Nick Ashford, one half of the duo Ashford & Simpson succumbed to throat cancer yesterday in New York Hospital. He was 69. Along with wife Valerie Simpson, the tandem penned classics “Solid As A Rock†and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enoughâ€. In terms of hip-hop, their music has been sampled by the likes of 50 Cent and Murs. He’s survived by his wife and two daughters.