Ja Rule Confirms Failed Mediation Between Ashanti, Late Irv Gotti

Ja Rule revealed on the BagFuel podcast that he attempted multiple times to mediate the long-standing feud between Ashanti and the late Irv Gotti, whom he referred to as his "sister" and "brother." The tension arose after Gotti publicly claimed in 2022 that he had a romantic relationship with Ashanti during her early career, which she denied, accusing him of lying. Despite Ja Rule's efforts to play peacemaker, he eventually chose to step back, telling both parties to handle their issues independently, a decision that was respected by all involved. Following Gotti's death in February 2025 from a hemorrhagic stroke, Ashanti expressed regret, wishing their relationship had ended differently and emphasizing she had always wanted peace. Ja Rule described the situation as emotionally difficult, highlighting the sadness of seeing close friends argue publicly. Throughout, he maintained that while the circumstances were uncomfortable, he hoped for a better resolution between them.