# Murder Inc. (rap group)

Murder Inc. was an American East Coast hip hop supergroup composed of Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule, formed by record executive Irv Gotti in 1995. They first appeared in tandem on fellow New York-based rapper Mic Geronimo's 1995 song "Time to Build." After each gaining commercial success, the trio later appeared on the cover for the June 1999 issue of the hip-hop magazine XXL.
"Murder Inc." was rebranded by Irv Gotti to a namesake record label that he co-founded in 1998; Ja Rule was signed to the label and served as its flagship artist. Shortly afterward, the group disbanded in 2000 due to internal conflicts.

## History

In 1987, DJ Irv Gotti met Jay-Z and the two ran around London together while Jaz-O was recording his debut album Word to the Jaz. Irv would later remark: "I knew Jay was different and special from them". In 1988, Irv met DMX through his relationship with Jay-Z and Jaz-O, as they went on tour with Main Source and The U.M.C.'s. Irv shared a room with producer Chad Elliott, who saw his love for Hip-Hop and told him he should work with DMX and this crew out in Yonkers called Ruff Ryders. Irv convinced Ruff Ryders co-founder Waah Dean to buy him a drum machine to produce tracks for DMX. Irv would later say, "First time I heard X rhyme, blew me away, his energy & rawness, knew he was different and special." In 1993, Irv met Ja Rule through Chris Black, who was "a straight hustler." At the time, Ja and Chris were members of the group Cash Money Click, with O-1 as the third member. Irv said, "As soon as I met Ja and heard him spit, he immediately stood out from the pack".
Irv and Ja would become like brothers, as Ja would go everywhere with Irv, traveling to Yonkers to hang out with DMX and the Ruff Ryders, or meeting up with Jay-Z whenever Irv could. With little success, Irv continued to promote them all, putting out "Make A Move" with DMX at Sony Music, and "4 My Click" with Ja and the Cash Money Click at TVT Records/Blunt Records. In 1995, Jay-Z brought Damon Dash and Biggs to the studio and announced that they were his partners at Roc-A-Fella Records, asking Irv to help them. After Jay-Z recorded his debut album Reasonable Doubt, Irv brought "Ain't No Nigga" to Funkmaster Flex, and informed him of the Roc-A-Fella movement. Flex responded by playing the record on radio that night. Due to his involvement with Roc-A-Fella, Irv was then hired by Lyor Cohen to work at Def Jam Recordings. During Irv's first meeting with the label, he announced his plan to sign DMX, and was laughed at by record executives.
A few months later, Irv quit Def Jam because they refused to sign DMX. He was asked to return by Lyor, who told the A&R department, which included James Jones and Tina Davis, that Irv was to answer to him and Kevin Liles only. Irv immediately took Lyor, Liles and Damon Dash to Yonkers to visit the Ruff Ryders studio. When they arrived, The Lox, Drag-On and others were freestyling, as was DMX, with his jaws wired shut. Following their departure from the studio, Lyor, who was giddy with excitement, said "We have the pick of the litter." DMX immediately received an offer from Def Jam and after signing, began recording his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. Irv then brought "Get at Me Dog" to Funkmaster Flex, and explained who DMX and the Ruff Ryders were.
During this time, Ja Rule was stuck at TVT Records/Blunt Records with Steve Gottlieb, but Irv convinced Lyor to get Ja out of his contract and sign him to Def Jam. David McPherson, an executive at Sony Music, called Irv and set up a meeting, hoping to persuade Irv to produce for him. During the meeting, McPherson said: "I see what you're doing over there at Def Jam with Jay and X, and I am here on behalf of Tommy Mottola, we want to offer you a label deal". This offer forced Lyor's hand, and Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons gifted Irv $3 million to start his own label, Murder Inc. Records. To solidify Murder Inc., Irv had Ja Rule record his debut album Venni Vetti Vecci, and gave the song "Holla Holla" to Funkmaster Flex. Irv also put together a supergroup called Murder Inc., which consisted of DMX, Jay-Z, and Ja Rule. The trio appeared on the June 1999 front and back cover of XXL magazine. Due to issues between Jay-Z and DMX, and the disdain that arose after their freestyle battle in the 1990s, an album never materialized, though the trio did record six tracks together.

## Discography

List of collaborations between DMX, Jay-Z & Ja Rule :
| Title | Artist(s) | Producer(s) | Album | Release Date |
| "Time To Build" | Mic Geronimo featuring Ja Rule, Jay-Z & DMX | Irv Gotti | The Natural | March 21, 1995 |
| "If It's On It's On" | Ja Rule, Chris Black & Nemesis featuring Jay-Z, DMX, Infared & Black Child | Irv Gotti | Freaknik '96 Vinyl | 1996 |
| "Read About It Freestyle" | DJ Craig G featuring DMX & Ja Rule | RZA | Summer Jamz | 1997 |
| "The Usual Suspects OG" | Mic Geronimo featuring DMX, Ja Rule, Cormega & Hussein Fatal | Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool | How to Be a Player soundtrack | August 5, 1997 |
| "Grand Finale (Dogz-4-Life) OG" | DJ Clue featuring DMX, Ja Rule, Method Man & Nas | Lil Rob & Irv Gotti | This Is It!! Part One | 1998 |
| "I Shot Ya '98 Freestyle" | DMX featuring Ja Rule | Poke & Tone | The Unstoppable Def Jam Sampler | 1998 |
| "Usual Suspects (The Siege)" | Mic Geronimo featuring DMX, Ja Rule, Jadakiss, Styles P. & Tragedy Khadafi | Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool | Vendetta | January 24, 1998 |
| "Murdergram" | Jay-Z, Ja Rule & DMX | Tyrone Fyffe | Streets is Watching Soundtrack | May 12, 1998 |
| "Can I Get A..." | Jay-Z featuring Ja Rule & Amil | Lil Rob & Irv Gotti | Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life | August 22, 1998 |
| "Money, Cash, Hoes" | Jay-Z featuring DMX & Pain in da Ass | Swizz Beatz | Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life | September 29, 1998 |
| "Grand Finale" | DMX featuring Ja Rule, Method Man & Nas | Lil Rob & Irv Gotti | Belly soundtrack | October 27, 1998 |
| "Gangsta Shit" | DJ Clue featuring Jay-Z & Ja Rule | Duro, DJ Clue & Lil Rob | The Professional | December 15, 1998 |
| "Grand Finale Remix" | DMX featuring Ja Rule, Vita, Method Man & Nas | Lil Rob & Irv Gotti | Grand Finale Vinyl Single | 1998 |
| "Blackout" | DMX featuring Jay-Z, Jadakiss, Sheek Louch & Styles P. | Swizz Beatz | Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood | December 22, 1998 |
| "More Money, More Cash, More Hoes Remix" | Jay-Z featuring DMX, Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek | Swizz Beatz | The Corruptor Soundtrack | February 23, 1999 |
| "Kill 'Em All" | Ja Rule featuring Jay-Z | Self & Irv Gotti | Venni Vetti Vecci | March 2, 1999 |
| "It's Murda" | Ja Rule featuring DMX & Jay-Z | Tyrone Fyffe, Irv Gotti & Richard "Love" Marshall | Venni Vetti Vecci | March 2, 1999 |
| "Holla Holla Remix" | Ja Rule featuring Jay-Z, Vita, Caddillac Tah, Memphis Bleek, Black Child & Busta Rhymes | Lil Rob, Irv Gotti & Mr. Fingaz | Irv Gotti Presents: The Murderers | July 18, 1999 |
| "Why We Die" | Busta Rhymes featuring DMX & Jay-Z | P. Killer Trackz | Anarchy | June 20, 2000 |
| "Stay Flawless" | N.O.R.E. featuring DMX, Ja Rule & Yummy Bingham | | | December 21, 2009 |
| "Bath Salts" | DMX featuring Jay-Z, Nas & Swizz Beatz | Swizz Beatz & Prime Maximus | Exodus | May 28, 2021 |