Irv Gotti
Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. (born June 26, 1970),[2] better known by his stage name Irv Gotti, is an American record executive, DJ and record producer and is the CEO and co-founder of Murder Inc. He is best known for producing multiple number-one records for Ashanti, Ja Rule, and Jennifer Lopez, as well as his collaborations with Jay-Z, DMX, and Kanye West. Gotti is also the creator of the BET series Tales.
Irv Gotti | |
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![]() Gotti in February 2005 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. |
Also known as | DJ Irv, Gotti |
Born | Hollis, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.[1] | June 26, 1970
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments | |
Years active | 1992–present |
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Associated acts |
Early life
Irv Gotti was born in Hollis, Queens, New York, and is of Afro-Dominican descent. He is the youngest of eight siblings.
Career
After helping Def Jam with the success of DMX and Jay-Z, Russell Simmons gave Irv Gotti his own label under Def Jam. While watching Biography on A&E during gangster week, a Murder, Inc. logo appeared on the screen and Irv Gotti decided to use the name for his label because Murder, Inc. put out hits for murder and Irv wanted to put out hit records.
Murder Inc. would change their name to The Inc. after a 2003 investigation, including a raid on the Manhattan offices of Murder, Inc., resulted in charges of money laundering being brought against Gotti and his brother Christopher in connection with alleged financial transactions associated with New York City drug kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff.[3] On December 2, 2005, a jury acquitted the brothers of all charges.[4] The label would change their name to appeal better to the public.
Under The Inc. banner, Irv would move the label to Universal Motown and sign Vanessa Carlton. Gotti co-produced Vanessa Carlton's third album, Heroes and Thieves, which was released October 9, 2007, with Channel 7, Rick Rubin and Stephan Jenkins.
In an interview with Angie Martinez in early May 2009, Gotti stated that his label, Murder Inc., was leaving Universal Records
In September 2013, Murder Inc. was relaunched as an umbrella label under Irv Gotti's new label, Visionary. On September 27.
Discography
Singles produced
- 1994
- 1996
- "Can I Live" (Jay-Z)
- 1998
- "Can I Get A..." (Jay-Z featuring Amil & Ja Rule)
- "Hot Spot" (Foxy Brown)
- 1999
- "What's My Name" (DMX)
- "Holla Holla" (Ja Rule)
- 2000
- "Come Back in One Piece" (Aaliyah & DMX)
- "Between Me and You" (Ja Rule featuring Christina Milian)
- 2001
- "What's Luv?" (Fat Joe featuring Ashanti & Ja Rule)
- "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" (Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule)
- "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" (Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule & Caddillac Tah)
- "I Cry" (Ja Rule)
- "Always on Time" (Ja Rule featuring Ashanti)
- 2002
- "Foolish" (Ashanti)
- "Happy" (Ashanti)
- "Down 4 U" (Irv Gotti featuring Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore)
- "Mesmerize" (Ja Rule featuring Ashanti)
- "Gangsta Lovin" (Eve (rapper) featuring Alicia Keys)
- 2004
- "Breakup 2 Makeup" (Ashanti featuring Black Child)
- "Wonderful" (Ja Rule featuring Ashanti and R. Kelly)
- 2005
- "Infatuated" (Memphis Bleek)
- 2008
- "Nice" (The Game) featuring Newz
- 2018
- 2019
- "Brothers" (Kanye West featuring Charlie Wilson)
References
- "Irv Gotti To Def Jam: "[They] Ain't F*cking W/ Me, I'm Too Much Of A N*gga" [Video] | SOHH.COM". January 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 22, 2012.
- "The Smoking Gun: Archive". October 12, 2004. Archived from the original on October 12, 2004.
- "Irv Gotti, Brother Proclaim Innocence; Release On $1 Million Bond". March 10, 2007. Archived from the original on March 10, 2007.
- "Murder Inc. mogul acquitted". TODAY.com. Associated Press. December 3, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2016.