Music producer who shaped 1990s hip-hop pays tribute

American music producer Irv Gotti, who produced hits for Ja Rule, Ashanti, DMX and Jennifer Lopez, has died at the age of 54. He was best known as the founder of the record label Murder Inc. His signature style of blending hip-hop beats with smooth R&B melodies shaped the sound of the charts in the late 90s and early 2000s, reported by BBC.

He worked as a writer and producer. His multi-platinum hits included the J-Lo and Ja Rule duets Ain’t It Funny and I’m Real, the Ashanti tracks Foolish and Always on Time, and the Fat Joe song What’s Luv?. People get confused because it’s marketed as pop music, but he was making black music first, Irv Gotti himself believed.

Def Jam Records

The cause of death was not reported, but the music mogul had been battling diabetes and suffered a mild stroke in early 2024. At the time, Gotti’s representatives said he had changed his diet and made a full recovery. Irving Lorenzo was born in Hollis, Queens, in 1971. He began his career as a producer for New York MC Mic Geronimo under the stage name DJ Irv.

His big break came when he appeared on Jay-Z’s debut album Reasonable Doubt in 1996. The rapper dubbed him the “don of hip-hop,” renaming him Irv Gotti after mob boss John Gotti. His next move was to sign gravel-voiced rapper DMX to legendary rap label Def Jam Records.

DMX and 50 Cent

The label was in the midst of a difficult situation, losing ground to Sean Combs‘s flashy, flashy Bad Boy Inc. DMX was an antidote to Combs’ street-oriented style. When Gotti became executive producer, his debut album It’s Dark and Hell is Hot sold four million copies in the US and spawned the hip-hop classic Ruff Ryders’ Anthem. It also saved Def Jam’s reputation.

There was also a long-standing feud between Gotti and rap star 50 Cent. After a falling out with him, Gotti rebranded Murder Inc as The Inc. He signed songwriter Vanessa Carlton and continued to release albums, but the label struggled to regain its former glory.