Jonnetta Patton

{{Short description|American entrepreneur}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Jonnetta Patton

| honorific_suffix =

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| birth_name = Jonnetta O'Neal

| birth_date = {{birth date and age |1957|4|6}}

| birth_place = Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.

| alma_mater = Middle Tennessee State University

| occupation = {{hlist|Entrepreneur|Talent manager|Film and television producer}}

| years_active =

| employer =

| organization =

| children = 2, including Usher

| parents =

| relatives =

| awards =

| signature =

| signature_size =

| signature_alt =

| footnotes =

| website = {{URL|https://www.jkitchenculinaryincubator.com/}}

}}

Jonnetta Patton (born April 6, 1957) is an American talent manager, entrepreneur and film and television producer. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, she is the founder of J's Kitchen Culinary Incubator, JPat Management, and Lion Queen Entertainment, a film and television production company.{{Citation |title=A Seat at the Table {{!}} J's Kitchen Culinary Incubator |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/js-kitchen-culinary-incubator-h4amjw/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dean |first=Hope |date=2023-10-19 |title=Usher's mom talks business, new film ventures at Assembly Atlanta |url=https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/10/19/ushers-mom-talks-business-new-film-ventures-assembly-atlanta/ |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=Atlanta First |language=en}}

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee,{{Cite web |last=Sigaba |first=Milla |date=2023-09-27 |title=Jonnetta Patton: Usher's Mother Pursued Another Business Venture after Being His Longtime Manager |url=https://news.amomama.com/413096-jonnetta-patton-ushers-mother-pursued.html |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=news.amomama.com |language=en}} Patton raised her sons, Usher Raymond and James "JLack" Lackey, a Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter, as a single parent.{{Cite web |title=Usher Says 'You Better Watch Out' For His Brother JLack |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/hrd3vs/usher-says-you-better-watch-out-for-his-brother-jlack |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104163821/https://www.mtv.com/news/hrd3vs/usher-says-you-better-watch-out-for-his-brother-jlack |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 4, 2023 |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=MTV |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Amir-Jackson |first=Danielle |date=October 11, 2023 |title=Can Usher Save R&B? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/11/magazine/usher-rnb.html |access-date=February 9, 2024 |website=New York Times}} She managed Usher for 17 years, becoming his full-time manager when he was 12.{{Cite magazine |last=Mitchell |first=Gail |date=2024-02-07 |title=Usher Reveals His Super Bowl Strategy — And The Halftime Veteran Who 'Gave Me Some Notes' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/usher-super-bowl-halftime-cover-story-1235600619/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} In 1999, she and Usher founded New Look, a 501(c) organization that provides guidance and mentoring to students in middle school and college.{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Andrew |date=2016-09-07 |title=Usher's New Look Helps Kids Find Their Spark |url=https://variety.com/2016/music/features/ushers-new-look-1201853399/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

In 2016, Patton founded J's Kitchen Culinary Incubator, a 21,000-square-foot facility that provides independent chefs and caterers shared commercial kitchen space and equipment as well as food packaging services and business workshops.{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Carly |date=2016-02-08 |title=Usher's mom to open J's Kitchen Culinary Incubator in the spring |url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/dining-news/ushers-mom-open-js-kitchen-culinary-incubator-spring/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Atlanta Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Figueras |first=Ligaya |title=Usher's mother Jonnetta Patton sets the stage for culinary entrepreneurs |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/atlanta-restaurants/usher-mother-jonnetta-patton-sets-the-stage-for-culinary-entrepreneurs/GR8yVyqGd8W0Bn0lCpssGO/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Atlanta Restaurants & Food (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) |language=English}} In 2019, Patton invested in and partnered with Hungry, an event catering start-up based in Arlington, Virginia. Other investors included Jay-Z and Tom Colicchio.{{Cite news |last=Capelouto |first=J. D. |title=With help from Usher and his mother, the 'Uber of catering' feeds Atlanta |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/with-help-from-usher-and-his-mom-the-uber-catering-feeds-atlanta/jcyhlD6YBn9gzKse4NNAVL/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |language=English |issn=1539-7459}} She founded Lion Queen Entertainment in 2023.