Irving Lorenzo Jr.—known to the music world by his professional name, Irv Gotti—has died. Through his work, first for Def Jam Records, and then as the co-founder (with his brother Chris) of Murder Inc.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Irv Gotti, cofounder of Murder Inc. Records who worked with artists including Ashanti and Ja Rule, is dead at age 54. Multiple outlets confirmed the news on Wednesday, February 5.

Irv Gotti, the Murder Inc Records co-founder and producer behind some of the biggest hits of the Nineties and Noughties, has died aged 54. His family told US media that the Grammy-winning music mogul – who was instrumental in the careers of artists such as Ja Rule,