Irv Gotti Dies at 54: Grammy-Winning Producer for Ashanti and Ja Rule is No More

Irving “Irv Gotti” Lorenzo, a record executive and music producer who helped Ashanti, DMX, and Ja Rule start their careers, passed away at 54.

Irv Gotti Cause of Death:

Irving “Irv Gotti” Lorenzo, a record executive and music producer who helped Ashanti, DMX, and Ja Rule start their careers, passed away at 54.

In a statement released late Wednesday, Def Jam Recordings, the parent business of Murder Inc. at the time of its founding and the place where Gotti served as an executive, confirmed Gotti’s passing. Citing anonymous sources, the Hollywood Reporter, People, and TMZ broke the story on Wednesday without disclosing the cause of death.

According to the statement, Def Jam Recordings and the whole Def Jam family—which includes artists, executives, and staff—are highly grieved by Irv Gotti’s passing.

According to the statement, his work at Def Jam was as an A&R (artists and repertoire) executive in collaboration with Murder. Inc. paved the path for the upcoming generation of producers and performers, a force that changed the hip-hop and R&B soundscape. Numerous successes were born out of his creative creativity and unshakable devotion to the culture, establishing a period of music that still impacts listeners worldwide.

Several R&B and hip-hop musicians who reached the top of the charts in the 1990s and 2000s are credited to the Grammy-winning producer, who also produced songs like “Can I Live” from Jay-Z’s 1996 debut album, “Reasonable Doubt.”

The Queens-born musician and his brother established the Def Jam label Murder Inc. Records in 1998 after a fruitful period of employment with Def Jam when he signed DMX as an artist. Ja Rule’s first album, “Venni Vetti Vecci,” was the label’s first release. It went platinum and was followed by the rapper’s triple-platinum hits “Rule 3:36” (2000) and “Pain Is Love” (2001).

Late on Wednesday, the rapper posted an emoji of a shattered heart on social media. Ashanti’s self-titled debut album, which included the number-one singles “Foolish” and “Baby,” was released by Murder Inc. a year later. At the 45th Grammy Awards, Lorenzo won a Grammy for Best CurrentR&B Album for his producing work on the song.

Later, he recruited singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton to his label and produced her third album, “Heroes and Thieves,” in 2007.

After selling his 50% stake in Murder Inc. while keeping ownership, he got a multi-million dollar sale for his portion of the business in 2022.

Regarding the arrangement, he told Billboard at the time: “I’m a very spiritual guy, and my dad, who died on November 1st, and God are watching out for their grandson. Even if it seems unreal, I would spend all $300 million to win my father back. However, I sense his presence, and he is with me.

“I gave them my past,” he continued. However, I plan to create a fantastic soundtrack for each released film. I’m going to introduce up-and-coming musicians to the general public. I will soon produce their music. I will so construct another (legacy), which I will fully own this time.”

Lorenzo suffered a stroke last year, according to a spokesman who told Channel that Lorenzo “has been struggling with diabetes for years.” On the “Drink Champs” podcast in August 2023, Lorenzo stated, “My diabetes, my number’s been high… “Dad, you can’t do ‘Drink Champs,'” they remarked. I declared that I would not smoke or drink.

In response to a question about whether he had his diabetes “under control,” he said, “What it does is it starts deteriorating your body.” “I’ve been diagnosed with diabetes forever,” he stated. In response to the question of what meals he should avoid, he said, “I’m going to enjoy life.”