By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo: PRINCE WILLIAMS/ GETTY IMAGES
Hip-hop mogul Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., best known as Irv Gotti, has passed away at the age of 54.
Gotti has dealt with several strokes in recent years. We are not sure if this was the cause of his death yet.
Gotti produced several important tracks that still make people dance to this day. He produced singles such as “What’s Luv?” by Fat Joe featuring Ja Rule and Ashanti. “Ain’t it Funny” by Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule. “What’s My Name” was performed by the late DMX.
From the late 90s to 2002, Gotti was one of the hottest hip-hop producers. This was especially true in 2001 and 2002, when Murder Inc. was on top of the game, thanks to the two best artists on his label, Ja Rule and Ashanti.
Gotti endured a lot of success as the Founder and CEO of Murder Inc. “Down 4 U” is one of the best songs from the Murder Inc label. The song made a significant impact in the Summer of 2002.
Before Murder Inc., Gotti was the A&R for Def Jam Records. He played a major role in the careers of Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and DMX, who were looking to take over hip-hop after the death of The Notorious B.I.G.
Gotti revealed in an interview on Drink Champs that the original plan of Murder Inc. was to start a group with the three of them, but it never came to fruition.
Jay, DMX, and Ja Rule had mutual respect but were fierce competitors on the mic. Gotti said he went through a lot with the three of them for about 5-7 years because they were so competitive, but he loves all three.
Whether you like or dislike Gotti, he’s an important part of hip-hop history. His death is a big loss for the industry. He had flaws, but his work ethic and legacy should be respected.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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