Irv Gotti says that he once scared Nas by suggesting they ride through a hood in Baltimore and flaunt their wealth. He recalled the moment during his recent appearance on Drink Champs.
“When Nas was in the Crack House [the studio] — and this was when I’m high as fuck [on ecstasy], grinding my teeth — I’m telling Nas, ‘We gon’ get three tour buses. We gon’ grab you, Ja, Ashanti. We gon’ hitch a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari, a Bentley to the back of the tour bus,’” Gotti remembered. “This is when he was like, ‘Okay, I’m not fucking with these n****s.’”
He continued: “We had a show in Baltimore that night. I said, ‘Before we go to the show, we gon’ hit the hood and we gon’ ride through.’ I was like, ‘Yo, hood n****s is gonna go cr*zy!’ Imagine me, Nas, Ja, Ashanti and we pulling up in Rolls-Royces and eating fried chicken in the hood. That’s a moment. Anyone who gets a glimpse of that is never forgetting that. So Nas was like, ‘Yo, I hear you but what if we get killed? Being in the hood like that.’ This is when I lost him. I said, ‘If we get killed, then we martyrs, n***a.’” Check out Gotti’s full appearance on Drink Champs below.
Elsewhere in the interview, Gotti argued that JAY-Z carried Roc-A-Fella, reflected on founding Murder Inc. Records, discussed his plans for the future, and more. The interview received backlash on social media from several voices, including Elliott Wilson. “Who got the petition to end all Irv Gotti interviews? Sign me up!” Wilson posted on Monday.
Elliott Wilson called out Irv Gotti on Twitter, Monday, after the record executive’s appearance on the Drink Champs podcast. In doing so, he asked other voices in hip-hop media to stop giving Gotti a platform.
“Who got the petition to end all Irv Gotti interviews? Sign me up!” Wilson wrote. Plenty of fans agreed in the replies. ”It’s fascinating what he confirms about his character with each one,” one user wrote. Another added: “He somehow manages to make himself look worse after each interview. Dame Dash too. Pack these dudes up, man.”
Among the many controversial topics Gotti discussed was a story of a time Nas was afraid of being shot while driving through Baltimore. “I’m telling Nas… we gonna get three tour buses. We gonna grab you, Ja, Ashanti. I said, ‘We’re gonna hitch a Rolls Royce, a Ferrari, a Bentley to the back of the tour bus. … We hit Baltimore … before we go to the show, we gonna hit the hood,’” Gotti explained. “I said, ‘We’re gonna ride through.’ ‘Cause I was like, ‘Yo, hood n****s is gonna go cr*zy.’ Imagine me, Nas, Ja, fucking Ashanti, and we pulling up in Rolls Royces and eating fried chicken in the hood. That’s a moment. Anyone who gets a glimpse of that is never forgetting that.” Gotti continued, “So Nas was like, ‘Yo, I hear you but what if we get killed, being in the hood like that?’ This is when I lost him. I said, ‘If we get killed, then we’re martyrs.’” Check out Wilson’s response to the interview below.
Elliott Wilson Addresses Irv Gotti’s Interview
Gotti isn’t the only artist Wilson has taken issue with in recent weeks. He also criticized Drake for his interview choices, but later apologized for airing out his complaints in public.
Irv Gotti says that JAY-Z didn’t need any help with the success of Roc-A-Fella and that Dame Dash was just “along for the ride.” He spoke about the iconic record label during a recent appearance on the Drink Champs podcast.
“I don’t think Jay likes Dame,” Irv Gotti said during the interview. “Did I say something that people don’t know already?” From there, he added: “Jay didn’t need nobody. [Dame Dash] started Roc-A-Fella with Jay and Biggs, so he should get credited. I’m saying the making of the records, I don’t know what you want me to say. Jay didn’t need nobody. Jay was picking the beats, Jay was rapping over the beats, Jay was making things. It was all Hov. Dame was along for the ride. It was a great ride.”
Irv Gotti & JAY-Z Celebrate 10th Anniversary Of “Reasonable Doubt”
The topic of JAY-Z and Dame Dash arose while discussing the Book of Hov exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library. N.O.R.E. referenced rumores that Dame Dash’s name was allegedly removed from the event. “Our goal, with The Book of Hov tribute exhibition, is to provide a behind-the-scenes look at a Hall of Fame songwriter and performer, successful business person, and a consequential philanthropist who has never forgotten the lessons he learned on the road to success,” a statement on the exhibition’s website reads. “And the borough where his journey began.” The exhibit will run through October of this year.
Irv Gotti Praises JAY-Z
JAY-Z and Dame Dash’s relationship has had rocky moments several times over the years. In 2021, JAY-Z and Roc-A-Fella Records sued Dame Dash over an attempt to sell Reasonable Doubt, as an NFT. Elsewhere in his appearance on Drink Champs, Gotti discussed working with Nas, the YSL case, and much more. Check out the interview above.
Irv Gotti says he still has an issue with Fat Joe despite the Bronx rapper claiming that they put their dispute to bed, last year. While appearing on the latest episode of Drink Champs, Gotti discussed the state of their relationship. Joe previously called Gotti out for being “disrespectful” to Ashanti.
“Fat Joe was my brother; I do not feel Fat Joe is my brother anymore,” Gotti explained on the podcast. “I guess it’s a Cancer trait because once you show me who you are or speak negatively about me, it’s over. His defense and [Ja Rule’s] defense is they do shows with Ashanti … but Rule would never come out and say Gotti’s a sucka.”
“Fat Joe said, ‘Oh, Gotti’s a sucka.’ I gotta pull back and regress from that because if I was to go respond or anything with that, it could get cr*zy,” he continued. “He never apologized. He was on some, ‘If I’m you’re brother, I should be able to tell you when you wrong.’ But my thing is like, ‘N***a, you don’t even know what went on with me and Ashanti.’ So for you to say anything is cr*zy because you don’t know what the hell went on with me and her. Rule knew, he was there. That’s why all my n****s never said nothing.”
Irv Gotti Sits Down With N.O.R.E.
From there, N.O.R.E. asked about Joe claiming that the two made amends and noted that he saw a picture of them together. “Yeah, we’ve probably seen each other; I don’t know about all that speaking,” Gotti replied. “I don’t really need friends. You know why? I really enjoy chilling with Nee Nee, my mother. I really enjoy chilling with my family. I really enjoy being around the people who I know care and love me the right way. I don’t need you, n***a. I’m a sucka? You need to get away from me … Fat Joe was once someone who I thought was family.” Elsewhere in the interview, Gotti discusses the YSL case, working with artists like JAY-Z and Nas, founding Murder Inc. Records, and more.
Irv Gotti returned to Drink Champs this past week, and the topic turned to his history with Roc-A-Fella records. When asked if he was in The Book of Hov, Gotti says he didn’t see it but believes Dame Dash was removed.
“I don’t think Jay likes Dame,” Gotti opened. “Did I say something that people not know already?”
He added, “Jay didn’t need nobody. Jay don’t need nobody.”
DJ EFN asked if believes Dash didn’t have any involvement in the Roc’s success, to which he said no. “He started Roc-a-Fella with Jay and Biggs, so he should get credited. I’m saying the making of the records, I don’t know what you want me to say. Jay was picking the bets. Jay was rapping over the beats. It was all HOV. Dame was along for the ride. It was a great ride.”
Irv Gotti was the latest guest to hit up Drink Champs, joining N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN to cover a whole host of topics. One of the biggest matters on the table was Ashanti’s recent reunion with Nelly. In his last appearance on the show, Gotti had alleged a relationship with Ashanti but appeared to walk back at least some of his comments about her. “She’s done. She’s fucking done with me. No one’s sitting around thinking… ‘Oh, but she still looks great. You ain’t want her when you seen that last picture?’ I mean this with all respect to women… I get some of the most baddest b**ches you will ever [see] in your life, and they not Ashanti. Black, white, Latina; I get bad bitches.”
Gotti also addressed his previous Ashanti comments being called out by Fat Joe. “Fat Joe was my brother. I do not feel Fat Joe is my brother anymore. His defense and Ja’s defense is they do shows with Ashanti, but Rule will never come out and say, ‘Gotti’s a sucker.’ Fat Joe said, ‘Oh, Gotti’s a sucker.’ I gotta pull back and regress from that. If I was to go respond or anything with that, it could get crazy.”
He also addressed Gunna’s plea deal in the YSL case and the subsequent allegations of snitching that have followed the rapper. “Once you start taking plea deals, you’re working with them. They came to me, ‘You want to say anything [about] Preme?’ I told them n**gas, ‘Suck my dick,’” Gotti shared. “N*ggas ain’t cut from that. Some part of me would be like, ‘Yeah, to each his own. Do what’s best for your life.’ Do what’s best for your life, dog. But me, I just can’t.”
Elsewhere, he said that he would pick Drake over Jay-Z as the best rapper ever. “I think Drake is the biggest artist in the world, but I do think it’s time for someone else. I don’t view Hov like how I view Drake. Drake still makes music; Hov is not making no music,” Irv Gotti said. “Last time I spoke to Hov, he said, ‘Gotti, I gave it all I had.’ That was his way of telling me he’s out.” Be sure to watch the full interview at the link below.
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, and over those five decades, we’ve unfortunately seen no shortage of beef between those working in the industry. Some situations become so tense that they result in violence or even death, while others are able to work through their issues and laugh about them years later. As one of the biggest names in music, Jay-Z is someone who’s been caught up in his share of drama. Thankfully, all the experience has made him a pro at handling it in true New Yorker style.
During an interview with Breakbeat Media last month, Irv Gotti’s brother, Chris, recalled how Hov handled his sibling’s attempt to sign Nas to Murder Inc. in the earlier days of their careers. At the time, there was beef between the two artists, but still, the record exec argued to the father of three that it would be “good business” for Gotti and Nas to work together. According to Chris, Irv was too focused on making money to realize that Jay-Z was “just saying” that the beef between him and the King’s Disease artist wasn’t so serious that he wouldn’t want to see them link up.
While his words told one story, the 4:44 hitmaker’s actions revealed his true feelings. Shortly after the situation unfolded, he and 50 Cent (who’s notoriously known for his own beef with Gotti) went out on tour together. In addition to that, the east coast rappers released a joint sneaker and filmed a commercial around the same time.
“He came back to Irv and said, ‘It’s good business,’” Chris revealed, causing the interviewer to crack up along with him. Gotti may have thought he won that battle, but clearly, Jay-Z was thinking 10 steps ahead of his friend.
Tap into Irv Gotti’s brother’s full interview with Breakbeat Media on YouTube below. Do you think Jay-Z properly handled his beef with the 52-year-old DJ? Let us know in the comments, and tap back in later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
On this day in Hip Hop history, Queens rapper Ja Rule released his debut LP Venni Vetti Vicci. As the first release ofrom Irv Gotti‘s Murder Inc. record label, this project carried a lot of weight on its shoulders as the breakthrough for not only Ja Rule’s career but the career and integrity of Murder Inc Records as a whole.
Fortunately enough, the album was a hit and launched Ja Rule and Murder Inc. up among the ranks of some of New York’s most respected and successful rappers. Ja Rule’s force, style, and energy blended perfectly with and help grow the popularity of the East Coast hardcore movement that was taking place in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The mix of high energy, club jam production and hardcore gangster lyricism is what made this album so appealing. Although it could be said that Ja Rule wasn’t the greatest with the pen, the party appeal of this project kept it flying off the shelves in record stores across the country. The album’s commercial reception was more than any one could ask for a debut album peaking at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart and #3 on the Billboard 200 chart all while going platinum in the year of its release.
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.