Irv Gotti, the music executive, songwriter and producer behind the reign of hip-hop and R&B stars Ja Rule and Ashanti in the early 2000s, has died. Gotti, the music mogul who co-founded Murder Inc. Records, was 54.

Record executive and music entrepreneur Irv Gotti has died at the age of 54, according to The Hollywood Reporter and other outlets. Rumors of Gotti's health swirled on social media Wednesday. The music mogul rose to fame after starting as a DJ,

Irv Gotti - who co-founded the hitmaking Murder Inc. Records label and helped make early 2000s superstars out of Ja Rule and Ashanti - has died after suffering a stroke, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed.