Now, we all know that Kerry Washington is one of my favorite celebrities ever. And Common? Well, I’ve made no secret of being a fan of both his musical talents and his external appearance (but only if the hat stays on). So I am pleased, no, honored to spread an unconfirmed rumor that they are an item!

According to SOHH, she directed his newest video. According to , she was seen backstage last night at his concert in Norfolk. And, while I didn’t see them together there, they were both at the Hip Hop Honors last week. That’s enough for me. Start picking out the engagement rings!

This new video is perfect for any Lauren London, Common, Lily Allen, Entourage, or crazy astronaut lady fans out there. And really, if you’re not interested in one of those people/things, I don’t know why you’re reading this blog. I mean, who doesn’t love the crazy astronaut lady?

By the way, have I mentioned I don’t really like Common — aesthetically speaking — without his hat? The hat should stay on.

Barack Obama’s likes to, in his self-deprecating way, expound upon how unhip he is compared to his wife and daughters. He also often seems more on the side of the hip hop police than the hip hop community. And yet, some rappers have latched onto him, casually dropping his names into their songs. Either he’s the first major candidate they can positively relate to since, well, ever (despite the black enough BS) or his name is just really easy to rhyme.

Take one of the summer’s biggest songs: In his new single “The People,” Common uses the lyric: “My raps ignite the people like Obama,” while the song’s music video flashes on an “Obama ‘08″ bumper sticker.

“He’s fresh, you know, he’s got good style,” Common told CNN. “As far as people in my age group and people that love hip-hop, there’s a love for Obama. He represents progress. He represents what hip-hop is about. Hip-hop is about progress, the struggle.”

Then there’s “Say Something,” a new track from the popular Brooklyn-based lyricist Talib Kweli, who raps: “Speak to the people like Barack Obama.”

Those references follow a song from Asian-American rapper Jin, who recently penned an up-tempo song called “Open Letter 2 Obama” that’s garnered more than 320,000 hits on Jin’s MySpace page.

Common and Talib Kweli aren’t exactly the last rappers one would expect to drop a politician’s name in their songs, and they are also safe for Obama to be associated with. Wait until 50 Cent rhymes “glock” with Barack. His enemies are gonna pounce.

[CNN]

Oh, Common. So adorable. So talented. So like LL Cool J in that he looks kind of funny when he takes off his hat. I’m sure he’s off somewhere celebrating his first number 1 album, which sold 155,000 copies in its first week.

Sean Kingston’s eponymous album also had a big debut, coming in at No. 6 on the Billboard 200.

More-to-love American Idol diva Mandisa’s new album came in at No. 43 and Keith Murray’s interestinly named Rap-Murr-Phobia sold just 13,000, but ended up near the top of the Hip Hop & R&B charts. More after the jump.

CONTINUED »

Target threw Common — 9th best MC in the game right now, according to MTV — a nice little Finding Forever release party attended by a random group of people, including two Diana Ross progeny, Serena Williams and Lauren London. No rapper friends showed love?

Pics after the jump.

CONTINUED »

MTV recently unveiled their 10 MCs in the Game list, for which the network’s hip hop journos took into account the rappers’ work in the past 6 months to a year. Even though this isn’t about career-spanning accomplishments, the list barely makes sense: The Game is No. 3? Jim Jones is on the list at all? Lil Wayne, in a triumph I’m sure will please a few Stereohypers and infuriate 50 Cent, took to the No. 1 spot. Here’s what he had to say.

“I saw the preview [of the show], and if I’m lying, I’m flying: I was like, ‘Who won?’ … I’m glad I won. Yaaa dig! Don’t stop believing in me. They say I’m the Hottest MC in the Game. If you label me that, I will live up to it. Trust me.”

I guess that means he’s happy?

The interesting top 10 and MTV’s honorable mentions after the jump.

CONTINUED »

It all seems more than a little excessive to me, but Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett all thought it was necessary to throw David and Victoria Beckham a lavish, star-studded “Welcome to America” party yesterday at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Geffen Contemporary gallery in LA. Take a look at the pictures after the jump — Will and Jada obviously invited a lot of their friends.

CONTINUED »

• On Wendy Williams, Laurie Ann Gibson tries to skirt around the whole Puffy chair-throwing incident for legal reasons, but she basically calls Michael Bivens and Puffy raging lunatics. Uh, I think that makes three of them. [PJ]
• 50 Cent trashes Lil Wayne, Oprah, and Kanye — three people who are better than him in most ways — on the radio. []
• This is how record executives write emails these days? [SR]
• Common’s Finding Forever. For free. [TAN]
• This is going to be bad. So, so, so bad. [MG]

I’ve been reading about the new movie Wanted with Morgan Freeman, Common, and Angelina Jolie, but I confess I had no idea what it was about. I figured I would wait for the trailer. To my immense surprise, I find out that the movie is based on a comic book series by a guy named Mark Millar, and Angelina Jolie will be playing a Catwoman-esque character named Fox.

This was all well and good until some comic book-obsessed bloggers realized out that Fox was a black woman in the original comics. Now she’s Angelina Jolie. Well, she famously that there was a shortage of roles for people of color, but said that her portrayal of Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart was not a good example of the problem. And now? I’m fully aware that this sort of thing is often done in film adaptations of comic books. But Angie again? I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to notice a pattern here.

[AfroGeek via Racialicious]

Sorry, Common. You put up a good fight, I’m sure. But take a look at that Christmas sweater and those tight-fitting jeans on Jay Leno’s band leader Kevin Eubanks.

You didn’t have a chance in hell of winning PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Contest as soon as this guy entered the race.

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