According to sources, Murder Inc. was expelled
from Def Jam Universal’s offices today.
If true, the expulsion puts an exclamation point
on growing tensions between the label and Def Jam.
The most likely reason for the split is due to
an investigation into Murder Inc. and whether or not the label was laundering
Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff’s profits from drug sales.
Both Murder Inc. and McGriff are subjects of
a federal investigation and are also being investigated as possible suspects
in the murder of Jam Master Jay.
"All the slick talk in the world don’t mean
s### if you end up on your head," a source told AllHipHop.com. "THEY
know something or they wouldn’t be flipping on this cat like this. WE emphasize
talk while the white man speaks with his actions."
Sources also said that Murder Inc. affiliates
are being investigated for several murders in Queens, including that of E-Money
Bags, another Queen’s rapper.
E-Money Bags and three other men allegedly pistol
whipped and assaulted Ja-Rule’s manager at a birthday party for Irv Gotti in
2001.
Six months later, two of the four were found
dead, one being E-Money Bags.
Irv Gotti has also taken several shots at Def
Jam’s CEO, Lyor Cohen, most recently in the New York Post.
In that article Gotti said "I make a lot
of money for Lyor, he better listen to me."
That statement came during a trial in which Gotti
held up the recording of the Cash Money Cliq album that was to feature Ja-Rule
for indie label TVT.
TVT is suing Gotti and Def Jam for damages.
In February, Murder Inc. Records executive Chris
Gotti, brother of Murder Inc. was found shot in the leg near the courtyard of
Vivendi/Universal’s offices in Manhattan.
Murder Inc. affialiates are also the main suspects
in the shooting of Violator Records midtown offices as well as the shooting
of Busta Rhyme’s SUV last month.
While Rhymes is not involved in any known dispute
with Murder Inc., he is managed by Violator.
Def Jam refused to comment on any of the allegations.
Murder Inc. was not available despite repeated phone calls to their
office. As of presstime, an answering machine message stated that they
are still housed in the Def Jam offices.
