Irv Gotti, the renowned hip-hop producer and label executive who founded Murder Inc. Records—the powerhouse behind many early 2000s rap and R&B hits—has died at 54, according to Def Jam Records, the parent company of Murder Inc. No cause of death was given.
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Born Irving Lorenzo in New York City in 1970, Gotti first rose to prominence as DJ Irv, entertaining local parties before making his mark as a talent scout at Def Jam Records. He played a pivotal role in signing artists such as DMX and produced tracks for landmark projects like Jay-Z’s 1996 debut Reasonable Doubt and DMX’s debut album It’s Dark and Hell is Hot.
Building on his success, Gotti was entrusted with his own label by Lyor Cohen, leading to the creation of Murder Inc., where he worked with notable acts including Ja Rule, Ashanti, and Vanessa Carlton.
In 2003, federal investigators raided Murder Inc.’s New York headquarters as part of an extensive probe into a drug syndicate led by Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff. Although Gotti was accused of laundering money for McGriff, he was later acquitted of federal money laundering and conspiracy charges.
Gotti later launched a new label, Visionary, which incorporated Murder Inc. as a sub-label. Under this banner, he continued to release music by Ja Rule and produced tracks for artists such as The Game, Lil B, and Kanye West.
At this time, details regarding his surviving family members have not been disclosed.
