Ashanti says she was 'never' Irv Gotti's girlfriend: 'Manipulation played a heavy part'

Ashanti is speaking out on her own terms about her relationship with Murder Inc. founder and producer Irv Gotti.

The "Foolish" singer, 42, responded to claims Gotti made in "The Murder Inc Story" BET docuseries and an explosive episode of the "Drink Champs" podcast in August, where the producer alleged their relationship was romantic and sexual.

"Let’s clear this up," Ashanti said in an episode of Angie Martinez's "IRL" podcast, streaming Wednesday. "We dealt with each other, but was Irv my boyfriend? Was I his girlfriend? Never … Irv had several girlfriends, so I’m a little confused by the label and the description."

The singer said she feels Gotti manifested their relationship "into something big and it's really not that," so when it became clear she didn't share the same emotions, he turned "into a completely different person."

"Irv has flat-out lied about a lot of things," Ashanti continued. "It’s weird. It’s very weird when you know you’re lying and you just keep lying. That’s where it becomes a little scary and a little mental."

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In August, Gotti appeared on "Drink Champs" alongside Ja Rule and told hosts N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN how hurt he was when Ashanti began dating rapper Nelly, despite Gotti being married at the time. He and ex-wife Debbie Lorenzo divorced in 2013.

Gotti also said their personal relationship helped Ashanti’s career and that he created her hit "Happy" after the two had sex.

Ashanti denied Gotti's recollection of events on "IRL," telling Martinez, "I’m trying to figure out what made him even say that. Was I there? I’m confused. I don’t remember this at all."

She added that she wrote the song in her car while in the "parking lot of … C.W. Post College" before she was supposed to "see 'The Nutcracker' with my aunt and my cousins."

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Regarding her romance with Nelly, Ashanti said Gotti had a lot of "bitterness" and blackballed her for pursuing that relationship.

"Irv was salty. Irv would not let me come to the studio to record. Irv was telling everyone not to record with me. … You know what he said to me? He said, ‘Nah, you want to be with Nelly? Go sign to Derrty Entertainment. We don’t want you,’" she said.

The "Rock Wit U (Awww Baby)" singer alleged the Murder Inc. producer even went as far as sending "death threats" to people, from her hair stylist to her labelmates, if they continued to work with her while she was dating Nelly.

"I definitely feel like manipulation played a heavy part into me and Irv’s situation," Ashanti continued. "He would say stuff like, 'No one wants to record with you, nobody (expletive) with you like that.' On one hand, he would make it feel like family, and on the other hand, he would tell me, 'Nobody even likes you.'"

Despite their shattered history, Ashanti said she had "genuine love" for Gotti because "he 100% helped to change my life."

"I feel like Irv is just hurt and he doesn’t know where to place his hurt and he doesn’t know how to channel it as a man. It’s sad," she said of Gotti's choice to air out their relationship. "I genuinely, in my heart, believe that Irv wishes death on me. A million percent."

Gotti told USA TODAY at the MTV Video Music Awards in August that he wishes Ashanti "all the best" and "all the success."

"They hire you to do a documentary on your life. Could you omit parts?" he said of the claims he made about the singer in "The Murder Inc Story."

Contributing: Ralphie Aversa

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ashanti denies she dated Irv Gotti, says he 'flat-out lied'