Ashanti has opened up about her complicated relationship with Irv Gotti following the passing of her former label boss, expressing both sadness and reflection on their history together.
During a recent episode of Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast, the singer addressed her emotions surrounding Gotti’s death, noting that despite their past tensions, she had always wished for peace between them. Martinez acknowledged Ashanti’s heartfelt tribute on social media, praising her for showing grace despite their well-documented conflicts in recent years.
“It was a lot to process. It was a lot of different feelings and emotions, and I think honestly what I said [in my tribute post] is really how I feel,” Ashanti shared. “I was really sad, and I’m still sad that it ended like this, because there was a time where things were just amazing. And I know my heart always just wanted peace for both of us and for us to be cordial. I wished peace for him. I prayed for him to be at peace, and you just don’t really see this – it really just came out of nowhere.”
The “Foolish” singer went on to express her regret that they were unable to reconcile before Gotti’s passing, despite her attempts to mend their relationship.
“I really wanted to [make peace with him before he passed] because, like I said, we made history together. That is infinite,” she explained. “Like, talking about my son – my son is gonna know that we made these records together! I’m sad that the last few years we weren’t seeing eye to eye. What I do know is that I tried. I do know that I extended the olive branch. I just want things to be cool.”
Ashanti and Irv Gotti’s working relationship in the early 2000s helped shape the success of Murder Inc., with the label producing some of the biggest hits of the era. Despite their fallout in recent years, Ashanti’s words reflect a deep acknowledgment of their impact on hip-hop and R&B history.