(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Justin Bieber credits Usher with helping him "mature and develop" musically.

The teen pop sensation and the R&B superstar have known each other for years.

Usher also rose to prominence at a young age and the pair have developed quite a tight bond.

In a joint interview with Billboard, the friends discuss how much they rely on each other.

"Usher's always told me, 'You need to work hard, but also play hard. Strive to be the best, but have fun doing it.' " Justin shared with the publication.

Usher finds Justin equally inspiring.

"He keeps me on my feet," Usher said. "The one thing I do see in him is the passion and the determination to really tell an incredible story and articulate himself as an artist."

The musicians admit that sometimes the gossip that they hear about each other is very intriguing.

"[I heard] that Justin had a babythat was hilarious!" Usher laughed. "It was like the Billie Jean story happening all over again. I remember being like, 'Yo, I told you be careful!' "

Justin once came face to face with Usher's mortality.

"The craziest thing I heard about Usher was just a few weeks ago there was an #RIPUsher hash tag on Twitter," he smiled. (C) Cover Media