Ashanti has issued a statement to mourn Murder Inc. boss Irv Gotti, who died on Feb. 5 at the age of 54.
The statement showed Ashanti’s grace since her personal relationship with Irv Gotti found a place in public discourse. The two worked closely during Murder Inc.’s height, churning out hit records like “Foolish,” “What’s Love,” “Always on Time” and “Happy.”
However, their professional and personal relationship became strained after Ashanti’s romantic involvement with Nelly, which allegedly led Gotti to attempt to derail her career. Years of tension followed, with the former collaborators having little to no communication. Ashanti declined to participate in Gotti’s Murder Inc. documentary “The Murder Inc. Story” and largely distanced herself from the public conversations surrounding their past.
