DJ 837

DJ Michael “5000” Watts, founder of Swishahouse, has died today at 52. His wife, Tammie Watts, announced the news of her husband’s passing on her Instagram page as well as his official accounts Friday (Jan. 30). Watts reportedly died at Memorial Hermann Hospital in The Woodlands, Texas. “It is with profound sadness and heartbreak that we inform the public of our beloved Michael '5000' Watts," a statement from Watts' family read. "We truly appreciate the love shown to Michael throughout his career and we ask for continued prayers as we navigate through this very hard journey." According to the statement, Watts developed a fatal heart rhythm called Torsades de Pointes, which caused sudden cardiac death. Two days ago, his family released a statement detailing Watts’ health complications and hospitalization. He is survived by his wife, five children and two grandchildren. Recognized as one of the most important figures in Houston rap history, Michael “5000” Watts helped popularize the chopped and screwed sound created by the late DJ Screw. Watts, who founded the Swishahouse record label, alongside OG Ron C, in 1997, went on to lead the charge with his Swisha Mixes in the 1990s, and helped launch the careers of artists like Paul Wall, Slim Thig, Chamillionaire and Mike Jones. Jones’ 2003 classic debut single “Still Tippin’” featuring Slim Thug and Paul Wall was initially featured on Swishahouse’s compilation album The Day Hell Broke Loose 2 in 2003 and appeared on Jones’ debut album, Who Is Mike Jones? in 2005. In recent years, Watts was on Houston’s 97.9 The Box radio station where he played his signature Swishahouse mix from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Irv Gotti, cofounder of Murder Inc. Records, has died at the age of 54, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The famed record executive and producer's cause of death is as yet unknown. Earlier today, it was reported that Irv suffered a stroke several days ago. This is the second stroke he had in the last seven months. Irv was a prominent figure in hip-hop throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, due to his work with Ja Rule and singer Ashanti. He produced or co-produced classic tracks like Ja Rule's "Always on Time" featuring Ashanti, Jay-Z's "Can I Get A..." featuring Ja Rule and Amil, DMX's "What's My Name" and Eve's "Gangsta Lovin'" featuring Alicia Keys, among many others. RIP Irv Gotti. 🕊️