Jennifer Hudson and Common have achieved a new milestone in their relationship — their first musical collab, at least since going public with their romance.
Jennifer, 42, and Common, 52, have reportedly been quietly dating since 2022, which started when they worked together on the movie Breathe. The pair had been friends for years prior, however.
In fact, the two have already been part of the same project once before, back in 2014 when they each featured on Lupe Fiasco's single "Remission," although this is their first time collaborating since becoming a couple.
Last week, the Oscar-winning rapper released his collaborative album with Pete Rock titled The Auditorium Vol. 1, and on the track "A GOD (There is)," none other than Jennifer herself appears as a featured artist.
Common spoke with People about working on the project with his girlfriend, saying: "I loved it, because when I played it to musician friends, they were like, 'Who is that singing?'"
"I'm like, 'That's Jennifer!' It doesn't sound like things you've heard from her before. I love that we were able to utilize her gifts in a new space. She brought it, man."
© Getty ImagesHe shared some more insight into how the track came about, when he heard a beat sample that he'd assumed was by Aretha Franklin but was actually by Valerie Simpson. And it was his EGOT girlfriend's special connection to the late R&B legend, having played her in the 2021 film Respect, that got her involved.
"I told [Jennifer] who it was and then we was discussing. I was like, you know how the light bulb goes off? The light bulb went off. 'Wait, that song makes me feel like Aretha. Jennifer played Aretha. Jennifer, why don't you sing on this?'"
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Immediately, the response from the talk show host was positive. "She's like, 'Oh man, I would love to sing on it.' She was vibing to it."
© Getty ImagesOn another one of the songs off the album, titled "Chi-Town Do It," he even subtly calls his girlfriend his "champion lover," and references the fact that they're both Chicago natives on the track.
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When asked about the blink-and-you'll-miss-it call out on the song, he gushed to the publication: "I am in a great partnership, and, man, [Jennifer] is somebody I do really care about and do love and am growing with. The potential of a 'champion lover' means, 'Yo, you are the one.' I am feeling that. It's a lot of potential there is what I'll say."
© Getty ImagesThe couple have been more open about their relationship ever since they confirmed it during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show back in January, when Common was a guest and confirmed to his girlfriend and host that he wasn't shy about gushing over her.
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"I'm in a relationship with one of the most beautiful people I've ever met in life," he said with pride. "She's smart, she loves god, she has something real down-to-earth about her, she's talented."
© The Jennifer Hudson ShowHe teased her, and confirmed to the world that he was indeed with the Dreamgirls star, by adding: "But I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT, she had to win an Oscar on her first movie, she had to get her own talk show."
