Irv Gotti, hip-hop mogul and producer, dead at 54
The Queens native responsible for some of hip hop's biggest acts like Ja Rule and Ashanti reportedly passed away Wednesday in New York City.
TMZ has reported that hip hop mogul and record producer Irving Lorenzo, better known to the world as Irv Gotti, has reportedly died in New York City after recently suffering a stroke that led to bleeding of the brain. He was 54.
Irv Gotti was one of the co-founders (along with his brother Chris Lorenzo) of Murder Inc. Records (later rebranded as The Inc. Records), the label responsible for the careers of rappers Ja Rule and singer Ashanti, among others. The label’s output between 1999 and 2003, was era defining and helped hip hop transition further into the pop mainstream.
Prior to founding Murder Inc. in 1999, Irv Gotti was a DJ and record producer (he has a production credit on Jay-Z’s debut album, “Reasonable Doubt”) who became an A&R executive at Def Jam. While at Def Jam, Irv Gotti was instrumental in signing late hip hop legend, DMX, to the label, demonstrating his eye and ear for talent. He served as executive producer for DMX’s debut album, “It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot,” and the megasuccess of that album led to Irv being given his own label deal, under the Def Jam umbrella, for Murder Inc. Records, where Ja Rule — riding the success of several notable feature guest appearances — became the label’s first artist.
The early successes of Ja Rule’s first four albums, all hitting the top 5 of the pop charts, established Murder Inc. as one of the premier hip hop labels of the early aughts. With Ja Rule selling millions of records and releasing chart topping singles and Ashanti doing the same on the R&B side, Irv Gotti’s label was riding high.
A personal beef unrelated to music between the established rapper Ja Rule and hip hop upstart 50 Cent (both Queens natives with ties to street figures) that mushroomed into both musical and real-life skirmishes, would change the trajectory of Murder Inc in 2003. Also, in 2003, the offices of Murder Inc. were raided due to the label’s alleged ties to Queens, New York, drug kingpin Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff; the legal issues related to the raid would effectively bring the label to an end. Irv continued as a music executive working with other artists and moved into movie and film production.
In recent years, Irv Gotti shared his health struggles with diabetes. In an August 2023 interview with rapper Noreaga and DJ EFN on the popular “Drink Champs” podcast, Irv opened up about his battle with diabetes and how it has deteriorated his body. In August 2024, a spokesperson for Irv Gotti released a statement about Irv’s health struggles and confirming that he had a minor stroke early in 2024.
“Irv has been struggling with diabetes for years, which caused him to have a minor stroke over six months ago.” The statement went on to say that Irv Gotti was at home rehabbing with his family.
Hip hop lost one of the producers and executives who helped define an era and a sound for hip hop. Rest in peace to Irv Gotti.
Irv Gotti is survived by three kids, Angie, JJ, Sonny and his estranged wife, Deb.
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