Irv Gotti, the legendary hip-hop producer and founder of the Murder Inc. record label, has passed away at the age of 54. As reported tonight by the Hollywood Reporter, the cause of the legendary music mogul's death remains unknown. His passing comes after the hip-hop and R&B legend suffered a stroke and was admitted to a recovery centre, according to hip-hop manager and record executiveWack100, who spoke to TMZ in August 2024.
Wack100 also claimed to have a photo of Irv Gotti using a cane and noted that he had "lost a lot of weight.". A representative from Irv's team explained that the music producer had been "struggling with diabetes for years, which caused him to have a minor stroke over six months ago.". The rep further stated that Irv "had since changed his diet to eating more healthy. He's been successful in making a full recovery. Irv is not in a rehab facility. He is at home with his family, enjoying life.".
Irv co-founded Murder Inc. with his brother Chris Gotti in 1998 and also became a popular producer and hitmaker for Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, the late rapper DMZ and Ashanti, among other top hip-hop and R&B figures. His unique style saw him combine traditional hip-hop beats with radio-friendly melodies to help the big names gain crossover appeal in the early 2000s. One of his high-profile remixes was 'I'm Real' for Jennifer Lopez, which featured the rapper Ja Rule, who co-produced and co-wrote the hit.
Meanwhile when Jennifer Lopez teamed up with Ja Rule for the 'Murder Remix' of 'Ain't It Funny', Irv was co-producer and co-writer on that hit too. (Not to be confused with Jennifer's solo hit Ain't It Funny, which happens to share the same name.). One of the biggest songs of 2001 was Ja Rule's Always On Time which featured the late singer Ashanti and was produced by Gotti, while Gotti worked on several of Ashanti's solo hits after he discovered her as a teenager and signed her to his label Murder Inc. Records. Ja Rule was also signed to the label at the time and their hits and others helped the label shift 30 million units globally.
Before he co-founded Murder Inc., Gotti was vital in getting megastar rappers Jay Z and DMX to sign with Def Jam Records, when he worked in the label's A&R division. DMX died in 2021. Before he signed Jay-Z, Irv had produced one of the songs - Can I Live - from the then-fledgling rapper's 1997 debut LP Reasonable Doubt. Meanwhile DMX's smash-hit debut It's Dark and Hell Is Hot had Irv as executive producer.
It was thanks to the clout and fame from these hits that Irv found himself able to co-found Murder Inc. as a subsidiary of Def Jam, in 1998. The label is now named The Inc., a softening name change that coincided with a drop in its fortunes, with follow-up releases for Ashanti and Ja Rule underperforming before big names left the label one by one. During an appearance on the Drink Champs podcast in August 2023, Irv openly discussed his health struggles, revealing that his diabetes had begun "deteriorating" his body and he didn't have his condition under control despite having it "forever.".
He confessed that his illness was "hereditary," and admitted that he wasn't consistent with taking his insulin. Following the news of his death, musicians and celebrities, including rapper 50 Cent, took to social media to address reports that Irv was on life support shortly before he died. Sharing a screenshot of a report claiming Irv was "on life support" with loved ones gathering for final goodbyes, the 'Wanksta' rapper posted: "Damn I wanted him to see my new shows yo!", as reported by the Mirror US.
Meanwhile, Russell Simmons, the record executive who co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, shared the same update, adding that he's "praying" for Irv's "full recovery.". The Def Jam Recordings founder “fun,” “inspired” and “good hearted person,” noting that those his “age and younger … are seeing the effects of toxic food and a toxic environment.”. Irv was formerly married to Debbie Lorenzo from the early 2000s to 2013, and the ex couple share three kids, Angie, and sons JJ and Sonny.
