Yeah! Usher Scores Soul Train Noms

[M.F.J]

He doesn't have to confess it anymore. Everybody knows Usher's got soul.
The R&B smoothie scored five nominations, including Male Album of the Year for his multiplatinum hit Confessions and Best Duet for "My Boo" with Alicia Keys, to lead all rivals at this year's Soul Train Music Awards.

Usher also racked up nods for Best R&B/Soul Single for his tune, "Confessions Part II," Best R&B/Soul or Rap Dance cut for his collaboration with Ludacris and Lil Jon on "Yeah!," as well as Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video for "Yeah!" (a category that used to be named after Michael Jackson (news), but due to the child-molestation against him, apparently no more).

It's been a stellar run for the chart-busting Texas-born entertainer, and the Soul Train nods are just icing on the proverbial cake.

Usher not only nabbed 11 prizes at last year's Billboard Music Awards to go with the four trophies he took home from at the American Music Awards, but he's also up for eight Grammy Awards on Feb. 13.

Checking in close behind was up-and-coming songstress Ciara, who collected four nominations, including Female Album of the Year and Female R&B/Soul Album for her hit Goodies, along with R&B/Soul Single and Best New Artist.

Keys, meanwhile, racked up three nominations--Best Female R&B/Soul Single for "If I Ain't Got You" and Best Female R&B/Soul Album for her sophomore smash, The Diary of Alicia Keys to go along with the duet nod with Usher.

Several Soul Train Award veterans were among those artists with two nominations apiece, including Prince, Jill Scott, Destiny's Child and Beyonc, who topped last year's list of nominees but only walked away with one award, for Female Album of the Year for her solo debut, Dangerously In Love. This year the "Crazy" diva's up for Best Single for "Naughty Girl" and Best Duet for "The Closer I Get To You," which she performed with Luther Vandross.

Founded by Soul Train mastermind Don Cornelius, the kudos honor the best in R&B, soul, hip-hop, and gospel and are decided by a survey of radio programmers, talent managers, and performers. The awards will be doled out Feb. 28 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

Here's a rundown of the nominees:

Female R&B/Soul Single:

* "Naughty Girl," Beyonce
* "Goodies," Ciara Featuring Petey Pablo
* "If I Ain't Got You," Alicia Keys
* "Golden," Jill Scott

Male R&B/Soul Single:

* "Charlene," Anthony Hamilton
* "Let Me Love You," Mario
* "Call My Name," Prince
* "Confessions Part II," Usher

R&B/Soul Single Group, Band or Duo:

* "Lose My Breath," Destiny's Child
* "Hot 2Nite," New Edition
* "My Boo," Usher & Alicia Keys
* "The Closer I Get To You," Luther Vandross Duet with Beyonce Knowles

Female R&B/Soul Album:

* Afrodisiac, Brandy
* Goodies, Ciara
* The Diary of Alicia Keys, Alicia Keys
* Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2, Jill Scott

Male R&B/Soul Album:

* Happy People/U Saved Me, R. Kelly
* Soulstar, Musiq
* Musicology, Prince
* Confessions, Usher

R&B/Soul Album Group, Band or Duo:

* Hot & Wet, 112
* Throwback, Boyz II Men
* Destiny's Fulfilled, Destiny's Child
* One Love, New Edition

R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist:

* Goodies, Ciara Featuring Petey Pablo
* I Believe, Fantasia
* Tipsy, J-Kwon
* Used to Love U, John Legend

R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video:

* "99 Problems," Jay-Z
* "Jesus Walks," Kanye West
* "Roses," Outkast
* "Yeah!" Usher Featuring Ludacris & Lil Jon

R&B/Soul or Rap Dance Cut:

* "Goodies," Ciara Featuring Peter Pablo
* "Headsprung," LL Cool J
* "Drop It Like Its Hot," Snoop Dogg Featuring Pharrell & Uncle Charlie Wilson
* "Yeah!" Usher Featuring Ludacris & Lil Jon

Gospel Album:

* The Heavens Are Telling, Karen Clark-Sheard
* Live From Another Level, Israel and New Breed
* The J Moss Project, J Moss
* I Owe You, Lierra Kiki Sheard