Irv Gotti, the producer and music industry mogul who launched the careers of Ja Rule and Ashanti, has died at the age of 54, according to the Hollywood Reporter and sources close to the situation. A cause of death has not been confirmed, although sources tells Variety that he had suffered a series of strokes in recent months.
Throughout his career, Gotti (born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr.) was a mastermind executive and record producer who shaped the sound of mainstream music at the turn of the century. With his Murder Inc. label, he dominated radio and charts by bridging the divide between pop and rap, serving as a marketing guru and, at the time, one of hip-hop’s most influential figures. Beyond his success as an executive, he also produced countless classic records including Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule’s “I’m Real (Murder Remix),” Ja Rule’s “Always on Time”…
