Irv Gotti Blames JAY-Z For Album With DMX And Ja Rule Never Being Released

Irv Gotti believes that a collaborative album featuring JAY-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule was never released due to JAY-Z’s ego and the potential of being outshined.

During a recent appearance on Drink Champs, Gotti shared his thoughts on why the supergroup was never officially formed and a full album from the trio was never recorded.

“It’s just my opinion, but I don’t think that Jay wanted to get in the room with X and Ja,” the Hollis, Queens, native reasoned. “Jay is a very smart person.” Gotti also said that DMX and Rule’s lack of deference toward him, lyrically or otherwise, possibly made Hov feel uneasy about working with the pair in such a close capacity.”

“X and Ja don’t worship JAY-Z,” the producer and music executive added. “[It’s like] you’re my man, but when that beat comes on, you’re not above me gettin’ at you.” While Gotti maintains that all three were relatively cordial with one another and there was no serious tension, he feels X and Ja’s competitive nature and the chance of being outclassed tempered the Brooklyn native’s desire to see the project through.

“Do I want to make a whole album with these ni**as coming at me?” he said, speaking from Hov’s point of view. “And if I’m JAY-Z, there’s a slight chance that, what is ni**as gonna say? I’m not the nicest ni**a? Where’s my win? The only thing I’m seeing with this is potential loss.”

JAY-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule have collaborated with one another on multiple occasions during the mid-late ’90s, including on Mic Geronimo’s “Time To Build,” JAY-Z’s “Murdergram,” and Ja Rule’s “It’s Murda.” While those records sparked talks of a supergroup, even spawning a magazine cover featuring the trio in its anticipation, the project was ultimately nixed and remains one of rap’s biggest “what-if” moments to date.

Watch Irv Gotti’s Drink Champs interview below.

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