Irv Gotti, the famed hip-hop music executive from New York City, has died at the age of 54. Def Jam Recordings shared a message on social media late Wednesday night confirming his death, saying the label is "deeply saddened.

Gotti, born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. on June 26, 1970, was a key figure in the sound of ‘90s and 2000s hip-hop, when brash lyricism and outsized personalities blended seamlessly with pop hooks and R&B tenderness.

Irv Gotti, a famed music producer and founder of the hip-hop label Murder Inc., died. He was 54. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Irving 'Irv Gotti' Lorenzo,