United Kingdom, Feb. 6 -- Record producer Irv Gotti has died aged 54.

The Murder Inc. Records co-founder's cause of death is not yet known, according to The Hollywood Reporter, who confirmed his passing.

Irv - who worked with the likes of Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, Ashanti and DMX - suffered a "minor" stroke early last year, and he had battled diabetes-related issues.

Following the tragic news, the music world has paid tribute to Irv, including label Def Jam, where he got his big break.

A statement on the company's Instagram account reads: "Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti.

"His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A R executive ...