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Ashanti took her time to reflect on the passing of Irv Gotti.
On Friday, February 7, the "Baby" singer mourned the loss of her former label boss Irving Lorenzo a couple of days after he passed away. In her Instagram post, Ashanti included throwback photos of her and the Murder, Inc. crew along with the albums she worked on with Gotti. Despite their past transgressions, the Long Island native put their differences aside and honored the famed producer's legacy.
"I can’t believe things ended like this….and it makes me so sad…" Ashanti began her caption.
"We weren’t on the best 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. "We made history and that will remain infinite.. I’ve always respected your musical genius and ability to push me to be my best.. 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 🙏🏽🕊️"
Ashanti was discovered by Gotti in the early 2000s before he signed her to Murder, Inc. The record executive put her on several major hits including Fat Joe's "What's Luv" and Ja Rule's "Always On Time" before he produced her debut single "Foolish." Despite all the work they did together, Ashanti and Irv bumped heads in recent years. The "Can I Live" producer claimed he and the singer dated in 2002 during an appearance on Drink Champs. He also made headlines after he admitted he was salty after he found out Ashanti and Nelly were dating. After rumors about their alleged relationship ran wild online, Ashanti cleared the air on Angie Martinez's IRL podcast.
“We dealt with each other, but was Irv my boyfriend? Was I his girlfriend? Never," she said. "Irv had several girlfriends, so I’m a little confused by the label and the description.”
Irv Gotti passed away last week after he reportedly suffered from a stroke. He was 54.