Irv Gotti's Final Moments: Brother Says He Had Stroke Over Chinese Food and Poker Game
The older brother of late hip-hop mogul Irv Gotti, Chris Lorenzo, is opening up about his sibling's final moments before his tragic death.
Lorenzo described the music executive's fate in February while appearing on the "2Way" podcast, revealing that Gotti suffered a "massive hemorrhagic stroke."
"He's 54. I believe he was diagnosed in his late 40s," Lorenzo said. "But Irv doesn't go to the doctor, so that's why he was so late being diagnosed."
Gotti, who died at 54, also had Type 1 diabetes, Lorenzo, 58, explained.
He said his brother did not take the illness seriously, even when a proper diagnosis had been made.
Although doctors had confirmed the news, Gotti was still skeptical. Lorenzo revealed, "When he finally did go get a real physical and a check-up, they were like, 'You're diabetic,' and he didn't believe it."
It was all his fault for not managing his health properly, the older sibling revealed, and it ultimately cost him his life.
"We all have to go at some point, but we want to go on our terms," he continued. "And Irv, sadly enough, did go on his terms. He just didn't believe it."
Lorenzo said Gotti spent his last hours eating his favorite food and doing his favorite things.
"He ate a bunch of Chinese food while playing poker and had a massive hemorrhagic stroke, which is bleeding on the brain."
The latest revelation comes weeks after Gotti died on Feb. 5. His death was confirmed in a joint statement from his three children, Angie, Sonny, and JJ, in a post on his Instagram account on February 6.
"Surrounded by family and friends, he departed this world, leaving behind a legacy that will forever resonate in the hearts of those who knew him and the countless lives he touched," they wrote.
A Lasting Legacy in Hip-Hop
Gotti, whose real name is Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr, was one of the central figures in the music industry.
The music legend was plagued with health problems for some time.
The producer had struggled with complications of diabetes and had suffered a mild stroke in 2024, a spokesperson told TMZ.
Gotti admitted on an episode of the podcast "Drink Champs" in 2023 that he occasionally didn't keep up with his insulin.
He said no in the end, not wanting to be forced into controlling his health — what a cautionary tale for many of us with conditions such as he was.
Originally published on Music Times
