Music's Biggest Stars Pay Tribute to Irv Gotti

Irv Gotti, the founder of Murder Inc. Record Label and iconic music producer, has passed away.

During his lifetime, Gotti was one of the pioneers of 21st Century Hip-Hop, working with multiple music stars.

Since the confirmation of his passing, several hip-hop stars have paid homage to the iconic producer.

The hip-hop world is mourning after the announcement of the death of the iconic producer and founder of Murder Inc. Record Label, Irv Gotti, aged 54.

During his lifetime, Gotti embodied and promoted hip-hop culture by using his record label to bring the careers of many music stars to life.

Gotti's death was confirmed by Def Jam Records late Wednesday night. However, the cause of his death wasn't stated.

In a post on its social media pages, the record label praised the late music producer for paving the way for the next generation of artists and producers who helped reshape "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. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who were touched by his work," they concluded.

Since his death was confirmed, some of the music industry's biggest stars have paid homage to Gotti.

Controversy-loving rapper Kanye West was one of the first stars to pay tribute to Gotti after his passing.

Ye, who previously collaborated with Gotti on the song "Brothers," shared the news on Instagram with a dove emoji. The rapper has since deleted the post, per Billboard.

Meanwhile, rapper Ja Rule, one of the biggest stars to represent Gotti's Murder Inc., posted a broken heart emoji on his X account.

Empire Records president Tina Davis also shared a heartfelt tribute to Gotti on her Instagram page, writing, "Irving Lorenzo!!! Your creative genius…you! (Two crying emojis) Once again, you have moved us so deeply! You have gone home way too soon! My prayers are with you all, Lorenzo family!"

Apple Music host Ebro Darden paid homage to Gotti on Instagram, writing, "Loved music. Loved HipHop. He was loved. Thank you for your service. #RIPIrvGotti."

Songwriter House of Princess J praised Gotti's impact on music writing on her X account. "Damn.. hate him or love him, you have to respect who & what he brought to the music scene & game; without Murder Inc., there was no Ashanti or Ja Rule hits. Rip Irv Gotti #ripirvgotti #murderinc #ashanti #jarule."

When rumors of Gotti's passing were first reported, 50 Cent was among the first stars to address it.

50 Cent disappointed some of his fans when he poked fun at the state of Gotti's health, as reported by The Blast.

The rapper posted a picture on his Instagram reporting the news of Gotti's being on life support, sarcastically commenting, "D-mm, I wanted him to see my show."

However, after confirmation of Gotti's death, 50 Cent changed his tone.

The G-Unit boss posted a picture of himself smoking next to a grave headstone with the "RIP" inscription on his Instagram with the caption, "I'm smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him LOL."

50 Cent also posted a picture of Gotti on a red carpet.

Gotti, whose real name is Irving Lorenzo, started his career in the music industry as a producer for New York MC Mic Geronimo.

After working on Jay-Z's debut album "Reasonable Doubt," Gotti, who was known at the time as "DJ Irv," was given the moniker "Irv Gotti," a reference to the mafia boss John Gotti.

The producer's talent for excellence was further enhanced when he signed DMX to Def Jam Records, per BBC.

Gotti was the executive producer of DMX's debut album "It's Dark and Hell is Hot," which sold four million copies in the US.

Afterward, Lyor Cohen, then CEO of Dem Jam and currently YouTube's head of music, gave Gotti his label, Murder Inc., which he ran with his brother Chris Gotti.

Murder Inc. Record Label would go on to discover Ashanti, sign Ja Rule, and work with many industry stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Fat Joe, and Kanye West.

Just days before he passed away, Gotti shared an emotional post on his Instagram. The late music mogul shared a painting of himself with his father, Irving Snr.

Gotti captioned the post, "Happy Birthday Poppi. Miss you. And I Love You!!! Your Boy."

During his lifetime, Irving Sr. was a cab driver. He died in November 2020, aged 86, per The Sun.