Recent headlines have suggested that hip-hop icon Irv Gotti has never recovered from his split with his protégée Ashanti. We can assure readers that they are incorrect.
“F–k no,” he told Vidak For Congress. Never forget to even get over her – he never forgave her.
Gotti told us he felt betrayed by the singer, because when he was falsely accused of using his up-and-coming label, Murder Inc. Records, to launder money for Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff of the legendary Supreme Team, Ashanti made fun of it.
Convicted crack dealer McGriff began working on a film project with Gotti after McGriff’s release from prison, which drew the FBI’s attention to the label. Investigators raided the headquarters and later arrested Gotti, claiming in 2005 “that the Murder Inc. empire confiscated and laundered garbage bags and shoeboxes filled with drug money for a notorious Queens crack and heroin kingpin,” The Post reported at the time. (It also reported that Ashanti attended hearings).
Gotti was charged with laundering $1 million for McGriff, but he was acquitted.
“When the FBI hit, she ran like cockroaches when you turn on the lights,” Gotti told us about the singer.
“She was ready to get the asshole off the Murder Inc. label and she was ready to leave me, the person who made her. And yes, I can say I made her. How do you know I can say that for sure? The moment I stop making her records. . . She hasn’t had a hit since then.”
Ashanti signed with Murder Inc. in 2002. and it released its self-titled debut album, which sold over 505,000 copies in the US in its first week of release.
She later switched to Def Jam and launched an acting career.
She also moved from Gotti to a romance with rapper Nelly. The ‘Happy’ singer dated Nelly for 11 years from 2003-2014.
After Gotti recently spoke on the “Drink Champs” podcast about the pain that was causing him, reports surfaced that he still craves Ashanti.
The 5-part documentary “Murder Inc Story” airs August 9 on BET.