Irv Gotti of Murder Inc. Records, who shaped Ashanti, Ja Rule’s careers, dies at 54

Murder Inc. artists Ja Rule and Ashanti ruled the Billboard Hot 100 with Gotti with songs like “Always on Time” (2001) and Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?” (2002).

The combination of Ashanti’s honey vocals and slick songwriting with Ja Rule’s gruff delivery was one of the resounding signatures of 2000s pop culture.

The label Murder Inc., founded in 1998 by Gotti and his brother, Chris Gotti, was part of Def Jam. Before that, starting in 1995, it was the name of a hip-hop supergroup whose members were Jay-Z, Ja Rule and DMX.

Gotti helped to launch the mainstream rap careers of all three New York MCs, who hailed from Brooklyn, Queens and Yonkers.

The mogul, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. in Queens, started as an A&R executive for Def Jam.

The Murder Inc. name came from Murder, Inc., the gangster group that was made up of Italian and Jewish gangsters in New York in the 1930s and ’40s. The mobsters put out hits, and Gotti wanted to do the same thing, only with his music.

“Prayers up for the man who started everything!!!!” Vita shared on Instagram Wednesday night, remembering Gotti.

Ja Rule’s 2001 release “Pain is Love,” another No. 1 album that Gotti produced, introduced the No. 1 Jennifer Lopez song “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” and “Always on Time” with Ashanti, marking the beginning of Ja Rule-Ashanti chart domination. The Gotti-produced single “Livin’ it Up,” featuring Case, also hit No. 6.

Gotti lent his touch to the No. 1 Jennifer Lopez song “Ain’t it Funny (Murder Remix)” (2002), featuring Ja Rule and co-written by Ashanti, Gotti and Rule.

As Billboard reports, in 2003, Murder Inc. headquarters was raided by federal authorities who claimed the label was linked to drug lord Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff. Gotti and his brother were found not guilty of conspiracy to launder money and money laundering.

An anonymous woman sued Gotti for alleged rape and sexual assault in 2024, claiming he abused her from 2020 to 2022, during a relationship. Gotti denied the claims.