Rapper Common was among several artists who performed at a poetry event at the White House last night—and he didn't shoot any cops. The rapper, whose presence at the event infuriated conservative pundits who seized upon some of his controversial lyrics, gently recited verses about love and the suffering of young people in a violent culture, reports the Washington Post. Other guests included singer-songwriters Aimee Mann and Jill Scott and former poets laureate Rita Dove and Billy Collins
Jon Stewart, meanwhile, noted that Common—"a Grammy-winning vegetarian"—is actually a very mainstream rapper. The Daily Show host accused Fox pundits of hypocrisy for attacking Common but not going after artists like Johnny Cash, who wrote his share of violent lyrics and was honored by George W. Bush, or Ted Nugent, who has made violent remarks about Obama and Hillary Clinton but whom Sean Hannity calls a friend. Stewart then launched into an anti-Fox rap of his own. Sample lyric: "The truth that you're stretching leaves me retching." (More Common stories.)
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