Irv Gotti
Irv Gotti | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Irving Domingo Lorenzo, Jr. |
Also known as | DJ Irv |
Born | June 26, 1970 |
Origin | Hollis, Queens, New York City[1] |
Genres | Hip hop, R&B |
Occupation | Record producer |
Instrument(s) | Turntables, mixer, keyboards, drum machine, sampler |
Years active | 1992–present |
Labels | The Inc. Records |
Irving Domingo Lorenzo, Jr. (born June 26, 1970),[2] better known as Irv Gotti, is an American hip hop and R&B record producer and is the founder of The Inc record label.
Irv was born in Queens, New York and is of African American and Dominican descent. He is the youngest of 8 siblings and the father of three children. A producer and music executive, he founded The Inc. with his brother Chris (born 1967). The Inc. was originally Murder, Inc., but after legal troubles in 2003, the company was renamed in 2005. He has produced songs for such artists as Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Vanessa Carlton. He produced Jay-Z's "Can I Get A...", Ja Rule's "Holla Holla" and DMX's "What's My Name?".[citation needed] Gotti co-produced Vanessa Carlton's third album, Heroes and Thieves, with Channel 7, Rick Rubin and Stephan Jenkins, which was released October 9, 2007. In an interview with Angie Martinez in early May 2009, Gotti stated that his label, The Inc., was leaving Universal Records. He has an estimated net worth of $15 million.
Legal trouble
In 2004, The Inc came under investigation for allegedly laundering money through the label for New York City drug kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff. On January 25, 2005, Lorenzo and his brother Chris turned themselves in, alleging their innocence. They were released on $1 million bail, and would not be tried alongside McGriff for the charges against them.[3]
On November 16, 2005, the federal prosecutor Sean Haran said in his opening statement at U.S. District Court that Irving Lorenzo and his brother Christopher "used their corporate bank accounts to clean drug money". According to Haran, convicted drug dealer Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, had shopping bags and shoe boxes full of cash delivered to the label's Manhattan office in 2000. The company then cut McGriff $280,000 in checks. Authorities alleged that McGriff was permitted to funnel more than $1 million in drug money through Murder Inc. in return for serving as the label's protector and enforcer. Prosecutors additionally claim that the Lorenzos knew about a murder plot against platinum-selling rapper 50 Cent.[4] On December 2, 2005, Irving Lorenzo and his brother Christopher were acquitted of all money laundering charges.
The brothers could have faced up to 20 years in prison. The defense countered all along that the brothers were victims of guilt by association with Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff.[5]
Music production
Gotti co-produced Vanessa Carlton's third album, Heroes and Thieves, with Channel 7, Rick Rubin and Stephan Jenkins, which was released October 9, 2007.[6]
Nicki Minaj’s hit “Moment For Life” was recently used in her Pepsi commercial as part of her ‘Live For Now’ campaign. During a behind-the-scenes interview with TheInsider.com on the set for the ad spot, Nicki revealed that producer and former Murder Inc. label head, Irv Gotti, gave her the inspiration for the track.
Discography
Singles produced
- 1994
- 1996
- "Can I Live" (Jay-Z)
- 1998
- "Can I Get A..." (Jay-Z featuring Amil & Ja Rule)
- "Hot Spot" (Foxy Brown)
- 1999
- "What's My Name" (DMX)
- "Holla Holla" (Ja Rule)
- 2000
- "Come Back in One Piece" (Aaliyah & DMX)
- "Between Me and You" (Ja Rule featuring Christina Millian)
- 2001
- "What's Luv?" (Fat Joe featuring Ashanti & Ja Rule)
- "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" (Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule)
- "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" (Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule & Caddillac Tah)
- "I Cry" (Ja Rule)
- "Always on Time" (Ja Rule featuring Ashanti)
- 2002
- "Foolish" (Ashanti)
- "Happy" (Ashanti)
- "Down 4 U" (Irv Gotti featuring Ja Rule, Ashanti, Vita & Charli Baltimore)
- "Mesmerize" (Ja Rule featuring Ashanti)
- "Gangsta Lovin" (Eve (rapper) featuring Alicia Keys)
- 2004
- "Breakup 2 Makeup" (Ashanti featuring Black Child)
- 2005
- "Infatuated" (Memphis Bleek)
- 2008
- "Nice" (The Game) featuring Newz
References
- ^ http://www.sohh.com/2012/01/def_jam_aint_fcking_w_me_im_too_much_of.html Retrieved 26 June 2013
- ^ Date of birth per The Smoking Gun website
- ^ http://www.bet.com/Music/MusicNews/Irv+Gotti+Proclaims+Innocence.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished
- ^ http://news.findlaw.com/ap/o/51/11-16-2005/764100101f5c8d7e.html
- ^ "Murder Inc. mogul acquitted". TODAY.com.
- ^ "Irv Gotti Maps Out Inc. Comeback With Vanessa Carlton, Lloyd, Ja Rule". MTV News. November 28, 2006. Retrieved November 30, 2006.
External links
- 1970 births
- American hip hop record producers
- American people of Dominican Republic descent
- African-American record producers
- Def Jam Recordings artists
- Grammy Award winners
- Living people
- Participants in American reality television series
- The Inc. Records artists
- People from Queens, New York
- People from New Rochelle, New York
- East Coast hip hop musicians
- American music industry executives
- Musicians from New York City