Irv Gotti death: Murder Inc co-founder who worked with Jay-Z and Kanye West dies aged 54

Irv Gotti, the Homicide Inc Information co-founder and producer behind a few of the greatest hits of the Nineties and Noughties, has died aged 54.

His household instructed US media that the Grammy-winning music mogul – who was instrumental within the careers of artists corresponding to Ja Rule, DMX and Ashanti – died on Wednesday (5 February) in New York Metropolis. A reason behind loss of life was not disclosed.

Gotti suffered a “minor stroke” in early 2024, representatives confirmed on the time, however stated he had been “profitable in making a full restoration”.

In a press release on Wednesday night, Def Jam – the label of which Homicide Inc was an imprint – stated it was “deeply saddened” by the information of his loss of life.

“His contributions at Def Jam, as each an A&R govt and in partnership with Homicide Inc, helped pave the way in which for the subsequent era of artists and producers, a power that reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B,” the assertion stated.

Tributes have additionally flooded in on social media.

Kanye West posted a screenshot of an article to his Instagram asserting Gotti’s loss of life and added a white dove emoji within the caption.

50 Cent appeared to reference his long-running feud with Gotti, as he posted a photograph of himself on Instagram by which he’s seen smoking subsequent to a headstone that claims “RIP”.

“I’m smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him LOL,” he wrote.

Born Irving Lorenzo, the youngest of eight kids raised in Hollis, Queens within the Seventies, Gotti – christened as such by Jay-Z – began out as a tastemaker at Def Jam and had an early credit score as DJ Irv on “Can I Stay”, which featured on the rapper’s 1996 debut.

He went on to play an important position in a few of the greatest R&B and hip-hop information of the time, steadily mixing hip-hop beats with R&B melodies to create large crossover successes.

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Amongst them had been Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Actual” ft Ja Rule, Ashanti’s “At all times on Time” (additionally ft Ja Rule) and Ashanti’s debut solo single “Silly”, which spent 10 consecutive weeks at No 1 on the US Billboard 100.

“Folks get confused as a result of it sells like pop music,” he instructed The Guardian in 2002 of his method to working with stars corresponding to Lopez, Eve and Alicia Keys.

“However we make Black music firstly, and all our information [are] ‘hood first’.”

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He co-founded Homicide Inc in New York along with his brother, Chris, in 1998, and later prolonged his manufacturing credit to information by Kanye West, Christina Milian and Fats Joe, in addition to releasing quite a lot of albums beneath his personal title.

He bumped into hassle within the early Noughties attributable to an FBI raid of Homicide Inc’s workplaces into allegations of cash laundering. He and his brother had been charged however in the end acquitted of all expenses.

“Def Jam has misplaced certainly one of its most inventive troopers who was hip-hop,” Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s international head of music who served as chief govt at Def Jam between 1988 to 2004, instructed The Hollywood Reporter.

“Once we had been on bended knee, he introduced the warmth and saved our asses. He comes from a really tight, lovely household from Queens and it’s an honour and a privilege to have identified him. Irv, you’ll be missed.”

Gotti evidently doted on his kids, recurrently sharing photographs of household gatherings. “The older I get the extra I like hanging out with my children… And spoiling them,” he wrote in a submit final yr celebrating his son Jonathan’s birthday.

He had not too long ago celebrated the marriage of his daughter, Angie. On Instagram, he shared an image of their proposal and spoke of his pleasure on the forthcoming nuptials, including: “I’m able to be a grandpa!”

He’s survived by his three kids, Angie, Sonny and Jonathan Wilson; his mom, Nee Nee Lorenzo; sisters Tina and Angie, and his brother Chris.