although not every interaction has gone as smoothly as Henson’s.
During the tour’s July 25 stop at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, Usher invited a fan named Gabrielle Cheyenne onstage. After she appeared uncomfortable with the attention, Usher ended the interaction early.
“I don’t think she wants to be on the stage,” he said before the moment came to an end. A video of the encounter later went viral online.
Henson, however, has some previous experience being the focus of an Usher serenade. The actress previously joined him onstage during his Las Vegas residency. Other celebrities who have received similar treatment from Usher over the years include Keke Palmer, Doja Cat, Saweetie, and Gabrielle Union.
Saturday’s concert marked the first of three scheduled R&B Tour shows at Allegiant Stadium this month.
Usher and Brown return to the Las Vegas venue on Sunday before playing another show there on Sept. 18. The co-headlining tour is scheduled to continue through December 2026.
