Irv Gotti, the famed hip-hop music executive from New York City, has died at the age of 54. His three children shared a message on his social media, writing, "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved father,

A founder of Murder Inc. Records, he helped launch the careers of Ja Rule and Ashanti and was credited as a producer on 28 records that made the Billboard Hot 100.

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.

The Queens native responsible for some of hip hop's biggest acts reportedly passed away Wednesday in New York City.

Following the news of his death at the age of 54, many are looking back at the life and legacy of legendary hip-hop producer Irv Gotti. Irv's exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but the Murder,

Irv Gotti, a music producer and founder of an influential rap label, has died, Def Jam Recordings said. He was 54. Gotti was best known as the head of Murder Inc. Records, an imprint of Def Jam that signed chart-topping artists like Ja Rule and Ashanti in the 90s and 2000s.