The King of R&B recently expanded his business empire by opening his first entertainment innovation hub in Detroit. And he’s just getting warmed up—he aims to open 500 by 2050.

“At this juncture of my life, I'm thinking legacy,” Usher Raymond IV, the superstar entertainer, says as he sits back in a refurbished Detroit train station. Now 47, Usher is looking to follow in the footsteps of Motown founder Berry Gordy and develop the next generation of talent. “So many people are engulfed with this idea of being the king. I'm more interested in building a kingdom.”

In 1999, just five years into his career, the then-20-year-old singer made the biggest investment of his life by founding a nonprofit to serve kids from broken homes. More than 25 years later, this move is yielding a major return: a $1 million collaboration with Detroit rapper Big Sean to launch Detroit’s first entertainment innovation hub.

The 15,000-square-foot space, which opened last month, is inside The Station at Michigan Central. The entire fifth floor is dedicated to young creators interested in digital content, fashion, film, video production, and music. In addition to partnering with Big Sean, the project also includes Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, Bank of America, and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Through this partnership, youth aged 14 to 24 can receive mentorship and access to high-tech media and production studios and equipment, including a cinematic LED wall. They will also have paid internships and funding to help launch businesses of their own.

The Detroit hub will also host the second installment of Usher’s New Look Career Academy, offering creative and business training, joining Atlanta’s Spark Lab. By 2050, UNL aims to establish 500 hubs and reach one million kids across America, and he’s looking $1 million in matching contributions for such an expansion.

“I want the world to understand that this is a seed investment and I want their support,” Usher tells Forbes. “I think about what Detroit has meant to all of us as entrepreneurs. When you think about Berry Gordy and the Motown phase—that idea of artist excellence—I'm paying it back to Detroit for everything that it gave me”

Raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and later in Atlanta, in a single-parent home, Usher found his joy for music early. At 11, he was in a step group called Cha-Cha. A few years later, Usher stood out at an Atlanta talent show. This led to him being discovered by Bryant Reid, brother of music producer L.A. Reid. After performing for Reid and his partner, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, the duo signed Usher—at 14 years old—to LaFace Records. In 1994, Usher released the first of his nine studio albums, including Confessions in 2004, which sold over 10 million copies.

Despite his success—he has won eight Grammy Awards and was the halftime performer at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas—Usher vividly remembers his early years, before fame, and the idea of inspiring young people from broken homes still drives him.

“I'm not chasing anything anymore,” he says. “I'm now engineering. I'm now at a place where I'm looking for more of what I am—to inspire the young people who thought like I did when I was [young].”“I'm not chasing anything anymore,” he says. “I'm now engineering. I'm now at a place where I'm looking for more of what I am—to inspire the young people who thought like I did when I was [young].”

Throughout his career, Usher has made several big investments. He owns shares in the San Francisco-based streaming playform Yanka Industries, which created Masterclass. He is also an investor in Gamma, a Los Angeles-based music platform, and Dave’s Hot Chicken, the fast-food chain. He is also part of the ownership group for Atlanta’s Centennial Yards and recently sold his minority stake in the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, which Forbes values at $4.8 billion.

“I have my portfolio,” he says. “But the thing that I actually enjoy [investing in] more than anything is new concepts—new ideas. I am in this for 25 years—I don't plan on stopping.”

Capital Gains: Watch the video to see Usher sit down with Forbes in Detroit for a wide-ranging interview.

© Forbes