The producer, who founded the hip-hop label Murder Inc Records, produced nearly 30 Hot 100 hits in the US charts for artists including Ashanti, Ja Rule, Ye, DMX, Fat Joe, Mary J Blige and Jay-Z.
"Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti," Def Jam said.
Leading tributes to the producer, Def Jam Recordings - another record label owned by Universal Music Group - posted on social media, writing that Gotti's work "reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B".
Ja Rule landed his first top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit with Holla Holla from his 1999 debut album Venni Vetti Vecci, while the song Always On Time, which featured both him and Ashanti, became his highest-charting single.
'Visionary' music producer behind nearly 30 chart hits dies aged 54 American music producer Irv Gotti has died at the age of 54.
