​Acclaimed hip hop producer and Murder Inc founder Irv Gotti has died aged 54

Legendary hip hop producer and Murder Inc co-founder Irv Gotti has passed away aged 54, his family have confirmed.

Gotti died on Wednesday, February 5, at home in New York City. Murder Inc’s parent label Def Jam confirmed the news on Instagram last night, writing: “Def Jam’s thoughts are with Irv’s family, friends, and all those who were touched by his work.”

“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 wrote.

Though his cause of death was not confirmed, it’s known that Gotti suffered a “minor stroke” in 2024, but was said to be in “full recovery” following the health scare.

Irv Gotti – real name Irving Lorenzo - was born and raised in Queens, New York, where he honed his music career in the early ‘90s working alongside Def Jam to platform then-emerging artists like DMX and Jay-Z, who gave him the name ‘Gotti’.

Gotti was then invited to launch his own imprint under the label, which he coined Murder Inc, later becoming a home to artists including Ashanti, Ja Rule, Charli Baltimore, and many more.

Outside of his label work, Gotti produced music for many other artists, and went multi-platinum on hit tracks from J-Lo, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, and Ashanti throughout his illustrious career.

“His creative genius and unwavering to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide,” Def Jam wrote in a statement.

Read some tributes below.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter