Latest news with #VenniVettiVecci
CBC
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Irv Gotti, hip-hop producer and co-founder of Murder, Inc., dead at 54
Irv Gotti — the music producer who co-founded hip-hop label Murder, Inc., and signed stars such as Ja Rule, Ashanti and Lloyd — has died. He was 54. Def Jam Recordings, Murder, Inc.'s parent label, confirmed Gotti's death in a post on social media late Wednesday night. "His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R executive and in partnership with Murder, Inc., helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B," the label said in an Instagram post. "His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who were touched by his work." A cause of death has not been released, but Gotti reportedly suffered a stroke back in 2024, and revealed on the podcast Drink Champs in 2023 that he was struggling with his diabetes. Gotti, who was born Irving Lorenzo in New York City, is credited as being one of the forces behind the reshaping of the hip-hop industry in the 2000s. After finding success as an executive at Def Jam, signing artists such as Ja Rule and DMX, he and his brother, Christopher Lorenzo, co-founded the label Murder, Inc. in 1998. Ja Rule became the label's flagship artist, with his debut album Venni Vetti Vecci. After securing Ashanti as a feature performer on hits like Big Pun's How We Roll and the Fast and Furious soundtrack in 2001, Gotti produced her debut album, winning a Grammy for it in 2003. With Gotti at the helm, the Ja Rule and Ashanti collaboration Always on Time, hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2002. Gotti was known for producing hits that combined hip-hop beats with melodic hooks, including the multi-platinum Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez collaborations Ain't it Funny and I'm Real, as well as the Fat Joe and Ashanti duet What's Luv? Throughout his career, Gotti served as a producer on numerous records by artists such as Ja Rule, DMX, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez and Ye, including 28 charting Hot 100 hits. Murder, Inc. got its name after Gotti watched a documentary on the original Murder, Inc. crew of mob hitmen in the early 1900s. "In the music business, we want to be 'hitmen' — we want to put out hits," Gotti said in a 2024 episode of TV One's Uncensored. The label became tangled in feuds and legal troubles in the mid-2000s, coming under investigation for allegedly laundering drug money for a notorious crack kingpin, Kenneth (Supreme) McGriff. Both Gotti and his brother were charged with laundering more than $1 million US through the rap label, but were eventually acquitted in 2005. The bad press led to Gotti dropping the word "Murder" from the title of the label, changing its name to The Inc. Still, Gotti never changed the nickname he shared with the late Gambino family boss John Gotti, which he said was given to him by Jay-Z. "I ain't going to change it," he said of his name. In 2024, a woman filed a lawsuit against Gotti, accusing the music mogul of sexual assault that she said occurred while they were in a relationship between 2020 and 2022. He denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit "baseless." Music community reacts Music executives and artists reacted to the death on Thursday, highlighting Gotti's impact on the industry. Ja Rule posted a broken heart emoji to X shortly after the news broke. Tina Davis, a music executive who runs the Empire record label and worked with Gotti at Def Jam, shared a tribute to the producer on Instagram, calling him "a creative genius" and saying "you have gone home waaaay too soon!" Lyor Cohen, a former Def Jam executive who is now global head of music at YouTube and Google, said, "Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers." "He was hip-hop, and when we were on bended knee, he brought the heat and saved our asses. He comes from a very tight, beautiful family from Queens and it's an honour and a privilege to have known him. Irv, you will be missed," Cohen said in a statement.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Irv Gotti, the founder of Murder Inc Records behind hits with Ashanti and Ja Rule, dies aged 54
American music producer Irv Gotti has died at the age of 54. The producer, who founded the hip-hop label Murder Inc Records, produced nearly 30 Hot 100 hits in the US charts for artists including Ashanti, Ja Rule, Ye, DMX, Fat Joe, Mary J Blige and Jay-Z. His death was confirmed by his children - Angie, Sonny and JJ - who posted on his official Instagram page to say that he died on 5 February "surrounded by his family and friends". Describing their father as an "incredible man" and "true visionary", they said he will "leave behind a legacy that will forever resonate in the hearts of those who knew him and the countless lives he touched". "As we navigate this difficult time, we kindly ask for privacy while we grieve the loss of our dad, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We take comfort in knowing that his spirit will live on through his music and the love he shared with all of us," the family statement added. Gotti's cause of death has not been revealed. After founding Murder Inc in 1998, Gotti signed Ashanti and Ja Rule as the record label's first artists. Ja Rule landed his first top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit with Holla Holla from his 1999 debut album Venni Vetti Vecci, while the song Always On Time, which featured both him and Ashanti, became his highest-charting single. Meanwhile, Ashanti's 2002 debut single, Foolish, made her only the second artist to simultaneously occupy spots in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with her first three charting singles. The label's success skyrocketed, and between 1999 and 2005 Ja Rule had a total of 17 Hot 100 hits. Leading tributes to the producer, Def Jam Recordings - another record label owned by Universal Music Group - posted on social media, writing that Gotti's work "reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B". "Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti," Def Jam said. "His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R executive and in partnership with Murder Inc, helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B. "His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture behind countless hits, defined an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide." Read more from Sky News: Ja Rule also posted, sharing two images, one featuring them together, with the caption: "Love you." 50 Cent, who appeared to reference his long-running feud with Gotti, also paid tribute, posting a picture of himself smoking next to a gravestone that read RIP.
Sky News
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Irv Gotti, the founder of Murder Inc Records behind hits with Ashanti and Ja Rule, dies aged 54
American music producer Irv Gotti has died at the age of 54. The producer, who founded the hip-hop label Murder Inc Records, produced nearly 30 Hot 100 hits in the US charts for artists including Ashanti, Ja Rule, Ye, DMX, Fat Joe, Mary J Blige and Jay-Z. His death was confirmed by his children - Angie, Sonny and JJ - who posted on his official Instagram page to say that he died on 5 February "surrounded by his family and friends". Describing their father as an "incredible man" and "true visionary", they said he will "leave behind a legacy that will forever resonate in the hearts of those who knew him and the countless lives he touched". "As we navigate this difficult time, we kindly ask for privacy while we grieve the loss of our dad, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We take comfort in knowing that his spirit will live on through his music and the love he shared with all of us," the family statement added. Gotti's cause of death has not been revealed. After founding Murder Inc in 1998, Gotti signed Ashanti and Ja Rule as the record label's first artists. Ja Rule landed his first top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit with Holla Holla from his 1999 debut album Venni Vetti Vecci, while the song Always On Time, which featured both him and Ashanti, became his highest-charting single. Meanwhile, Ashanti's 2002 debut single, Foolish, made her only the second artist to simultaneously occupy spots in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with her first three charting singles. The label's success skyrocketed, and between 1999 and 2005 Ja Rule had a total of 17 Hot 100 hits. Leading tributes to the producer, Def Jam Recordings - another record label owned by Universal Music Group - posted on social media, writing that Gotti's work "reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B". "Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti," Def Jam said. "His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R executive and in partnership with Murder Inc, helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B. "His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture behind countless hits, defined an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide." Ja Rule also posted, sharing two images, one featuring them together, with the caption: "Love you." 50 Cent, who appeared to reference his long-running feud with Gotti, also paid tribute, posting a picture of himself smoking next to a gravestone that read RIP.
NBC News
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Irv Gotti, music producer and Murder Inc. founder, dead at 54
Irv Gotti, a famed music producer and founder of the hip-hop label Murder Inc., died, the record label's distributor Def Jam said in a statement. He was 54. "Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti," the music company said in a post on Instagram. Murder Inc. produced superstars Ashanti and Ja Rule, the label's first artist. Ja Rule landed his first top 40 Billboard Hot 100 with "Holla Holla" from his 1999 debut album "Venni Vetti Vecci," reported. The label's success skyrocketed, and between 1999 and 2005 Ja Rule had 17 total Hot 100 hits. In 2002, Ashanti's hit "Foolish" exploded, spending 10 weeks at the top of the Hot 100 chart, according to Billboard. Ja Rule's "Always on Time" and Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" — both of which featured Ashanti — also became chart toppers. Gotti produced nearly 30 Hot 100 hits for artists including Ashanti, Ja Rule, Ye, DMX, Fat Joe, Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z, Billboard reported. In 2003, he won a Grammy for co-producing Ashanti's debut studio album. Def Jam said Gotti's contributions "helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip hop and R&B." "His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide," Def Jam said. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who were touched by his work."
USA Today
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Irv Gotti, Grammy-winning producer for Ashanti and Ja Rule, dies at 54
Hear this story Record executive and music producer Irving "Irv Gotti" Lorenzo, who helped launch music careers for Ashanti, DMX and Ja Rule, has died at 54. Def Jam Recordings, where Gotti worked as an executive and Murder Inc.'s parent company when it was founded, confirmed Gotti's death in a statement late Wednesday. The Hollywood Reporter, People and TMZ reported the news Wednesday, citing unnamed sources, and did not share a cause of death. "Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti," Def Jam said in the statement. "His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R (artists and repertoire) executive and in partnership with Murder. Inc., helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip hop and R&B," the statement read. "His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide." USA TODAY has reached out to Lorenzo's company, Visionary Ideas, and his brother, Chris "Gotti" Lorenzo, for comment. Remembering those we lost: Celebrity Deaths 2025 The Grammy-winning producer is credited with the rise of several chart-topping R&B and hip-hop artists in the '90s and 2000s and has producer credits on songs such as the 1996 track "Can I Live" off Jay-Z's debut album, "Reasonable Doubt." Following a successful stint working for Def Jam, where he signed DMX as an artist, the Queens-born talent and his brother founded the Def Jam imprint Murder Inc. Records in 1998. The first album the label released was Ja Rule's debut album, "Venni Vetti Vecci," which went on to achieve platinum status and was followed by the rapper's triple-platinum records "Rule 3:36" (2000) and "Pain Is Love" (2001). The rapper shared a broken heart emoji on social media late Wednesday. A year later, Ashanti's self-titled debut album, featuring chart-toppers "Foolish" and "Baby," was released by Murder Inc. For his production credits on the record, Lorenzo earned a Grammy for best contemporary R&B album at the 45th Grammy Awards. He later signed singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton to his label and helped produce her third album, 2007's "Heroes and Thieves." In 2022, he scored a multi-million dollar deal for his share in Murder Inc. after selling his 50% share in the company while retaining ownership. Of the deal, he told Billboard at the time: "I'm a very spiritual person, and it's God and my dad who passed away on Nov. 1 looking out for their boy. It's very surreal, but I would give every dollar of the $300 million to get my dad back. But he's with me and I feel his presence." He added, "I gave them my past. But I know I'm about to produce a great soundtrack for every movie that comes out. I'm about to break new artists (into the mainstream). I'm about to produce their music. So I'm going to build another (legacy), and this time I own 100 percent." Irv Gotti felt diabetes was 'deteriorating' his body Last year, TMZ reported that Lorenzo experienced a stroke, citing a representative who said Lorenzo "has been struggling with diabetes for years." In an August 2023 interview on the "Drink Champs" podcast, Lorenzo said, "My diabetes, my number's been high. ... They said, 'Dad, you can't do 'Drink Champs.' I said I ain't going to drink or smoke. "What it does is it starts deteriorating your body," he explained, answering "no" when asked whether he has his diabetes "under control." "I've been diagnosed with diabetes forever," he said. After being asked about which foods he should be avoiding, he added, "I'm going to enjoy life."
