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,

Gotti reportedly suffered from heart-related issues and strokes over the years before he died in February 2025.

Gotti died at age 54 after cofounding Murder Inc. Records with his brother, Chris, in 1998. Irv Gotti, the influential music executive who cofounded Murder Inc. Records — the label that helped launch Ja Rule,