Kanye West, 50 Cent, Def Jam & more react to Irv Gotti’s death at 54

Hip-hop mourns the loss of the Murder Inc. founder as tributes pour in from music legends and industry leaders.

The hip-hop world is mourning the loss of Irv Gotti, the co-founder of Murder Inc. Records, who passed away at the age of 54. News of his death broke on Wednesday (Feb. 5), prompting an outpouring of tributes from fellow artists, industry figures, and fans who recognized his impact on music.

Def Jam Recordings, where Gotti began his career as an A&R executive before launching Murder Inc. with his brother Chris Gotti, released a heartfelt statement honoring his contributions. "Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives, and employees are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti," the label shared. "His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide."

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Def Jam Recordings (@defjam)

Rapper Ye—who collaborated with Gotti on the 2019 track “Brothers”—acknowledged the loss by posting a white dove emoji on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Ye (@ye)

In true 50 Cent fashion, the rapper referenced his long-standing rivalry with Gotti by posting a photo of himself smoking next to a gravestone that read “RIP”, captioning it, "I’m smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him LOL." The post included a second image of the late music mogul, reflecting their infamous history of industry clashes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFtxdLJt844/

Other industry figures, including Ebro Darden, Steve Rifkind, Tina Davis, and more, shared their condolences. Fans also took to social media to recognize Gotti’s contributions to hip-hop, with one user writing, "Hate him or love him, you have to respect who & what he brought to the music scene. Without Murder Inc., there was no Ashanti or Ja Rule hits. RIP Irv Gotti."

Another fan reflected on the loss of music icons, noting, "Irv Gotti & DMX both passed in their early 50s. Please take care of yourselves. Sleep well, legends."

Hip-hop journalist Marc Lamont Hill also expressed his grief, tweeting, "Rest in Peace, Irv Gotti. We're losing our legends too soon!!!"

Murder Inc., under Gotti’s leadership, dominated the early 2000s with a string of hits from artists like Ja Rule, Ashanti, and Lloyd, leaving an undeniable mark on the industry. His influence extended beyond music, shaping the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B for generations.