This summer, the Black Eyed Peas announced they were going on hiatus. “This isn’t going to be the last time you’ll see us,” Fergie promised.

And I guess that was true, technically…!

MediaTakeOut has a hot, unconfirmed tip—take it or leave it—that Fergie is leaving the Black Eyed Peas. I know!!!

But that isn’t all, you guys. Rumor also has it, the Black Eyed Peas have a replacement already lined up: Grammy-award winning singer Ashanti.

Obviously, if all this is true, it is such a bad move on Fergie’s part—Fergie is inimitable!—but I can totally respect that she wants to start a family.

And good on Ashanti! Wow! She’s kept a really low profile these last few years, and the Black Eyed Peas could honestly jumpstart her career again. In the meantime, the Black Eyed Peas are getting mmmmaybe a little stale, and Ashanti could be just the dose of ready talent they need.

On Tuesday, America threw conservative politics out the window.

Ashanti followed suit by throwing conservative dresses out the window, too. This is what she wore for the Hip Hop Summit Inaugural Ball in DC.

She looks sexy as hell from the front, but this isn’t really the kind of dress that you pose for a side shot while wearing, honey.

And, yeah, dude, that’s Bow Wow she’s posing with in the first shot.

The singer turned 27 on October 13, and celebrated in Atlanta with pals Nelly and Jermaine Dupri.

Wow, 27 whole years without a DUI, a crotch shot or a SCRAM bracelet. And somewhere in all that legal, respectable activity, she managed to win a Grammy and be the first female to have three singles in the Billboard Hot 100 in the same week.

Tragically, this means the only time we write about her is on her birthday.

Oh well. Still better than jail. Or is it?