Ashanti Mourns the Passing of Irv Gotti: Reflects on Their Complicated Relationship and Musical Legacy

Ashanti is mourning the loss of Irv Gotti, the influential producer and founder of Murder Inc., who played a major role in launching her career. Despite their well-documented ups and downs, the singer took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute, expressing gratitude for everything Gotti did for her.

“I can’t believe things ended like this… and it makes me so sad,” she wrote. Acknowledging their rocky relationship in recent years, Ashanti made it clear that their musical history and impact would “remain infinite.”

Gotti, known for shaping the sound of early 2000s R&B and hip-hop, helped propel Ashanti to superstardom with hits like Foolish, Happy, and Baby. Despite past tensions, she credited his “musical genius” for pushing her to be her best and said that the positive moments they shared far outweighed the negative ones.

She ended her tribute by sending love and prayers to his family, writing, “Rest well. Rest in Peace, Irv.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ashanti (@ashanti)

Gotti’s passing marks the end of an era for Murder Inc., a label that played a crucial role in shaping the hip-hop and R&B sound of the early 2000s. Fans, friends, and artists across the industry continue to pay their respects to the visionary producer.

Rest in peace, Irv Gotti. Your legacy lives on.