Consummate businessman Dame Dash recently revealed that Roc-A-Fella has purchased Pro-Keds Sneaker Company, a footwear staple that was founded in 1949. The State Property shoe, which was promoted by Beanie Sigel, was produced by Pro-Keds and experienced moderate success.

Details and terms of the purchase were not available at press time, but co-CEO Kareem "Biggs" Burke told AllHipHop.com that Pro-Keds had been purchased a few months ago. He also stated that the acquisition would present several new styles in the near future.

In February of 2004, Pro-Keds released the State Property Shoe line in colors to match the clothing line's various outfits.

Sigel said his initial interest in working with Pro-Keds was fueled by childhood memories of wearing the sneakers, which were popular in the Hip-Hop community during the 1970's.

"Pro-Keds are the original sneakers," Sigel said in February of 2004. "Back in the days everyone had Pro-Keds. We grew up with them. These joints are crazy. All kinds of different flavors."

In addition to aspiring to top the sneaker industry, Burke said that Roc Digital, a Roc-A-Fella related enterprise, was developing an MP3 player designed to compete with Apple's industry leading Ipod.

Dash has been expanding his empire, having recently opened Planet Roc, a record label based in England that has already signed UK-based rap group SAS.

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Nelly will become the first rapper to drop two albums on the same day, releasing Sweat and another album, Suit on September 14.

While he is the first rapper to perform such a feat, Bruce Springstein and Guns 'n' Roses also have both dropped two albums on the same day in the past.

"I had so much material that at first I thought about releasing a double CD, but then I thought it would be better to release two albums separately to show fans the best of both sides of Nellyville," Nelly said,

According to Nelly, the Sweat album has more club oriented offerings, while Suit is more "grown and sexy," along the lines of his hit "Dilemma" with Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child.

"When I first came out I was representing my city hard," Nelly added. "Now I'm trying to explain so much more. I think both albums show my growth creatively and personally."

The lead single from Sweat will be Neptunes produced track "Flap Your Wings," while Suit's lead off single "My Place," a re-working of the Teddy Pendergrass hit "Come On And Go With Me."

Sweat and Suit are Nelly's third and fourth studio albums.

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Hip-Hop’s entrepreneurial spirit and its morality have clashed again.

This time, Minister Paul Scott has stepped forward to speak out against Diplomats Cam’ron and Jim Jones’ new liquor, Sizzurp Purple Punch. The minister heads the North Carolina-based Messianic Afrikan Nation and he was also a thorn in Nelly’s business side when the St. Lunatic jumpstarted Pimp Juice, an energy drink.

He found irony in this venture with The Diplomats crew.

"Wasn't a guy named 'Jim Jones' responsible for poisoning those people in Guyana with Purple Punch?” Minister Scott queried.

"The entertainment industry wants to keep us drunk and dancing to our own destruction," says Scott. "The want to turn getting drunk into a Hip Hop national past time."

In the past, Scott offered reasons for his opposition to the promotion of alcohol beverages to African Americans and others in urban communities.

“Alcoholism is a major problem in Black America and its consumption can be traced to many health and other social problems that plague our community,” he said in past statements. “The liquor industry has long targeted the Black community …from the Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull busting through my TV after every video in the ‘90’s to the infamous St. Ides commercials.”

Meanwhile, Cam and the crew are celebrating. The Diplomats released a Limited Edition Mixtape CD & DVD to commemorate the release of Sizzurp. The set features Kanye West, T.I, N.O.R.E, Fab, Game, Papoose, Trick Daddy, J.R. Writer and others.

Scott has not announced any formal boycott. On the musical front, Cam'ron will hit with Purple Haze on July 20 and Jim Jones will release his untitled solo later this summer.