Irv Gotti Stands On Ashanti Comments: "I Just Told My Truth"

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 20223.0K Views

: The Inc Records artist Ashanti (left) with director and The Inc Records CEO Irv Gotti, shoots her new video for "Don't Let Them" on March 3, 2005 in Los Angeles, California.

Irv Gotti doesn't regret his recent comments about Ashanti.

Irv Gotti was the talk of the internet all year after his appearance on Drink Champs. In the lead-up to The Murder Inc. Story, Gotti divulged his romantic relationship with Ashanti that very few people knew existed. He shamelessly continued to discuss this topic throughout the month, even as friends like Fat Joe condemned him for coming out publicly about something that happened 20 years prior.

Ashanti and Irv Gotti of Murder Inc. during Ashanti On The R. Kelly Chocolate Factory Tour - Backstage at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images)

It appears that Gotti doesn't have any shame in what he discussed. On the red carpet of the VMAs, Essence caught up with Irv to discuss the comments he made.

"It’s my life. They paid me a bunch of money to talk about my life at Murder Inc. and I caught all this flack because of it,” Gotti said. “It’s my life. I’m not a lying type person. I wish Ashanti all the best. If you’re watching Ashanti, I wish you all the best. But I just told my truth.”

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Gotti also addressed people calling him predatory for making a move on Ashanti when she was 20 years old and he was closer to 30. "It was funny for me to see the backlash I received. They were trying to get the #MeToo Movement and I was like, ‘Yo, I said I loved her. We were together for three years…I wish her all the best.”

He also caught up with TheShadeRoom who similarly asked him about his dealings with Ashanti. He said the only reason he's talking about Ashanti is that people frequently ask him about her.

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About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.