Don Cornelius who was the creator of the TV hit “Soul Train” passed away early Wednesday morning. Reportedly, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 75 years old. Officers responded to a call and arrived at Cornelius’ home around 4am early Wednesday morning. He was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Cornelius introduced “Soul Train” in the 70s and it aired nationally until 2006. The show featured so many great artists in history such as the Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and many more. Cornelius was the show’s executive producer and its host from 1971-1993. In addition to the dance program, the franchise included the Soul Train Music Awards.

I know I remember watching Soul Train on Saturdays when I was younger and the Soul Train line is a favorite at various parties, events etc. May he rest in peace. Check out a video of the Soul Train Line after the break!

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Singer Etta James who was known for her powerhouse voice, as well as her hit song “At Last” passed away earlier today at Riverside Community Hospital (Riverside, CA) due to complications with Leukemia. Her husband and two sons were by her side when she passed. She was 73 years old. Her longtime manager Lupe De Leon announced the sad news and reportedly she also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C. He stated the following about her passing:

“This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world,” De Leon said. “She was a true original who could sing it all — her music defied category.”

“I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always.”

Beyoncé who played Etta James in the 2008 film “Cadillac Records” posted the following about James’ death on her website:

“This is a huge loss. Etta James was one of the greatest vocalists of our time. I am so fortunate to have met such a queen. Her musical contributions will last a lifetime,” Beyonce wrote. “Playing Etta James taught me so much about myself, and singing her music inspired me to be a stronger artist. When she effortlessly opened her mouth, you could hear her pain and triumph. Her deeply emotional way of delivering a song told her story with no filter. She was fearless, and had guts. She will be missed.”

May she rest in peace.

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Almost two months after Dwight “Heavy D” Arrington Myers’ death, the results from his autopsy have been revealed. Reportedly, Heavy D died from a pulmonary embolism, (a blood clot) in his lung caused by deep leg vein thrombosis. The blood clot may have formed as result of him traveling on a long flight from Britain to the United States. Heavy D also had heart disease which may have been another contributing factor in his death. On November 8, 2011 Heavy D collapsed in his walkway outside of his Beverly Hills home and later died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. He was 44 years old.

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The verdict is in! Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. As you may recall, on June 25, 2009 Michael Jackson died from a lethal injection of Propofol that was administered by Dr. Conrad Murray. The 12 jurors unanimously agreed (after 9 hours of deliberation) that Dr. Conrad Murray was responsible for Michael Jackson’s death. He was denied bail and remanded into custody until his sentencing on November 29, 2011. He faces a sentence of probation, 4 years in jail and a revoked medical license.

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A few months after her passing, Amy Winehouse’s cause of death has been officially revealed. According to reports, Amy died from accidental alcohol poisoning. On Wednesday, Coroner Suzanne Greenaway gave a verdict of “death by misadventure.” Her alcohol blood level was more than five times over the legal drunk driving limit. Amy was found dead in her London home on July 23, 2011 at the age of 27. May she rest in peace.

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Yesterday, news broke that Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56 years old. He was also the co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios which created films such as Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, and Cars. Steve Jobs and his friend Steve Wozniak founded Apple in 1976. He is responsible for creating innovative gadgets such as the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and iMac. Steve was a great visionary and his legacy will live on through his inventions that changed the world.

Apple released a statement yesterday on the death of Steve Jobs saying the following:

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today. Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.”

As I am sure you all know by now, Amy Winehouse passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at her home in Camden, London. She was 27 years old. The singer had a long history of drug addiction and had recently checked out of rehab. However, the cause of death is still “unexplained” and a post mortem exam (autopsy) is scheduled for the earlier part of this week.

Janis (Amy Winehouse’s mom), saw the singer the day before she passed away. Janis told The Daily Mirror that the singer seemed ‘out of it’ and that her passing was a ‘matter of time.’

“She seemed out of it. But her passing so suddenly still hasn’t hit me,” she told the paper, saying that Amy told her that she loved her, and that she’d treasure those words forever.

May she rest in peace.

A couple of days ago, Nicki Minaj tweeted that her cousin Nicholas Telemaque was killed over the July 4th holiday weekend. According to reports, Nicholas died as a result of suffering multiple gunshots wounds to the upper torso. He was shot shortly after leaving C-PAC nightclub in Brooklyn, NY. The shooting is currently under investigation and may have been a case of mistaken identity. So far, the police do not have a suspect in custody. We send our condolences to Nicki Minaj and the entire family.

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