"Glory" won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards Sunday night, and a moving rendition of it by John Legend and Common brought the crowd to tears.
Beyonce closed out the 2015 Grammy Awards Sunday night with a moving gospel performance that resonated more than any of her dozens of pop hits.
The MTV Video Music Awards are known for the salacious and outrageous, but things turned jarringly serious last night thanks to rapper and actor Common.
He paid tribute to slain Missouri teen Michael Brown, while MTV also aired two public service announcements about the civil rights protests his death inspired.
In what often seems like a genre focused on getting cars, cash, and girls, rap often gets a bad rap. Some of the genre's most talented voices use their powers for good.
Or they try. Instead of playing to the lowest common denominator, their politically charged and often personal song lyrics are an attempt to alter the course of pop culture.
Musicians are forever pushing the envelope, honing their crafts, stretching their limits.
Or they're just trying to get as many #1 hits as possible in order to sell more records and make more money to buy big cribs with multi-car garages and basketball courts in the basement.
Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly clashed over the non-issue that simply won't go away - Common's recent invite to the White House - Monday on Fox News.
Having already crushed Fox News over its treatment of the subject last week, the Comedy Central host more than held his own on Bill's home court.
As expected, some well-known Fox News "journalists" were all fired up about Common's White House visit this week, during which the rapper read a poem.
As expected, Jon Stewart took them to task in an EPIC rant last night.
Amidst controversy from conservatives, Common performed a spoken word piece at the White House in celebration of American poetry and prose last night.
Among other critics, Sarah Palin ripped Common and the Obamas for inviting the rapper/actor, given his former harsh words against former President Bush.
Former half-term governor and current famous person Sarah Palin slammed Michelle Obama on Twitter today for inviting Common to the White House.
Her beef? Palin and some others aren't thrilled that the rapper and actor promotes healthy diets once rhymed about burning President George W. Bush.
Get ready to swoon, ladies. Topped by Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford, the 10th annual list of People's hottest bachelors has come out - and it's a dandy.
The 23-year-old Texan edged out hot bachelors like Chris Pine, Common, Shia LaBeouf, Robert Pattinson and Brody Jenner to claim the coveted top spot.
