The influential label head and record producer Irv Gotti has died at the age of 54.
The cause of Gotti’s death, which was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, is currently unknown.
However, the Murder Inc. Records co-founder (born Irving Lorenzo Jr.) had suffered a what his representative called a ‘minor stroke’ in 2024, around 11 months before his death.
In August, it was revealed that he had suffered the stroke six months earlier as a result of his battle with diabetes.
Gotti raised concerns at the time when he was pictured using a cane to walk.
His representative suggested he was on the upswing, as he had made healthy changes to his diet and was ‘successful in making a full recovery,’ according to TMZ.
The influential label head and record producer Irv Gotti has died at the age of 54. The cause of Gotti’s death, which was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, is currently unknown; seen in 2023 in West Hollywood
Gotti (seen here with Teyana Taylor in Beverly Hills in 2017) was an in-demand producer and songwriter for stars including Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, DMX and Ashanti, among others
The late record executive is best known for co-founding Murder Inc. with his brother Chris Gotti in 1998, but he also proved to be an in-demand producer and songwriter for hits by Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, the late rapper DMZ and Ashanti, among many other A-list hip-hop and R&B figures.
Gotti’s style proved to be commercial gold for many of those artists with crossover appeal in the early 2000s, as he fused radio-friendly melodies with traditional hip-hop beats.
He was involved with high-profile remixes for Jennifer Lopez, among them the Ja Rule–featuring I’m Real remix (2001), which he co-wrote with the rapper and co-produced.
He also co-produced and co-wrote Lopez and Ja Rule’s 2002 single Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix) — which was, confusingly, a completely different song from Lopez’s solo hit Ain’t It Funny (2001), despite sharing the same тιтle.
Ja Rule took a starring turn with Gotti’s help on his hit single Always On Time (2001), which featured guest vocals from Ashanti.
Gotti’s style proved to be commercial gold for many artists with crossover appeal in the early 2000s, as he fused radio-friendly melodies with traditional hip-hop beats; pictured in 2017 in Beverly Hills with DJ Khaled (L) and Andre ‘Dre’ Christopher Lyon (top center)