People may rightfully criticize, but they can't minimize. Gotti's 1996 through 2003 musical run was impeccable. If Diddy is the architect of the hip-hop and R&B fusion, Gotti is a close second.

Irv Gotti produced records for Jay-Z, DMX, Ja Rule, Ashanti, Mary J. Blige, and several more artists. He was the founder of the record label Murder Inc. and an executive at the parent company Def Jam ...

Real name Irving Lorenzo, he co-founded Murder Inc. records and was instrumental in the rise of DMX, Ja Rule and Ashanti, among other artists ...

Gotti came to prominence as an A&R rep at Def Jam, where he helped sign and cultivate era-defining acts like Jay-Z , DMX and Ja Rule.