A titan of the hip-hop community and one of the genre’s greatest pioneers, Irv Gotti, has died at age 54, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death has not yet been announced, but THR noted that the music impresario had suffered a stroke last year.

Born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr., Irv Gotti is most widely known for founding Murder Inc. Records, which fostered the careers of artists like Ja Rule and Ashanti. Lesser known, but just as important, was his role in stumping for rap legends like Jay-Z and DMX early in their careers (the label took its name from an unrealized group project featuring DMX, Ja Rule, and Jay-Z). He brought all three rappers to Def Jam Records, leading to the pioneering label’s resurgence in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Gotti was a hit producer who contributed to platinum songs like “Always On Time,” “I’m Real,” and “Ain’t It Funny” by Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez, and “Foolish,” “Rain on Me” and “Mesmerize” by Ashanti. At the height of Murder Inc.’s dominance, the label’s success was derailed by an FBI investigation into Gotti’s connection with Queens drug lord Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff.

More recently, he produced television series like BET’s Tales, an anthology show in which each episode was inspired by a hit hip-hop song (examples include Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” and The Roots’ “You Got Me”). He was also working on a DMX biopic. In a statement, former Def Jam CEO and Global Head of Music at YouTube Lyor Cohen, who presided over Gotti’s time at the label, said, Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers who was hip-hop. When we were on bended knee, he brought the heat and saved our asses. He comes from a very tight beautiful family from Queens and it’s an honor and a privilege to have known him. Irv, you will be missed.”