Irv Gotti, hip-hop producer and co-founder of Murder, Inc., dead at 54

Irv Gotti — the music producer who co-founded hip-hop label Murder, Inc., and signed stars such as Ja Rule, Ashanti and Lloyd — has died. He was 54. 

Def Jam Recordings, Murder, Inc.’s parent label, confirmed Gotti’s death in a post on social media late Wednesday night. 

“His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R executive and in partnership with Murder, Inc., helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B,” the label said in an Instagram post.

“His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide.

“Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who were touched by his work.”

A cause of death has not been released, but Gotti reportedly suffered a stroke back in 2024, and revealed on the podcast Drink Champs in 2023 that he was struggling with his diabetes. 

Gotti, who was born Irving Lorenzo in New York City, is credited as being one of the forces behind the reshaping of the hip-hop industry in the 2000s. After finding success as an executive at Def Jam, signing artists such as Ja Rule and DMX, he and his brother, Christopher Lorenzo, co-founded the label Murder, Inc. in 1998. 

Ja Rule became the label’s flagship artist, with his debut album Venni Vetti Vecci. After securing Ashanti as a feature performer on hits like Big Pun’s How We Roll and the Fast and Furious soundtrack in 2001, Gotti produced her debut album, winning a Grammy for it in 2003.

With Gotti at the helm, the Ja Rule and Ashanti collaboration Always on Time, hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2002.

Gotti was known for producing hits that combined hip-hop beats with melodic hooks, including the multi-platinum Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez collaborations Ain’t it Funny and I’m Real, as well as the Fat Joe and Ashanti duet What’s Luv? 

Throughout his career, Gotti served as a producer on numerous records by artists such as Ja Rule, DMX, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez and Ye, including 28 charting Hot 100 hits. 

Murder, Inc. got its name after Gotti watched a documentary on the original Murder, Inc. crew of mob hitmen in the early 1900s. 

“In the music business, we want to be ‘hitmen’ — we want to put out hits,” Gotti said in a 2024 episode of TV One’s Uncensored. 

The label became tangled in feuds and legal troubles in the mid-2000s, coming under investigation for allegedly laundering drug money for a notorious crack kingpin, Kenneth (Supreme) McGriff. Both Gotti and his brother were charged with laundering more than $1 million US through the rap label, but were eventually acquitted in 2005. 

The bad press led to Gotti dropping the word “Murder” from the title of the label, changing its name to The Inc.

Still, Gotti never changed the nickname he shared with the late Gambino family boss John Gotti, which he said was given to him by Jay-Z.

“I ain’t going to change it,” he said of his name.

In 2024, a woman filed a lawsuit against Gotti, accusing the music mogul of sexual assault that she said occurred while they were in a relationship between 2020 and 2022. He denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit “baseless.”

Music community reacts

Music executives and artists reacted to the death on Thursday, highlighting Gotti’s impact on the industry. 

Ja Rule posted a broken heart emoji to X shortly after the news broke. 

Tina Davis, a music executive who runs the Empire record label and worked with Gotti at Def Jam, shared a tribute to the producer on Instagram, calling him “a creative genius” and saying “you have gone home waaaay too soon!” 

Lyor Cohen, a former Def Jam executive who is now global head of music at YouTube and Google, said, “Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers.”

“He was hip-hop, and when we were on bended knee, he brought the heat and saved our asses. He comes from a very tight, beautiful family from Queens and it’s an honour and a privilege to have known him. Irv, you will be missed,” Cohen said in a statement.