photo by steed media service

One doesn’t become successful without overcoming some obstacles and adversity. Irv Gotti, born Irving D. Lorenzo, the son of a cab driver and the youngest of eight kids, had to fight his way up from poverty to become president of one of the most successful labels in urban music, Murder Inc. “I come from a great family,” explains Gotti. “We [were] poor, but there was a lot of love.”

That familial bond was transferred to Gotti’s burgeoning label, which dominated popular music in the early 2000s. But Gotti’s run of luck changed after federal agents raided the company’s headquarters on suspicion of money laundering. “My lowest moment as a CEO was the feds raiding the office,” he recalls. “Universal Music Group [stripped] me of my deal — it was rough.”

But Irv Gotti is not new to struggle, and wasn’t afraid to fight his way back to the top. “The things you go through in life make you the person [you are], ya know?” he says, thoughtfully. “I don’t regret it and I wouldn’t even change it, because it helped me see [who] around me was real and who wasn’t. It was a real eye-opener.” With the recent album releases of label mainstay Ja Rule and recent signee, multiplatinum singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton, the Inc.’s fortunes appear to be changing.

Gotti’s also given the public a rare peek into his personal life with VH1’s hit “Gotti’s Way.” Spotlighting how the industry affects relationships, the show is an unflinching look at Gotti’s family life. “It really wasn’t [stressful] doing the show — [except] it was [a little] stressful at the end,” he says. “I have a great relationship with the production company and I own the show, [so] I have a big say in everything.” - todd williams

View the exclusive video at rollingout.com/music. For more information, visit www.mario2u.com.

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