Turn the lights down and fire up a few candles ... 'cause we're gonna talk about a tax lien against the sexiest couple around ... Robin Thicke and Paula Patton. 

As TMZ first reported, the sexy couple was behind on their taxes to the tune of $492,583.49.

A rep for the couple told TMZ they were working to pay it off ... and it seems they kept their sexy word. According to new docs from the L.A. County Recorder's Office, the lien has been lifted.

Stay sexy.

Robin Thicke and his wife made a BLOODY FORTUNE in 2009 and 2010 ... problem is, they forgot to share the love with the federal government ... and now Uncle Sam has issued a lien on their property.

According to official documents filed in L.A. ... Thicke and his super-hot actress wife Paula Patton owe the government $492,583.49 for failing to pay income taxes two years in a row.

Patton isn't just a pretty face ... she received critical acclaim for her role in 2009's "Precious" and co-starred with Tom Cruise in the 2011 flick "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol."

But a rep for the Thicke family tells TMZ ... the couple is aggressively trying to fix the problem ... telling us, "They've already paid more than half of this and they're working with the IRS to pay the rest."

Robin Thicke has been arrested for marijuana possession in New York City ... this according to law enforcement.

According to law enforcement, 34-year-old Thicke was busted this afternoon in Manhattan near Madison Square Park -- after police claim they saw the singer lighting up a joint inside a black SUV.

Sources tell TMZ, Robin was extremely cooperative -- and even signed a couple autographs.

Thicke was given a desk appearance ticket and released soon after. A rep for Robin Thicke had no comment.

Fun fact: Robin is the son of actor Alan Thicke, who played Jason Seaver on "Growing Pains."

Count Robin Thicke among those who think President Barack Obama killed it when he sung Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" ... in fact, Robin told our photog last night he'd jump at the chance to sing alongside the Prez. 

Obama dropped a few notes of the classic song (see below) during an event Thursday night. TMZ spoke with Al Green, who was in attendance, and he called Obama's singing "terrific."

Al Sharpton took it a step further yesterday, when he told our photog he thought Barack's singing would be good for re-election.

Maybe Al could be his running mate.

Robin Thicke doesn't believe there's such a thing as a frugal rapper -- and we've figured out why! Makin' it rain = TAX DEDUCTION ... or, at least ... it should.

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With wife Paula Patton nowhere in sight, R&B singer Robin Thicke showed off his daddy day care skills by roaming SoHo with his adorable four-month-old son Julian on Thursday.


Who wouldn't want to fall asleep in his arms?

Amy Poehler screamed "I'm a Red Sox fan!" to shocked Yankee supporters yesterday in New York -- at least she was in the safety of her car!

Also in NY: Natalie Portman walked a dog that didn't piss all over her, Steve Guttenberg was in need of a hot hookup, Jason Lewis swapped spit with our photog and Mariah Carey was her usual diva self.

In L.A.: Lindsay Lohan dodged questions about her slip from sobriety, P!nk was out in Malibu with her new dude, Paula Abdul ate out with Simon's girlfriend, Simon dined elsewhere, Reese Witherspoon was boxed in by the paps and Denise Richards thought our camera was actually filming her for her reality show.

For Grammy-nominated hottie singer Robin Thicke, Christmas shopping at Kitson Kids is clearly more important than global warming. Bah-humbug!


TMZ caught the R&B celebuspawn singer and actress/wife Paula Patton doing some holiday shopping on Robertson Blvd. yesterday -- when they were approached by one of those save-the-world-types -- and paps snapped away.

Check out their reaction. Would Captain Planet approve? The power is yours!

Hang on tight -- its about to get racial up in here. TMZ has learned that 2007 could be the first year that a white musician wins a Black Entertainment Television Award ... besides Michael Jackson.

Platinum-selling superstar Robin Thicke has been nominated for two BET Awards: Best Male R&B Artist, and his song "Lost Without You" is up for a Viewer's Choice Award. Only two other white artists have ever even been nominated for a BET Award -- Justin Timberlake and Eminem -- but neither of them took home the prize. Could Robin break down the BET color barrier?!

The competition is thick; Thicke is up against Akon, John Legend, Gerald Levert, and Ne-Yo for Best Male, and competing with Beyonce, Birdman & Lil' Wayne, Bow Wow featuring Chris Brown, Ciara and UNK for the Viewer's Choice.

The BET Awards will be live from The Shrine in Los Angeles, Tuesday, June 26.