Gotti, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. in Queens, got his start as a talent scout in the mid-1990s, bringing future superstars DMX and Jay-Z to Def Jam. He was an executive producer on DMX's debut album, and he co-founded the record label Murder, Inc., which helped launch the careers of Ja Rule and Ashanti.

Irv Gotti, the famed music producer, industry executive, and TV producer, has died at the age of 54. Def Jam Recordings, the parent label of Gotti’s Murder Inc. company, confirmed his death, though did not state a cause.