Looks like rapper turned actor Common is in trouble for his music/words again. This time he has upset legendary poet Maya Angelou!
According to reports, Maya is upset that she is featured on a song that uses the N-Word and other profane words. The song, “The Dreamer” is featured on Common’s newest album, The Dreamer/The Believer 
and is a motivational song about achieving your dreams. However, Maya didn’t realize her poem would be used on that particular song.
She told the NY POST:
——- “I had no idea that Common was using the piece we had done together on [a track] in which he also used the ‘N’ word numerous times. “I’m surprised and disappointed. I don’t know why he chose to do that. I had never heard him use that [word] before. I admired him so because he wasn’t singing the line of least resistance. ——-
Common also spoke to the post and admitted that he didn’t tell her she would be used on that particular song, 
but she knows that he uses the N-Word.
——- “She knows I do use the word,” he told The Post. “She knows that’s part of me. I told her what ‘The Dreamer’ was about and what I wanted to get across to people,” he says. “I wanted young people to hear this and feel like they could really accomplish their dreams.” ——-
According to Common, they have agreed to disagree on the subject. If you remember earlier this year, Common was under fire for being invited to perform poetry at the White House because of his past songs/poems that talked negatively about America and past Presidents (READ STORY HERE).
Women in soul music were celebrated on Sunday evening ( December 18 ) at the annual VH1 Divas Celebrate Soul event, held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. This year soul music was celebrated according to the major cities of Philadelphia, Detroit, Memphis, Chicago and London, where the genre has thrived most.
A lot of music’s finest made an attendance and/or performed on stage such as Chaka Khan, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Marsha Ambrosius, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J., Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Estelle, Florence + The Machine, Boyz II Men, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. A tribute performance was paid to the late Amy Winehouse as well.
Check out more photos from the red carpet. VH1 Divas is set to air on Monday, December 19 at 9/8pm CST.
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Posted in CL Galleries, CONCERTS, EVENTS
Tagged boyz ii men, chaka khan, erykah badu, estelle, jennifer hudson, Jessie J, jill scott, Kelly Clarkson, Marsha Ambrosius, mary j blige
With the US troops finally out of Iraq and the year 2011 coming to an end, Common‘s new music video, “Celebrate” couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. In the Phil the God video, a soldier returns home to a huge welcome home party.
Common’s new album, The Dreamer, The Believer hits stores on Tuesday, December 20!
Posted in MUSIC, VIDEOS
Tagged common
On Sunday (December 18), President Barack Obama issued a brief message acknowledging that American troops had left Iraq:
———-
Early this morning, the last of our troops left Iraq.
As we honor and reflect on the sacrifices that millions of men and women made for this war, I wanted to make sure you heard the news. Bringing this war to a 
responsible end was a cause that sparked many Americans to get involved in the political process for the first time. Today’s outcome is a reminder that we all have a stake in our country’s future, and a say in the direction we choose.
Thank you.
Barack
On Saturday, the president addressed the recent payroll two-month tax cut extension, calling it a “lifeline that would have been lost for more than two and a half million people in the first two months of next year if Congress had not acted”. While President Obama went on to commend the work the Senate has done, House Speaker John Boehner said House Republicans oppose the extension and suggested the House and Senate come together and develop a plan to extend the cut for a year in an appearance on Sunday’s Meet the Press. Continue
