Although Irv Gotti once found himself $300 million richer, he spent money like he hadn’t received that money at all.

In an interview with Billboard, Gotti revealed what initially set this historic deal in motion. ‘I raised $5 million for me to shoot my movie, and I used my music catalog as collateral.

The producer, who died on Wednesday, built Murder Inc. into one of the most influential record labels of the early 2000s. His career was marred by a federal investigation and trial.