Irv Gotti, founder of Murder Inc. Records, dies at 54

Irv Gotti, who helped shape some of the biggest hip-hop careers of the 2000s, has died at 54. He is credited on tracks by Ja Rule, Jay-Z, Kanye West, DMX, Jennifer Lopez and other giants of the genre.

Born in Queens in 1971 as Irving Lorenzo, Gotti worked as a producer on Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z’s debut album in 1996, under the name DJ Irv.

The rapper renamed him Irv Gotti, “the don of hip-hop” in reference to New York mafioso John Gotti, following the album's success.

The year after, he signed the now Grammy-nominated DMX to rap label Def Jam. DMX's debut, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, sold four million copies, saving the declining label.

“When we were on bended knee, he brought the heat and saved our asses,” said Lyor Cohen, former Def Jam chief executive.

Cohen gave Gotti a record label in reward for his success, which the producer named Murder Inc. He ran it with his brother, Chris.

Gotti went on to produce some of the biggest hip-hop acts through the newly made record label, including Ja Rule and Ashanti. He was awarded a Grammy for his work on Ashanti’s self-titled debut album in 2002.

In 2003, the FBI raided Murder Inc. Records in an investigation into alleged ties to drug lord Kenneth McGriff. Gotti and his brother were charged with money laundering, though they were later acquitted.

Murder Inc. Records was rebranded to The Inc shortly after. While new talent continued to be signed, the charges against Gotti had damaged the label's reputation.

In July 2024, Gotti was sued by an anonymous accuser for sexual assault and rape which allegedly occurred between 2020 and 2022.

He denied the allegations through his lawyer, who said the allegations “represent an affront to women who have truly suffered abuse.”

Gotti is survived by three children, his sisters, brother and his mother.