Former Warner Music Group honcho Lyor Cohen has found his first partner in a yet-to-be- announced talent management firm — and sources say he’s brought aboard Irv Gotti, the former head of record label The Inc. who discovered acts including Ja Rule and Ashanti.
We further hear that Gotti is aiming to advise rapper Drake while Cohen, as Page Six previously reported, has been giving career advice to Kanye West.
“If Lyor and Irv do work together, it’s possible they’ll have two of the biggest hip-hop stars under their management,” said a music insider after a photo showing Drake and Gotti meeting together appeared online.
The deal between Cohen and Gotti was struck this week, sources say. Cohen, who exited Warner in September, has been quietly setting up his new company amid speculation over which of his old colleagues at Warner, or his previous label, Island Def Jam, he would bring onboard.
A former Def Jam A&R exec who borrowed his industry moniker from Mafia don John, Gotti founded Murder Inc. records in 1997. He produced Jay-Z’s first hit “Can I Get a . . . ” as well as an album for “A Thousand Miles” singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton.
The label was partially owned by Def Jam, and the violent-sounding Murder Inc. name was later changed to The Inc.
But in 2005, Gotti was indicted for money laundering as part of a high-end drug ring along with his brother Chris Gotti. Both were later acquitted. Since then, Gotti tried to mount a comeback, launching a campaign last year to become president of Def Jam.
However Gotti lost out on he job to Joie Manda, and sources told us Gotti’s past probably hurt his chances. “If you don’t want to hire me — the best man for the job, the man who will die for it — cool, I understand. You think . . . the feds may come in here again if you hire me, cool,” he told MTV News.
Neither Cohen nor Gotti could be reached for comment last night.