50 Cent reignited his long-standing feud with Irv Gotti, even in death, mocking the Murder Inc. co-founder on social media just hours after news of his passing emerged. Gotti, the influential music producer and record executive behind the rise of Ja Rule and Ashanti, died at age 54, his family confirmed in a statement. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Shortly after the news broke, 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, posted a photo on Instagram of himself smoking hookah while seated next to a tombstone with the letters "RIP." Accompanying the image was a caption that read, "I'm smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him ️LOL." He also included an older red carpet photo of Gotti.
The post immediately sparked backlash, with some social media users condemning 50 Cent for showing no restraint in his long-running hostility toward Gotti, even in the wake of his death. The rivalry between the two began in the late 1990s, rooted in tensions between 50 Cent and Murder Inc., the label Gotti co-founded under Def Jam Recordings.
The feud turned violent in 2000 when 50 Cent was stabbed during an altercation at New York's Hit Factory recording studio involving members of Murder Inc. Months later, he was shot nine times outside his grandmother's home in Queens. Though investigators alleged the attack was ordered by drug kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, who had ties to Murder Inc., McGriff was never charged in connection with the shooting.
Over the years, 50 Cent and Gotti continued to trade jabs publicly. When reports surfaced in August 2024 that Gotti had suffered a stroke, 50 Cent mocked him online, posting a leaked image of Gotti using a cane with the caption, "Damn homie, in high school you was the man homie, WTF happened to you?"-a reference to his 2002 track "Wanksta." He later added, "I want Irv to get well, so he can have to watch my next wave LOL."
Gotti's impact on hip-hop was undeniable. Through Murder Inc., he played a key role in shaping the careers of Ashanti, Ja Rule, DMX, and Jay-Z, producing numerous Billboard Hot 100 hits in the late '90s and early 2000s. His work on Ashanti's 2002 self-titled album earned him a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album.
Def Jam Recordings, where Gotti got his start, issued a statement mourning his passing. "His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R executive and in partnership with Murder Inc., helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B," the label wrote on Instagram. "His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture birthed countless hits, defining an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide."
Ja Rule, Gotti's longtime friend and Murder Inc.'s flagship artist, kept his reaction brief, sharing a broken heart emoji on social media.
Gotti had struggled with health issues in recent years, including diabetes, which he openly discussed. In an August 2023 interview on the Drink Champs podcast, he acknowledged his worsening condition, saying, "My diabetes, my number's been high... What it does is it starts deteriorating your body."
