Condolences out to the family and friends of Nina Simone the 'High Priestess of Soul'. She passed earlier this week in her sleep at age 70 at her home in the South of France. For those who are unfamiliar with Simone she was best known for her songs "My Baby Just Cares for Me" and "I Put A Spell on You". She was better known for the fact that she was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. She was part of the ilk of entertainers who definitely used their star power to bring attention to important causes. In fact after the tragic Ku Klux Klan 'terrorist' bombing of those 4 black school girls in Alabama, she wrote a song called 'Mississippi Goddamn' which attacked the racial politics of the US. In fact it was our ongoing racial problems that eventually led to her leaving the US to live in France.
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Freaky Zeeky of the Diplomats was shot in the stomach after what was described as a traffic dispute in Manhattan. His
partner was killed. Freaky is in the hospital stable condition..

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Murder Inc. executive Dexter Ottley, was taken into custody on Thursday based on authorities finding a .25-caliber gun found on his desk during a search of the record label offices in Manhattan in January. Murder Inc artist Cadillac Tah was also arrested with Otley, however he was not charged with a crime.The arrest is apparently related to the federal government's investigation into Irv Gotti's record label.
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This may just be a rumor, but in what I think is an unprecedented label mate beef, the Roc's State Property (Freeway, Beanie Sigel, and Young Chris) have reportedly recorded a diss track aimed at label mates Cam'ron & the Diplomats. The reportedly freestyle over the beat from "Who Shot Ya." I personally don't think Dame Dash or Jay-Z would allow this kind of descention in the ranks even if there were actual problems between State Property & the Diplomats. I also haven't heard it yet, so I can't vouch for the validity of this track.