Irv Gotti, the producer and music industry mogul who launched the careers of Ja Rule and Ashanti, has died at the age of 54, according to the Hollywood Reporter and sources close to the situation. A cause of death has not been confirmed, although sources tells Variety that he had suffered a series of strokes in recent months.
Throughout his career, Gotti (born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr.) was a mastermind executive and record producer who shaped the sound of mainstream music at the turn of the century. With his Murder Inc. label, he dominated radio and charts by bridging the divide between pop and rap, serving as a marketing guru and, at the time, one of hip-hop’s most influential figures. Beyond his success as an executive, he also produced countless classic records including Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule’s “I’m Real (Murder Remix),” Ja Rule’s “Always on Time” featuring Ashanti, and Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?”
A Queens, NY native, Gotti got his start in the music industry as a DJ and producer with early credits on Jay-Z’s “Can I Get A…” and Foxy Brown’s “Hot Spot.” He served as executive producer on DMX’s groundbreaking 1998 debut album “It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot” and the soundtrack for the 1998 film “Belly,” prompting music executive Lyor Cohen to give him his own label under the Def Jam umbrella.
Following his tenure as A&R at Def Jam, Gotti co-founded Murder Inc. with his brother Chris Gotti in 1998 and released Ja Rule’s debut album “Venni Vetti Vecci” the following June. That album became a massive smash for both Ja Rule and Gotti, who executive produced the album and helmed every song on the project.
Murder Inc. swiftly emerged as a turn-of-the-millennium answer to Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records, with Gotti appearing in music videos and popping up on records. In Oct. 2000, Ja Rule released “Rule 3:36” with Gotti returning as executive producer for the project and acting producer for nearly the entire album. The project ushered in a mainstream renaissance for Gotti, who signed Ashanti the following year and released her eponymous chart-topping debut in 2002. He then took a victory lap with “Irv Gotti Presents: The Inc.,” a compilation record showcasing artists from the label including Charli Baltimore, Vita and Cadillac Tah.
Murder Inc.’s vice grip on mainstream music slipped after federal agents raided its offices on suspicion of drug money laundering in Jan. 2003, and took a reputational hit after Ja Rule engaged in a career-bruising beef with 50 Cent. Gotti rebranded the label as The Inc. in Dec. 2003, releasing albums from Lloyd and Ashanti in the years that followed.
Yet, after signing to Universal Motown in 2006, Gotti’s label struggled as artists started leaving the imprint. In Sept. 2013, he rebranded The Inc. as Visionary, and four years later revived Murder Inc. in a partnership with 300 Entertainment. In June 2022, he shared a video on Instagram claiming that he signed a $300 million deal with brand management company Iconoclast to sell them 50 percent of his Murder Inc. masters.
Last year, Gotti suffered a minor stroke related to his years-long struggle with diabetes. During an appearance on Drink Champs, he described how diabetes “starts deteriorating your body” and said that he used insulin from “time to time,” but noted that he did not have his diabetes under control.
