Gotti's Word is a new feature to the blog -- instead of taking it upon ourselves to recap Gotti's Way every week, we're going to the titular man himself. Via a series of interviews with Irv, this space will expand and expound upon issues raised in every episode. We figure that Irv's world view is so singular and his situations are so unique (ex. his relationship with his not-yet-ex-wife Deb) that he has a lot of explaining to do. And explain he does: no matter what you feel about Irv's lifestyle or philosophies, one thing that you can't deny is his honesty. Whether this is endearing or to a fault is up for you to decide.

After the jump, Irv talks about the state of the music industry, his goals as a mogul, what "manning up" means and why it's good for kids to fear their parents. "My mother whipped the s*** out of me," Irv explains. Things get really real after the jump...

On wanting Murder Inc. to evolve and "become something like Interscope":

I wanna be Zach Horowitz, I wanna be Clive Davis, L.A. Reid. I wanna be an executive like that. That's my wish, that's my dream. Not to be a reality television star. The only thing is this show might help me get to that. The only thing that my brain and my mind is on the goal is that, business-wise. I don't really have clothing lines, or have vodka companies or whatever like that. But this may help me. [Universal Records Group Chairman and CEO] Doug Morris called and said that he and his wife love the show. I'm like, "Doug, oh my god, I'm so happy to hear you say that, 'cause I didn’t know if you was gonna flip, and be like, 'What are you doing? You're breaking the brotherhood of executives over here.'" So that loosened me up a little bit.

On the state of the music industry:

I tell everybody in the music business we are about to take the picture, ya know, The Last Supper. I'm just trying to secure my seat, because it's just deteriorating. Every few months you hear, another 2,000 people got laid off, or this label is merging with that label. You hear s*** like that every few months and when you look at the record sales, they going like this (makes a downward motion), everything is going like this (more downward). I mean, it's f***ed up. It's about survival, but only the strongest is going to survive. Only the smartest and most creative people is gonna survive. So I like my chances.

On "manning up," his fatherly advice to his sons, Sonny and J.J.:

You have to take into consideration that I just went on trial and could have been sentenced to jail for 20 years. If things went that way, my boys would have needed to man up early, and that's the s*** that's in the back of my head. They're with their mom a lot because I come on the weekends, but my presence in their life is big. They're men, I'm letting them know, 'cause their mother loves them so much. I give them the man's side of things. Like yo, listen man you gotta take care of s***, ya know what I’m saying? You got to make sure you're good in life to take care of your family.

On Deb's suggestion that Irv's sons are afraid of him:

My boys love the s*** out of me, but yes, they fear me. But that's a psychological tactic that I did. I never touched them -- that fear was developed just over me raising my voice in a way that might strike fear. This may not sound good but it's a good method: if you have a dog, get a newspaper. It's not gonna hurt the dog -- this isn't no Michael Vick s***. Whip the dog with the newspaper in front of your kids. It will make your kids think that you're an insane f***ing lunatic, which then brings a little fear onto them. It's good to have a little fear of your parents.

I never whipped Sonny, J.J. or Angie. I never touched none of them. But my mother whipped the shit out of me. I'm talking legendary whippings, where my brothers and sisters would cry, "Mommy, you're gonna kill him!" I robbed this guy's house when I was, I think, 12, I robbed this guy's house. We took a change purse and some dollars that was lying around, right? It was the guy's grandmother's, but I was poor. I just wanted a new pair of sneakers. I was tired of being ridiculed for being a f***ing bum. So the next day, I go to school and f***ing the cops is there. When my mom found out, she whipped me. It was a vacuum cleaner, like the old-school kind where there was a rubber hose connected to a long metal pole. No high-tech s***. She whipped me with the metal pole. Crack, Crack. I ran under the f***ing kitchen table. I'm crying and she's cracking me. She is full-fledged hitting me, bruising me and I'm like, "Oh s***! I'm under siege!" My brothers and sisters were like, "Mom, stop!" She turned to them: "Back up!" They all just backed the f*** up. My dad is just sitting there, he's just watching, he don't give a f***. He goes f*** it. My dad is just like, "Why'd you do that?" to me and left it there. He would never put out his hands or this or that, but my mom, she cracked the s*** out of me. You know you go outside she'd take the leaves off the switch and leave welts on you and whip you. That was nothing. That was commonplace. There were eight kids in my family, and she used to tie us up because she didn't want us running around. We'd be sitting there watching TV, f***ing gagged and bound.

Recently, my brother Chris and I were talking to my dad. He said, "You knew when I raised my voice, that was enough." We was like, "Dad, we had no f*** fear of you." It was like a shock to him. He thought he was like the silent fearful dad, we was like you was the cream puff, we were scared to death of mom. So fear is a good thing with parents.

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Comments

[B]

Sorry, I love them, but Salt needs to get over herself. She talks a lot about Pep respecting her and her way of life, but isn't a two-way street? It's not very "christian" to be judgemental. I'm sure part of it is the way the show is edited for maximum drama, but give her a break. Pep didn't say she'd convert, she said she would try and live with the fact that her best friend has turned into a completely different person who seems to be ashamed of who she was and who her friends were. Hm.

[b]

oops, wrong one. sorry.

[b]

oops, wrong one. sorry.

[b]

oops, wrong one. sorry.

[eldreezee]

what kind of shirt or where can i get that shirt irv gotti be wearing with the "eg" on it

[Vanessa]

Hey Gotti needs to just get back with Deb(she is a wonderful woman, she puts up with alot and really is a role model for me, I just got that Puertorican in me that by watching her I learn alot to tone it down) regarding getting back with her you should try making the marriage work the right way.....and just be the better man.....Gotti you are an awesome man and your wifey loves you very much....and that is noted.....Gotti you have a wonderful family and let me tell you your the man.......everyone knows that......A last note about your boys manning up I feel you but I also feel Deb...you just want your boys to grow up and be the best and Deb is just has the warm mother instinct....you gotta feel her too....your both right.....Love ya.....all.....

[KitaV]

Man Up? Hey, speaking of that Irv, why don't you do the same and stop hoeing around and make your family work as one unit. You are the man and I am sure you can turn old love into new love and get over new punanny. Now THAT is manning up!

[Reign]

I couldn't have said it better KitaV. You said it all.

[Michelle]

I really like the show but Deb needs to move on how many times can a man tell you that he does not want to be with you, I respect the fact that Irv is honest about everything,we as woman can't handle the truth when a man tells you straight up what he's about, he's honest enough to say that he's not ready to commit. Peace And One Love