Sometimes, when a man feels like he’s losing control—unable to manipulate or dictate your finances, whereabouts, or associations—his ego takes a hit. In response, he may resort to bashing, intimidation, and smear campaigns to make himself feel superior.
Ashanti has openly spoken about her tumultuous past with Irv Gotti, whom she has labeled a narcissist. While she recently posted a tribute following his passing, many wonder if she ever truly forgave him for the public humiliation he subjected her to. From stripping her of records to giving them to other artists to attempting to sabotage her career, Irv played a significant role in both her rise and struggles in the industry.
Irv Gotti passed away recently after being hospitalized, with widespread speculation that complications from diabetes contributed to his death. He had previously admitted to struggling with the disease, neglecting his insulin intake, and failing to maintain the necessary dietary changes.
In one interview, he candidly shared:
“Okay, all right. You know, my diabetes—my numbers been high, so they just wanted me to… He’s like, ‘Dad, you can’t do Drink Champs. It starts deteriorating your body.'”
“All right, so you good? Like, you got it under control?”
“No.”
“Oh, wow.”
“When my number gets too high—shot. All I told you, if you [expletive] eat something and it tastes good, it’s bad. Even too much fruit is sugar, depending on the level of diabetes.”
His passing prompted an outpouring of condolences from celebrities, but fans were especially curious about Ashanti’s response, given their complicated history. Keeping it classy, she took to Instagram to share:
“I can’t believe things ended like this, and it makes me so sad. We weren’t on the best of terms the past few years, but as I’ve always said, through our ups and downs, I will forever be grateful for everything that you’ve done for me.”
She continued, acknowledging their history:
“All the greatness and positive things that came far outweigh the dark and negative times. I have always prayed for you to find peace. Sending love and prayers to the entire family. Rest well. Rest in peace, Irv.”
Her reaction was widely respected. Despite the painful history, she chose to take the high road rather than be petty.
For those unfamiliar with their past, here’s some background:
Irv Gotti launched his label in 1998 as an imprint of Def Jam, following his success in bringing DMX to the label. Ja Rule became the face of his label, and his debut album Venni Vetti Vecci dropped in 1999. Irv also discovered Ashanti as a teenager, setting her on the path to stardom.
By 2002, Ashanti had become a household name, delivering some of the biggest hits of the year:
- Always on Time (with Ja Rule) – No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks
- What’s Luv? (with Fat Joe) – Peaked at No. 2
- Foolish – Spent 10 weeks at No. 1
Despite being instrumental in her rise, Irv also played a damaging role in her career. One of the most controversial incidents was when he took records meant for Ashanti and handed them over to Jennifer Lopez.
JLo’s hit I’m Real, released in 2001, was originally intended for Ashanti. She had already recorded and mixed the track, and her background vocals remain in JLo’s version. Reflecting on the situation, Ashanti admitted:
“I demoed the record for her. That was way, way back before I was signed to Murder Inc. They kept my hook, and they kept some of the backgrounds and ad-libs. It was bittersweet because I was really excited ‘cause it was JLo, you know what I mean? But I was so mad at Irv ‘cause I was like, ‘You know I wanted that record!’ Ever since I saw Friday, you know what I mean? I was like, ‘You give me that! I want that!’ I was so mad! But I was happy at the same time.”
Fat Joe later revealed that Irv almost gave What’s Luv? to JLo as well. During a livestream, he told Ashanti:
“Irv and Ja had called me. They woke me up like 3 in the morning, and they said, ‘Yo, come down, we made a song for you.’ I go to the studio—it was like 4 in the morning—they played What’s Luv?, and they was telling me, ‘Yo, this is for you and JLo. We want the Latinos on this.’”
However, Fat Joe refused to do the song with anyone but Ashanti, standing his ground to ensure she remained on the record. Ashanti herself didn’t even know Irv had considered taking the song from her until Fat Joe disclosed it years later.
Despite all the conflicts and betrayals, Ashanti still acknowledged the impact Irv had on her career, choosing to remember the good even in the face of their troubled past.
