Famed music executive Irv Gotti, founder of hip-hop label Murder Inc. which produced superstars including Ashanti and Ja Rule, has died at the age of 54, according to the record’s distributor Def Jam.

Before Andrew Walker lit up our screens in our favorite Hallmark romances, he was a Montreal-born football star, receiving a full scholarship to play at Boston College. Despite a career-ending injury, ...