Irv Gotti, who founded Murder Inc. Records and produced albums for Ja Rule, Ashanti, and DMX, has died. He was 54. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news on February 5. Def Jam Recordings also confirmed Gotti’s death,

Music producer and mogul Irv Gotti, who helped propel Ashanti and Ja Rule to prominence and collaborated with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kanye West, has died. He was 54. A cause of death has not yet been confirmed for the Queens-born co-founder of Def Jam imprint Murder Inc.

Irv Gotti's influence on hip-hop is undeniable. As the co-founder of Murder Inc. Records, he played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of the late '90s and early 2000s, working wi