Iconic Rap Producer Dies One Year After Suffering Stroke: Irv Gotti Was 54

Sad news for the hip hop community. Irv Gotti, the man responsible for launching the careers of DMX, Ja Rule, and Ashanti has reportedly passed away. Gotti, the founder or Murder Inc Records, has died at the age of 54, a year after suffering a stroke, multiple sites report. Murder Inc. is known as an integral part of commercializing hip hop, merging R&B sound over hip hop beats and records. 

After suffering a stroke last year, the music mogul was forced to walk with a cane, TMZ reports. He also was open about his struggle with diabetes, and his resistance to changing his diet.  

In recent years, Gotti was linked to controversy regarding his “relationship” with Ashanti. He alleges the two were in a sexual relationship, consensually, and she jumped ship when his record label came under federal investigation.  But she claims he used his power to his advantage and created an imbalanced dynamic that forced her into a situationship that would benefit her career. At the time of them being involved, Gotti was married with three children. Ashanti would later fight for the rights to her masters, citing she wrote all songs and helped produce, which he opposed.  

Despite the controversy, Gotti solidified his name in music history. He’s responsible for hits like “Always On Time,” ”I’m Real,” “Down 4 U,” Put It On Me,” and much of Ashanti and Ja Rule’s catalogue, as well as DMX. 

Gotti’s dealings in hip hop date back to Jay Z’s Reasonably Doubt, which he produced his song, “Can I Live.” When Gotti was at Def Jam before getting his own label, he signed DMX and served as executive producer on DMX’s first studio album, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot. He also had a hand in pop music signing Vanessa Carlton to a record deal and producing her 2007 album Heroes & Thieves.

Gotti’s rise was the subject of a 2022 BET documentary, The Murder Inc Story. Ashanti did not participate in the 3-part series.