Rap mogul Irv Gotti has apologised for comments he made about DMX's death details during a radio interview.
The hip-hop heavyweight, who helped discover the late rapper and introduced him to label bosses at Def Jam, admitted he was "talking out of turn" when he suggested DMX died from a "bad dose of crack mixed with fentanyl" during a chat with Chicago's 107.5 WGCI late last month.
"They said it was a bad dose of crack, and they said some drug fentanyl was mixed in with the crack and that’s what made him overdose (sic)," Gotti told the morning show.
"Then when he got to the hospital, he got diagnosed with COVID and he couldn’t breathe... so that's why he had to get hooked up to the ventilator," he went on.
Prior to that, it was reported DMX died after suffering a heart attack, perhaps triggered by a drug overdose.
Further details about the rapper's death have not yet been released.
Gotti's interview drew backlash from the likes of 50 Cent and Swizz Beatz, and on Saturday, Gotti offered up a lengthy apology via Instagram.
"1st off. Let me say again. How much I love my n**ga X," Gotti began. "The fact that this is coming into Question is the only reason why I feel the need to address the bulls**t. I love X and love him Unconditionally and that won’t change til I die. Dog Love," he continued.
"Now Everything I said. Had already been reported in the media," Gotti wrote, explaining: "If you look back at media outlets. everything I said had been out there already. I did not break anything I said. But you know what. I understand. No one wanted to hear it from me. And for that I am truly sorry (sic)."
Gotti also mentioned he had personally apologised to DMX's ex-wife, Tashera Simmons, for commenting about the rapper's death.
"I apologize for talking out of turn," he penned, adding: "In my defense. I honestly thought I wasn’t saying anything that everyone didn’t hear already. If anyone thinks the love I have for X is nothing but genuine unconditional love. Just look at our history. Really look at it. And there is no way you can think that."
