Murder Inc. founder Irv Gotti has passed away at 54, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

There were reports that he suffered a second stroke earlier on February 5th. Irv was a force in the hip-hop world, working with artists like Ja Rule, Ashanti, DMX, and Jay-Z. He was responsible for crafting multi-platinum hits like Ja Rule’s “Always On Time” and Ashanti’s “Foolish” while at the head of Murder Inc. Irv also produced “Can I Live” on Jay-Z’s 1996 Reasonable Doubt debut, and served as executive producer on DMX’s 1998 It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot. 

Despite Murder Inc’s massive success, Irv and his brother Chris Lorenzo were charged with money laundering and conspiracy to launder money by the FBI in 2005. However, they were acquitted of the charges in December of the same year. In recent years, Gotti had reinvented himself by getting into television with BET’s “Tales,” which was highly popular, as it was a blend of hip-hop and storytelling. Irv was the executive producer of “The Murder Inc. Story,” a five-part 2022 docuseries that chronicled the label’s timeline. 

As members of the Hip-Hop community are mourning the death of Irv Gotti, Murder Inc. co-founder, tributes flooded in from the Hip-Hop world. Artists, industry peers, and fans took to social media to honour his influence on the music industry. 

Irv Gotti helped launch Ja Rule’s career at Murder Inc., collaborating with him for over a decade to create numerous hit songs. The rapper shared his grief on social media although he was not ready to make a full statement. He posted a single broken heart emoji on Twitter after Gotti’s death was announced.

He is survived by his three children: Angie, and sons JJ and Sonny.Â