Reports out of Los Angeles indicate that “Soul Train” creatorDon Cornelius was found dead in his Sherman Oaks home. he was75.

Law enforcement officials in Los Angeles are reporting thatCornelius died around 4 a.m. of a self-inflicted gunshot to thehead. The Los Angeles Police Department has ruled out foul play andare continuing their investigation.

Cornelius is famous for hosting the long-running Black danceshow “Soul Train.” The program ran for 35 years with Corneliushosting the show from its premier in 1971 to 1993. his most recentappearance was in 2009 on the BET Awards.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who was a longtime friend of Cornelius,said in a statement that the world has lost a legend.

“He brought soul music and dance to the world in a way that ithad never been shown and he was a cultural game changer on a globallevel,” Sharpton said. “Had it not been for Don Cornelius we wouldnot have ever transcended from the Chitlin circuit to becomemainstream cultural trendsetters.”

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