Ashanti is opening up following the death of Irv Gotti. On Friday (Feb. 7), the R&B star shared a heartfelt tribute on social media to honor the Murder Inc. Records founder after his passing. "I can't believe things ended like

Ashanti is setting the record straight about her alleged relationship with Irv Gotti. “Let’s clear this up,” Ashanti told Angie Martinez on the IRL podcast on October 26. “We dealt with each other, but was Irv my boyfriend? Was I his girlfriend? Never. Irv had several girlfriends, so I’m a little confused by the label and the description.”

Ashanti put her differences aside with Irv Gotti to mourn the passing of the founder of Murder Inc., who died at 54.

Before launching Murder Inc. in New York City in 1998, Gotti worked as an A&R at Def Jam, where he helped bring DMX, Jay-Z and Ja Rule to the label. Under the moniker DJ Irv, he produced the song “Can I Live” from Jay-Z’s 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt.

Gotti reportedly suffered from heart-related issues and strokes over the years before he died in February 2025.

Irv Gotti, the producer and music industry mogul who launched the careers of Ja Rule and Ashanti, has died at the age of 54, according to the Hollywood Reporter and sources close to the situation. A cause of death has not been confirmed, although sources tells Variety that he had suffered a series of strokes in recent months.

Irv Gotti, the music executive, songwriter and producer behind the reign of hip-hop and R&B stars Ja Rule and Ashanti in the early 2000s, has died. Gotti, the music mogul who co-founded Murder Inc. Records, was 54.

Singer Ashanti paid respect to late record producer and Murder, Inc, CEO Irv Gotti despite the pair's checkered history.

Record executive and music producer Irving “Irv Gotti” Lorenzo, who helped launch music careers for Ashanti, DMX and Ja Rule, died at 54. Ashanti has broken her silence on the death of Irv Gotti … and her heartfelt message made it clear she cared for him deeply