Irv Gotti

What Happened Between Irv Gotti & Ashanti?

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In hip-hop and pop culture, few relationships have generated as much intrigue as the one between Irv Gotti, the founder of Murder Inc Records, and R&B singer Ashanti. For years, there were rumors about what happened between the Murder Inc Records boss and his chart-topping artist. Much of the gossip was laid to rest after Irv spoke openly in the press about their short-lived romance. This includes his allegations that he realized their relationship was over once he saw Ashanti at an NBA game with Nelly. To provide a comprehensive account of this complex and fascinating tale, we’ll take a deep dive into the duo’s history, the music they created, and where they are today.

Their Meeting & The Rise of Murder Inc Records

Irv Gotti, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., first encountered Ashanti, born Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas, in the late 1990s. At the time, Gotti was building his record label, Murder Inc, which would go on to sign some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, including Ja Rule, Lloyd, and Ashanti herself. Ashanti was starting her career, and under Gotti’s guidance, she quickly became a major force in the industry.

Their partnership led to several chart-topping hits, with Ashanti releasing her self-titled debut album in 2002, which featured the hit singles “Foolish,” “Happy,” and “Baby.” She won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2003 and became integral to Murder Inc’s success. The two continued to work closely together, and rumors began to swirl about their romantic relationship.

The Rumored Romance

For years, fans speculated about the nature of Irv Gotti and Ashanti’s relationship. Word on the street was that Irv and Ashanti carried on a relationship while he was still married. Although Gotti would repeatedly deny the allegations, it didn’t stop the chatter from circulating. He once again put a stop to the rumors last year while promoting his Murder Inc. documentary. Ashanti would not be a part of the series, as there was rumored tension between the singer and her former label boss.

The Breakup & Fallout

The ups and downs of their relationship have been well-documented, thanks to Irv. He appeared on Drink Champs and detailed that time in his life. He claimed that he and Ashanti were deeply in love, but like many hip hop romances go, things didn’t work out. Following her love affair with Gotti, Ashanti began dating Nelly. Irv later claimed he found out about their relationship while watching television. He said while tuned into a basketball game, he heard the announcer highlight Ashanti and Nelly sitting courtside together.

Where They Are Today

Irv Gotti would go on to receive a wave of backlash for some of the more recent comments he made about Ashanti. The public didn’t appreciate some of his details regarding their private moments. He would later apologize for his candor. Meanwhile, Ashanti laughed off Irv’s remarks but did explain to Angie Martinez that things were not as her former flame made them seem.

Interestingly enough, the singer, producer, actress, and all-around media maven would have an unexpected reunion. Following the most recent Irv Gotti fallout, it looks like Ashanti and Nelly have once again reunited. The pair dated for over a decade before calling it quits. All these years later and rumors state they’re back together. Nelly and Ashanti recently were also spotted holding hands at a boxing match, and it was said that their rep confirmed they were “very happy.” No word on how Irv feels about the news.

50 Cent Trolls Irv Gotti Amid Nelly & Ashanti’s Relationship Rumors

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50 Cent trolled Irv Gotti on Instagram, Monday afternoon, amid rumors that Nelly and Ashanti are getting back together. Gotti previously claimed that he and Ashanti dated during an episode of Drink Champs in 2022. 50 handled his trolling of the Murder Inc. Records founder after a clip of Ashanti and Nelly dancing in Las Vegas went viral on Sunday.

“HE WILL BE AIGHT I was in love wit her, and she just popped up with Nelly. LOL #bransoncognac #lecheminduroi,” 50 captioned the clip. DaBaby popped up in the comments section to tell the G-Unit rapper to “chill bruh.” Another user joked, “50 the defending champion of been petty.” One more fan commented, “This is why I follow you cause I be needing these laughs through the day.”

Nelly & Ashanti

Nelly and Ashanti during Ashanti’s 25th Birthday Surprise Party – Inside at Glo in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

While Gotti claimed to have dated Ashanti, the singer shot down the story during an interview with Angie Martinez on the IRL podcast after the fact. “We dealt with each other, but was Irv my boyfriend? Was I his girlfriend? Never. Irv had several girlfriends, so I’m a little confused by the label and the description,” she said in response to Gotti’s comments.

As for Nelly and Ashanti’s current situation, the two attended the boxing match between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia on Saturday night. They previously fueled rumors of a reconciliation at Power 98.3 and Power 96.1‘s “Under The Mistletoe” concert series in Glendale, Arizona in 2022. There, they performed “Body On Me,” which they also danced to in Vegas on Sunday. After the concert, Ashanti addressed the rumors during an interview with Andy Cohen. “I saw a lot of comments. I mean, my reaction was, ‘wow!’ It was a lot of comments and people wanting that. What I will say is we’re in a better place. We’re cool now. We had some conversations, so it’s cool” she said. Nelly and Ashanti originally dated on and off for over a decade beginning in the 2000s.

50 Cent Trolls Irv Gotti On IG

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DJ Envy Says Irv Gotti Owes Him $10,000 For A Record He Produced Years Ago

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It seems like artists and producers are recently trying to get back what they’re owed. DJ Envy said Irv Gotti never paid him $10,000 for a record he produced years ago. Moreover, he told the story while Jess Hilarious spoke of her contract and payment issues with Master P. Furthermore, the Breakfast Club hosts and Hilarious broke down their individual situations and spoke on their circumstances.

“I produced a record … [Gotti] definitely owe me $10,000,” Envy said on the popular radio show on Thursday (February 23). “Me and [DJ] Mono produced a record for Murder Inc. back in the day. I got my front end and I never got the back end. They was just like ‘keep it moving.’ So I kept it moving.” According to TMZ, Envy and Mono split the original payment between themselves, since Gotti never paid them the owed $10K. Also, continuing on that lane, Jess Hilarious spoke about her own contract issues with Master P.

DJ Envy Addresses The Irv Gotti Situation

“Basically, it all boils down to this,” she began, taking the time to explain another one of P’s contract issues. “Fat Trel said that he was promised by Master P that he would be put in a Menace II Society sequel that never came to fruition. I do believe him because that man will talk a good game to you. Even with me, I Got the Hook Up. I’m still owed [$15,000] for that. I’m not gon’ lie. I ain’t gon’ lie.”

However, the No Limit boss refuted these claims via various Instagram and interview statements. “For the cowards hiding behind their computers enforcing fake news, I do have @jesshilarious_official contract from 5 years ago for I Got The Hook Up 2 and the copy of the check that was cashed and paid,” he wrote on social media. “She was joking about a second check that was never in her contract. That’s the narrative they ran with for clickbait and fake headlines. Thank God for receipts!” Regardless of your take, check back in with HNHH for the latest on DJ Envy, Irv Gotti, and updates in these business stories.

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50 Cent Explained Why He Turned Down A $1.3 Million Offer From University Music Group

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50 Cent
Getty Image

50 Cent recently revealed that he’d spent over $23 million in legal fees. But he doesn’t seem very worried about money anyway. In a recent interview, the “In Da Club” rapper said he turned down a $1.3 million offer from Universal Music Group due to their connection to Irv Gotti.

“Irv [Gotti] was talking in the interview, and he was talking about he was blocking me,” 50 Cent said, referring to when the Murder Inc. executive confessed he kept labels from signing 50 in 2020.

“Like he was blocking everything. He said, ‘I blocked him into a good situation.’ And it just went off. And, I saw the situations I didn’t feel where he felt he was blocking me at that point. But I wouldn’t do business with anyone who had direct associations or any influence to the things that they had that was working.”

He added, “So they offered me a million three to do a G-Unit and my solo album at Universal, and I just turned the deal down. [Tony] Yayo didn’t understand. He was like, ‘What? A million three you not gone do it, what? That’s like saying we hit the lottery, and you not going to pick up the ticket.’ And I’m like, ‘Nah, it’s not the right deal,’ because it’s in the Universal system. Def Jam and those guys was already making money from that system. Where they could influence and sabotage everything that I had going.”

Watch him explain in the clip below.

50 Cent Recalls Turning Down $1.3 Million Offer From UMG

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50 Cent says that he once turned down a $1.3 million offer from Universal Music Group due to the label’s affiliation with Murder Inc. executive Irv Gotti. Gotti had previously admitted to blocking labels from signing 50 during a 2020 interview with B. High of Hot 107.9.

“Irv [Gotti] was talking in the interview and he was talking about he was blocking me,” 50 Cent said during a recent interview. “Like he was blocking everything. He said, ‘I blocked him into a good situation.’ And it just went off. And, I saw the situations I didn’t feel where he felt he was blocking me at that point. But I wouldn’t do business with anyone who had direct associations or any influence to the things that they had that was working.”

LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 20: Recording artist Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson of the music group G-Unit performs onstage during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 20, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

From there, 50 further recalled explaining to Tony Yayo that Gotti could “sabotage” everything they had built through that point.

He continued: “So they offered me a million three to do a G-Unit and my solo album at Universal and I just turned the deal down. [Tony] Yayo didn’t understand he was like, ‘What? A million three you not gone do it, what? That’s like saying we hit the lottery and you not going to pick up the ticket.’ And I’m like, ‘Nah it’s not the right deal,’ because it’s in the Universal system. Def Jam and those guys was already making money from that system. Where they could influence and sabotage everything that I had going.”

As for how Gotti is connected to UMG, Murder Inc. Records is a subsidiary of Def Jam, a division of Universal Music Group. Gotti and 50 have been going back and forth on social media for years at this point.

Check out 50 Cent’s story, as shared by HipHopDX below.

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Irv Gotti Deems Cash Money The Greatest Hip Hop Label

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Murder Inc’s impact on the Golden Era of Hip Hop is unmatched, but label head Irv Gotti places another collective as the greatest of the genre. Gotti helped carve out the careers of artists like Ja Rule and Ashanti; however, Cash Money Records was also a leading force with an impact that continues to reverberate through all of music culture.

While visiting the Earn Your Leisure podcast, Gotti spoke on Hip Hop labels, noting their rosters and catalogs. A host questioned if Birdman was “the best that ever did it.” Irv said yes.

Read More: Birdman Snaps On Irv Gotti For Detailing Lil Wayne’s Cash Money Contract

“As far as labels goes, there’s no disputing Cash Money is the greatest label ever. Think about it,” he stated before mumbling Juvenile’s classic hit, “Ha.” Gotti said, “That sh*t was out over, what, 25 years ago?”

“Them n*ggas been hot—they been hot all this time,” he added as he listed just a few notable acts. “They got Drake, they got Nicki. They’re the best label ever. No one’s even close to Cash Money, I don’t think.”

“And if they ever wanted to sell, Baby and Slim could get a billi. Someone will give them a billion dollars, y’all.”

MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 01: Birdman and Lil Waune attend Lil Wayne’s “Funeral” album release party on February 01, 2020 in Miami, Florida (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Young Money/Republic Records)
Read More: Ashanti Claims Irv Gotti Would Say No One Wanted To Work With Her

Last year, things were a bit tense between Gotti and Birdman after the Murder Inc boss reportedly shared details of Lil Wayne’s contract. Aside from that 2021 controversy, Irv Gotti once again made headlines this year following his comments about Ashanti. According to Irv, he and his artist had a love affair that seemingly ended when he saw her with Nelly at a basketball game.

Since that time, and following the backlash, Gotti has vowed never to speak on his relationship with Ashanti again.

Do you think Cash Money Records deserves the title of the greatest Hip Hop label of all time? If not, who is your choice?

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[WATCH] Irv Gotti: Cash Money Records Is The Greatest Hip Hop Label Ever

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According to the legendary Murder Inc. Records’ label owner Irv Gotti, Cash Money Records was the greatest that ever did it.

On the most recent episode of Earn Your Leisure podcast, Gotti discussed the enormous financial value of the catalogs of some of Hip Hop’s premiere labels who made multi-million dollar deals following their independent origins.

Gotti, who sold his 50 percent of his ownership of Murder Inc.’s masters to Iconoclast in a $300 million deal that also included film and TV projects in early 2022, anticipating that Cash Money’s multi-platinum discography could be worth as much as $1 billion.

“Birdman the best that ever did it?” co-host Rashad Bilal asked, to which Irv answered, “Yeah. As far as labels go, there’s no disputing Cash Money is the greatest label ever.”

“Think about it. [Raps Juvenile’s ‘Ha’] — that shit was out over, what, 25 years ago? Them n-ggas been hot all this time. They got Drake, they got Nicki. They’re the best label ever. No one’s even close to Cash Money, I don’t think.”

The post [WATCH] Irv Gotti: Cash Money Records Is The Greatest Hip Hop Label Ever appeared first on The Source.