Irv Gotti has received backlash for his comments about “grabbing Ashanti‘s ass” in the latest episode of BET’s The Murder Inc. Story.

In the third episode of the docuseries, which aired on Tuesday (August 23), Gotti explained how his relationship with Ashanti began, recalling his version of an interaction between the two of them after a studio session one night.

“I’m separated from [my wife] Deb, I’m on my own.” he said. “And Ashanti’s coming to the studio every day and our friendship and bond is naturally growing. She used to wear these juicy sweats and her ass was looking fat. Her ass was looking great.

“So, one day I was like, ‘Yo, I’ll take you home.’ She said, ‘Bet, cool.’ We are walking to her front door of her crib. She turns and says goodbye and I just kiss her and grab her ass and just, ‘Mwah.’ It was like, ‘What took you so long?’”

 

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Fans fled to Twitter to criticize Irv Gotti, accusing him of taking advantage of Ashanti as the founder of the label she was signed to.

“I’LL SAY IT: Ashanti was like 20 & Irv Gotti was 10 years older, in control of her career with power dynamics; it’s giving he preyed on her,” they wrote. “It’s creepy & some would say sexual assault, cause no consent. What if she felt she had to be with him for her career? #MurderIncStoryBET.”

Another fan said: “Irv Gotti a whole fuckin’ predator, but we’re supposed to care that he’s ‘hurt’ that Ashanti moved on to someone more age appropriate. He can rot!”

Ashanti laughed off being involved in the Murder Inc docuseries in July, leading another fan to note: “There needs to be a hefty conversation about Irv Gotti, because in no way should any man be talking about someone the way he’s talking about Ashanti, ESPECIALLY when she made it clear she wants no part.”

Irv Gotti appeared on Drink Champs with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN earlier in August and was asked if his alleged romantic relationship with Ashanti ever got in the way of business.

“It helped her,” he said, before explaining how “Happy” came about. “We just finished sleeping together, or whatever, I’m taking a shower. I’m in the shower, you know, a n-gga be creative after [sex] … I think of the whole track in the shower.”

Gotti said he immediately got out of the shower, made a phone call and went to the studio to work on the track with producer Chink Santana.

“’Okay, now it’s time for you to write. Yo, I want the shit to be a feel-good joint, like summertime,’” he recalled. “The energy, that record came about ’cause of our energy.”

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Irv Gotti was asked by N.O.R.E. if he “missed that energy a little bit,” with Irv answering “not anymore” and claiming he’s moved “way past that.”

“I honestly don’t give one single fuck,” he continued. “I’m Dr. Dre, been there, done that, and the chick sitting next to me, I don’t want to say crushing her, but she’s in her 20s and ridiculously hot. I know that person and I am cool with where we are, with not speaking, not anything.”

Ashanti didn’t directly respond to the comments, but she called for “positive vibes and energy” days after the interview was released.