50 Cent has taken aim at Irv Gotti one last time with a brutal Instagram post seemingly mocking the music producer’s death.
The rapper, who has been caught up in a bitter feud with Gotti for over 20 years, posted a tasteless tribute to the entertainment executive after he died aged 54.
50 Cent – real name Curtis James Jackson III – shared a photo Wednesday of himself smoking a hookah while seated on a couch next to a tombstone that reads ‘RIP’.
‘I’m smoking on dat Gotti pack,’ the rapper wrote, adding, ‘nah God bless him LOL.’
He also shared a photo of Gotti, born Irving Lorenzo Jr., in the post, making it clear he was indeed referring to the late Murder Inc. co-founder.
The cause of Gotti’s death is currently unknown. However, he had suffered a what his representative called a ‘minor stroke’ in 2024, around 11 months before his death.
In August, it was revealed that he had suffered the stroke six months earlier as a result of his battle with diabetes.
Gotti raised concerns at the time when he was pictured using a cane to walk.
50 Cent – real name Curtis James Jackson III – shared a photo Wednesday of himself smoking a hookah while seated on a couch next to a tombstone that reads ‘RIP’. He also shared a photo of Gotti, born Irving Lorenzo Jr., in the post, making it clear he was indeed referring to the late Murder Inc. co-founder
The cause of Irv Gotti’s death is currently unknown. However, he had suffered a what his representative called a ‘minor stroke’ in 2024, around 11 months before his death
50 cent’s caption on his Instagram post
His representative suggested he was on the upswing, as he had made healthy changes to his diet and was ‘successful in making a full recovery,’ according to TMZ.
Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers who was hip-hop,’ said Lyor Cohen, former Def Jam CEO, in a statement. ‘When we were on bended knee, he brought the heat and saved our a**es. He comes from a very tight beautiful family from Queens and it’s an honor and a privilege to have known him. Irv, you will be missed.’
Gotti and 50 cent’s feud started over 25 years ago in 1999 when 50 cent’s close associate allegedly robbed Murder Inc.’s then-leading artist, Ja Rule in Queens.
With 50 Cent’s career was still in its infancy, his relationship with Gotti got off to an immediately bad start after he released Your Life’s on the Line in October of that year, directly targeting Ja Rule and Murder Inc.
In 2000 the feud got physical when Ja Rule and 50 cent had an altercation in an Atlanta nightclub.
50 cent was then stabbed during a violent fight between G-Unit and Murder Inc. at the Hit Factory studio in New York in March of that year.
Rapper Black Child later admitted responsibility.
Following the incident, Gotti and Ja Rule claimed that 50 Cent filed a protective order against them, though this claim has since been widely disputed.
Gotti was involved with high-profile remixes for Jennifer Lopez, among them the Ja Rule–featuring I’m Real remix (2001), which he co-wrote with the rapper and co-produced
Gotti and 50 cent’s feud started over 25 years ago in 1999 when 50 cent’s close associate allegedly robbed Murder Inc.’s then-leading artist, Ja Rule (pictured left with Gotti) in Queens
In May 2000, 50 cent was shot nine times outside his Grandmother’s home in Queens.
An investigation later suggested that drug lord Kenneth ‘Supreme’ McGriff – who is known to have had ties to Gotti and Murder Inc. – allegedly planned the attack in retaliation for 50 mentioning him in Ghetto Qu’ran.
McGriff was never formally charged in connection with the shooting but was sentenced to life in prison in 2007 in relations to an unrelated case.
In the past 20 years the feud has persisted and as recently as August last year when 50 Cent mocked Gotti’s health struggles after reports surfaced that the producer suffered a stroke and was now using a cane.
The late record executive is best known for co-founding Murder Inc. with his brother Chris Gotti in 1998, but he also proved to be an in-demand producer and songwriter for hits by Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, the late rapper DMZ and Ashanti, among many other A-list hip-hop and R&B figures.
Gotti was involved with high-profile remixes for Jennifer Lopez, among them the Ja Rule–featuring I’m Real remix (2001), which he co-wrote with the rapper and co-produced.
He also co-produced and co-wrote Lopez and Ja Rule’s 2002 single Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix) — which was, confusingly, a completely different song from Lopez’s solo hit Ain’t It Funny (2001), despite sharing the same title.
Ja Rule took a starring turn with Gotti’s help on his hit single Always On Time (2001), which featured guest vocals from Ashanti, and the two collaborated the following year on Mesmerize.
In the past 20 years the feud has persisted and as recently as August last year when 50 Cent mocked Gotti’s health struggles after reports surfaced that the producer suffered a stroke and was now using a cane
Gotti also worked on several solo tunes for Ashanti, including Foolish (2002) and Rain On Me (2003).
At the time, both Ja Rule and Ashanti were signed to Murder Inc., and the strength of those songs and other hits helped the label sell 30 million units globally.
Prior to founding Murder Inc., Gotti worked in the A&R division at Def Jam Records, where he was instrumental in getting Jay-Z and DMX — who died in 2021 — to sign with the label.
Prior to Jay signing with the label, Gotti had produced Can I Live from the rapper’s 1996 Debut LP Reasonable Doubt.
He also worked as executive producer on DMX’s 1997 blockbuster debut It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot.
Gotti faced significant legal setbacks beginning in 2005, when he and his brother Chris Gotti (born Chris Lorenzo) were hit with federal charges for money laundering and conspiracy to launder money. The two were acquitted in December 2005.
Gotti spent less time working on music and the record business afterward, and he later focused on reality television.
Gotti at the 2017 BET Awards
He led the VH1 reality series Gotti’s Way from 2007 to 2009, and he developed the fictional series Tales for BET a decade later.
Gotti was also an executive producer on the five-part docuseries The Murder Inc. Story in 2022.
In the documentary, Gotti said he had dated Ashanti while married. Though she didn’t deny being involved with him, she claimed that she was never ‘his girlfriend.’
The producer faced renewed scrutiny in 2024 after an anonymous woman sued him, claiming he had sexually abused her while carrying on an abusive relationship from 2020 to 2022.
Gotti ‘categorically denied’ her accusations at the time.
