Media Outrage

In an interview with Complex Irv got deep about his Vh1 reality tv show Gotti’s Way, 50, Ja Rule, 50, and Gayle King Oprah’s best friend.

C: You said that the label execs will tap them on their ass and tell them to break and be like “Listen, get up out of here”…
Irv Gotti: That’s what they’re doing to J. Lo’s big old ass. They’re patting her big old ass to get up out of here. And please, no disrespect to J. Lo. J. Lo is a friend. I love J. Lo and I want to work with her, and I think it’s fucked up that Epic is releasing reports like that without cleaning it up. Because it’s all over the Internet that they’re about to drop J. Lo, and she’s one of the biggest stars. Forget music, she’s one of the biggest stars in the world. So you know, the wrath doesn’t escape anyone.

C: Ja’s kind of like your brother in a sense, but you are almost like his boss. Is that how you feel with him, or could you never do that to him?
Irv Gotti: No… Ja owns Murder Inc. with me. Ja’s not just an artist. Ja’s family and forever. I don’t care if Ja sold one record. He’s the owner of Murder Inc. and we’ll go sign some new acts. Even if Ja’s career is over, he’s good. He started Murder Inc. He’s the first one that said “It’s Murda,” with “Holla Holla” and launched my label. So me and him go down in history forever. So, if he’s over then Gotti’s over.

C: Is it fair to say your relationship with Ashanti isn’t as strong as it once was?
Irv Gotti: Yeah, that is definitely fair to say. [laughs]

C: What do you attribute it to?

C: What do you attribute it to?
Irv Gotti: The evils of the business.

C: What is that?
Irv Gotti: I have an interesting philosophy with the music business. I have a saying that says, “The devil usually wins in the music business.” What I mean by that is when I got in my trial and all of the negativity was coming, it takes strong-minded individuals to be able to stand it and stay through everything. If I’m not around you, then the evils come. All of the leeches and other people, who had no part of your success, come in and they start filling your head up. “Hey, you don’t need him, that Murder Inc. thing is bringing you down, you’re bigger than everybody over there.” When really, these are the people that were 90% of the reason you’re successful. But the evils of the business come in and the next thing you know, it’s torn apart. You’re trying to get off the label and you’re saying things like “I don’t want to be a part of this.” All right, cool, but you’re still under contract, so what can I do? There’s nothing for me to do. I’m not just going to let you go. Give me some money and I’ll let you go [laughs]. You don’t have any money? What the fuck do you want me to do?

C: How long is she under contract for?
Irv Gotti: Another few albums.

C: Did your sexual relationship with her have anything to do with it?
Irv Gotti: I didn’t have… hey you’re trying to get a juicy one. Let me clean that up. Wendy Williams, did you ever really hear me say that I slept with her?

C: It kind of alluded to that.
Irv Gotti: No, did you hear the interview? Did you do your homework? OK, Now, if you did your homework and you listened to the interview, did the words “I slept with Ashanti,” ever come out of my mouth?

C: No.
Irv Gotti: OK, then. Why’s everyone saying I slept with Ashanti? Because Wendy Williams is saying it? Wendy Williams says a bunch of crazy shit. That’s what she does. So on that note, next question. I never said that I slept with her.

C: So never? You can clear it up totally over here.
Irv Gotti: I don’t need to clear it up. I never said it, so it’s not a question that I need to address.

C: You think you’ll do a second season of Gotti’s Way?
Irv Gotti:.I like it. I’ll probably do a season two, because they’re already asking me. The ratings have been phenomenal. They were hoping on getting five or six hundred thousand viewers, I’m averaging over two million viewers a week and it’s growing. It’s shocking me. They keep asking me “Yo, the ratings are great.” It’s crazy. I understand exactly how you feel, because I feel the same way. You know who’s calling me every week about the show? Gayle-fucking-King. Do you know who Gayle King is?

C: No I don’t actually.
Irv Gotti: Gayle King is Oprah’s best friend.

C: Oh God.
Irv Gotti: She is entrenched in the show. She called me last week like “You’re being too hard on your boy. You have to stop with the ?Man Up’.” I told her “Yo, Gayle, I was facing 20-years, what if I went to jail for 20 years, my boys would have to grow up quicker than normal.” That shit is in the back of my head.” She said “Well you didn’t go to jail for 20 years.” She is, like, deeply involved in the show.

For the full interview Click Here.