Irv Gotti, the famed hip-hop music executive from New York City, has died at the age of 54. Def Jam Recordings shared a message on social media late Wednesday night confirming his death, saying the label is "deeply saddened.

Irv Gotti, a famed music producer and founder of the hip-hop label Murder Inc., died, the record label's distributor Def Jam said in a statement. He was 54. "Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists,

Before launching Murder Inc. in New York City in 1998, Gotti worked as an A&R at Def Jam, where he helped bring DMX, Jay-Z and Ja Rule to the label. Under the moniker DJ Irv, he produced the song “Can I Live” from Jay-Z’s 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt.