Following news of Irv Gotti passing this week, Ashanti has taken to social media to extend her condolences while reflecting on the legacy the two made together!
In a post to Instagram late Friday evening Ashanti wrote, ” I can’t believe things ended like this…and it makes me so sad…”
“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. We made history and that will remain infinite..”
She continued, “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 concluded her statement with praying hands and a dove emoji.
Despite Irv playing a pivotal role in helping to launch Ashanti’s career, the two had been at odds ends over the last few years and never got the chance to reconcile their differences.
Following the release of ‘The Murder Inc’ story in 2022 with BET, Irv shared intimate parts of their past “relationship” with viewers. In response Ashanti declared that they were never in a relationship, further explaining that their situation was not at all serious.
“We dealt with each other, but was Irv my boyfriend, and was I his girlfriend? Never,” said Ashanti in a 2022 interview with Angie Martinez for her IRL Podcast.
She also accused him of being jealous of her continued success since he no longer had control over her career.
“I accepted a long time ago that’s the person that he is.”
“I feel like Irv is mentally not in a good place.”
“When you come to a realization that you no longer can manipulate or control someone you let go. You just vomit. It looks nasty, it smells nasty. And that’s a reflection of the person that you are,” Ashanti stated in response to his comments made on ‘Drink Champs”. “He’s clearly in pain, and I see a lot of feminine qualities.”
Ashanti choose not participate in the three part documentary.
“I think the world can see why,” she laughed. “For the record, I love Murder, Inc. I’m cool with everyone, it’s all love.”
“It’s very unfortunate how Irv decided to handle his documentary. It’s a little sad to see a grown man conduct himself in that manner. I feel like the Murder, Inc. legacy is so much bigger,” she said. “The way he handled it tarnished and cheapened the brand…that’s so selfish and so degrading.”
Further in conversation, Ashanti admitted that their relationship moved from professional to personal early on in her career as she was led to believe he had been legally separated from his wife. She says that she was instructed to not ask about his other interactions with other women.
Ashanti also explained how her career was impacted and the pressure she felt to continue to deal with him personally. “If I say [no]…does that mean we’re not going to record?”
The Grammy award winning songstress says that their beef stemmed from her finding her own independence and getting into a relationship with Nelly. Ashanti revealed that Irv continued to declare threats of violence towards her including death threats.
“I believe he wishes death on me to this day,” Ashanti revealed. “I’m my heart I feel like Irv is just hurt, and he doesn’t know where to place his hurt, and he doesn’t know how to channel it as a man. And it’s very sad.”
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