Irv Gotti, the music executive, songwriter and producer behind the reign of hip-hop and R&B stars Ja Rule and Ashanti in the early 2000s, has died. Gotti, the music mogul who co-founded Murder Inc. Records, was 54.

Gotti produced nearly 30 Hot 100 chart hits in the US for artists including Ashanti, Ja Rule, Ye, DMX, Fat Joe, Mary J Blige and Jay-Z.

Ja Rule is mourning the loss of music legend Irv Gotti ... who launched the rapper's career in the '90s and elevated him in the early '00s.