In the early 2000s, Murder Inc. was one of the most successful labels in music. Hit albums and singles from superstars like Ja Rule and Ashanti made Irv Gotti's label a standard-bearer for the times, but it also made Murder Inc. a target for criticism and detractors. In a recent interview with Billboard, label star Ja Rule addressed how much things have changed since 2002.

“We were talking earlier about how I do shows now and people don’t remember the time and songs they were hating on, like ‘Wonderful’ and ‘Mesmerize,'” Ja explained. “‘Mesmerize’ was a big record, but n-ggas were hating on me. You would never know that.”

“You know what’s funny,” Gotti said. “A lot of you Murder Inc. fans — those appreciative of our music — are coming out of the woodworks now. It’s cool now to love Murder Inc.”

In the early 2000s, Murder Inc. churned out chart-smashing hits like Ja Rule's "Put It On Me," "I Cry," and "Always On Time," Ashanti's "Foolish," and "Happy" and successful releases from other artists like Charli Baltimore and Lil Mo. A five-part documentary about the powerhouse label is coming to BET this summer.