(KTLA) – Irv Gotti, famed music producer and founder of Murder Inc. Records, who helped launch the careers of such artists as Ashanti, Ja Rule and DMX, has died at 54.

Def Jam Recordings, Murder Inc.’s parent label, confirmed Gotti’s passing on Wednesday night.

“Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti,” the Instagram post read. “His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R executive and in partnership with Murder, Inc., helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip hop and R&B. His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide.”

The legendary label said its “thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who were touched by his work.”

The cause of Gotti’s death has not been confirmed, but sources told PEOPLE that he had suffered a series of strokes in recent years and was diabetic.

In August of 2024, TMZ reported that Gotti had suffered a stroke after music manager Wack100 claimed in a podcast that he spoke with someone at a stroke recovery center.

Gotti’s team told the outlet that he had “been struggling with diabetes for years, which caused him to have a minor stroke over six months ago.” They said the record executive had “since changed his diet to eating more healthy” and that he had been “successful in making a full recovery.” They slammed claims that he was in a rehab facility and said he was “home with his family, enjoying life.”

The New York native, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., first worked for Def Jam in the late ’90s and signed such artists as Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule before launching Murder Inc. with his brother Chris Lorenzo. There he signed such artists as Ashanti and Charli Baltimore.

The Grammy-winning producer ruled the late 1990s and early 2000s. His credits include numerous Ashanti and Ja Rule collaborations such as “What’s Luv?” “Always on Time,” “Mesmerize” and more. He also produced Jennifer Lopez’s remixes with Ja Rule, “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” and “Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix).” Gotti is known for producing hits for other artists too, such as DMX’s “What’s My Name?” Jay-Z’s “Can I Get A…” and Eve’s “Gangsta Lovin,” among many others.

He later rebranded the label as The Inc. and moved the label to Universal Motown, where he signed Vanessa Carlton and helped produce her 2007 album “Heroes and Thieves” with Third Eye Blind’s Stephan Jenkins and Rick Rubin. The label left Universal around 2013 and relaunched as Visionary.

Over the years, he had his hands on hits involving Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Kanye West and many more.

He is survived by his three children, Angie, Sonny and Jonathan Wilson, along with his mother, Nee Nee Lorenzo, sisters Tina and Angie, and his brother Chris.