Syndicated radio show host Tom Joyner is accusing multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning singer Usher of recently threatening to “whup my a-” after Tom joked about rumored tension between fiancee Tameka and Usher’s mom, Jonetta Patton.

Tom says Ush called him off-air to complain about claims that Tameka urged him to “fire” Jonetta as his manager.

Tom and TJMS sidekick comedian J. Anthony Brown drew Usher’s fury last week aboard the Fantastic Voyage Cruise, where LL Cool J, the O’Jays and others performed during a Caribbean benefit for historically black colleges.

“Who’s afraid of Usher?” Tom asked prompting laughter from ship guests. Tom and J invited anyone in the audience who knew Usher “to tell him we’re not afraid of him.”

Usher is also rumored to have called celebrity gossipmonger WendyWilliams and Hot-97’s beloved Angie Martinez to “ask them to lay off Tameka,” a source tells the New York gossip rags.

The personal call to Williams comes as a surprise to those who remember Usher hurling curses over his shoulder as he dashed away from the deejay on the red carpet of the Soul Train Awards a few years ago. (This was after Williams had invited Foster onto her show - only to kick her out of the studio when Foster failed to deliver the expected dish on why she was fired as Usher’s stylist.)

“It’s so out of character for Usher to take such a handson approach to the media,” Washington-based celebrity tattle Jawn Murray says. “He must really love this girl.”

Usher rep Chris Chambers said, “I don’t know of my client calling or threatening anyone. Radio personalities are going to talk about current news. We can’t put a muzzle on anybody.”

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