Irv Gotti-the music producer, the co-founder of hip-hop Label Murder, Inc., and stars like Rule, Ashanti and Lloyd died. He was 54.
Def Jam Recordings, the parent label of Murder, Inc., confirmed Gotti’s death in a contribution to social media on Wednesday evening.
“His contributions to Def Jam as A&R Executive and in collaboration with Murder, Inc., have the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that redesigned the sound landscape of hip-hop and R&B”, “, The label “said in an Instagram contribution.
“His creative genius and unshakable commitment to the culture have caused countless hits and defined an era of music that continues to be resonance at fans worldwide.
“Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and all those who were touched by his work.”
A cause of death was not released, but Gotti suffered a stroke in 2024 and unveiled in the podcast Drink champions In 2023 he fought his diabetes.
Gotti, who was born in New York City as Irving Lorenzo, is seen as one of the forces for the redesign of the hip-hop industry in the 2000s. After he and his brother Christopher Lorenzo had signed success as Executive at Def Jam and signed artists like Rule and DMX, he was in 1998 with the Murder label, Inc ..
Yes Rule became the flagship artist of the label with his debut album They came vegetables. After securing Ashanti as a feature performer at hits like Big Puns How we roll and the Fast and Furious Soundtrack in 2001 produced Gotti in 2003 her debut album and won a Grammy for it.
With Gotti at the top, the yes rule and the collaboration of Ashanti Always on timeIn 2002 the number 1 of the US Billboard Hot 100 charts hit 1st place.
Gotti was known to produce hits that combined hip-hop beats with melodic hooks, including the multi-platinum-ja rule and the Jennifer Lopez collaborations It is not funny And I’m realas well as the thick duet Joe and Ashananti What is LUV?
Throughout his career, Gotti was a producer of artists such as Rule, DMX, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez and Ye, including 28 Charting Hot 100 goal.
Murder, Inc. had his name after Gotti had seen a documentary about the Crew Mob Hitmen of the original Murder, Inc. at the beginning of the 20th century.
“We want to be ‘hit’ in the music business – we want to bring out hits,” said Gotti in an episode in 2024 by TV One’s Uncensored.
The label was involved in feud and legal problems in the mid -2000s and was examined because it had supposedly washed drug money for a notorious crack kingpin, Kenneth (Supreme) Mc handle. Both Gotti and his brother were accused of having washed more than 1 million US dollars over the rap label, but were finally acquitted in 2005.
The bad press led Gotti to drop the word “murder” from the title of the label and changed its name to Inc.
Nevertheless, Gotti never changed the nickname that he shared with the late Gambino family boss John Gotti, from whom he said he was given to him by Jay-Z.
“I won’t change it,” he said about his name.
In 2024, a woman submitted a lawsuit against Gotti and accused the music mogul of sexual assault that she said that he was in a relationship between 2020 and 2022. He denied the allegations and called the lawsuit “unfounded”.
Music community reacts
Music managers and artists reacted to the industry on Thursday and underline Gotti’s effects on the industry.
Yes Rule posted X shortly after burning the news a broken heart -Moji up.
Tina Davis, a music director who heads the Empire record label and worked with Gotti at DEF JAM, shared a homage The producer on Instagram called him “a creative genius” and said “You went home too early!”
Lyor Cohen, a former Def Jam manager who is now a global music leader on YouTube and Google, said: “Def Jam has lost one of his most creative soldiers.”
“He was hip-hop, and when we were on the curved knee, he brought the heat and saved our asses. He comes from a very narrow, beautiful family from Queens and it is an honor and privilege to know him. Irv, You will miss, “said Cohen in an explanation.
