Ashanti Reveals Failed Attempts to Reconcile With Irv Gotti Before Untimely Death

Ashanti became emotional while reflecting on her relationship with music mogul Irv Gotti, who passed away unexpectedly this month.

The "Foolish" singer spoke candidly about coming to terms with Gotti's passing while also recognizing the complexities of their history.

"It was a lot to process. It was a lot of different feelings and emotions," she said. Although their beef has been well-documented over the years, Ashanti mentioned that she never wished anything but the best for the two.

"I'm still sad that it ended like this," Ashanti stated. "Because there was a time where things were just amazing." She looked back on their time spent together and the early 2000s music history created from their work.

I know in my heart that I always just wanted peace for both of us," she continued. "I prayed for him to be at peace," Ashanti said. She tried to reach out to Gotti before he died, but unfortunately, they couldn't mend fences.

"I do know that I extended the olive branch and I do know that I tried to just—I just wanted things to be cool," she said.

Ashanti and Irv Gotti's Collabs

During their collaborative reign at Murder Inc., Ashanti and Gotti created chart-busting classics like "Foolish" and "Mesmerize," accomplishments that landed her on the R&B throne.

Recalling their legacy, Ashanti added that she hoped her son with Nelly would appreciate how significant their collective work had been.

"We made history together—that is infinite," she said. "My son is going to know that we made these records together."

They had a professional relationship, with Ashanti remixing Gotti's seminal track "Down 4 U's. Since his death, she's linked up with others close to him, such as Ja Rule. In the midst of public speculation about their relationship, she made sure to say that she was doing her best to "navigate" their history with "grace."

Ashanti reflected, "I will always appreciate and genuinely be grateful. I will forever be grateful and transparent about all of that."

You can watch the full interview here on the IRL podcast.

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