Cold case arrests spark memories of slain DJ Jam Master Jay

A pedestrian passes a mural of rap pioneer Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC by artist Art1Airbrush, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in the Queens borough of New York. Charges against two individuals in the hip hop artist's almost 18-year-old murder case were announced the previous day. AP Photo/John Minchillo

By David Brand

Ralph McDaniels is one of the world’s premier hip hop historians, but even he sometimes needs a fact checker. For years, the host of Video Music Box knew who to turn to.

“If I had a question that was like, ‘Who did what first?’ I’d go to Jay,” McDaniels said. “He’d say, ‘Na, such and such did that.’ He always knew the answer. If I needed a reference, I’d go to Jay.”

Jay is Jam Master Jay, the legendary DJ for Hollis hip hop trio Run DMC, who was shot and killed in his recording studio in October 2002.

On Monday, two men were charged with the cold case killing, prompting hip hop fans and Southeast Queens residents to recall the legacy of the pioneering DJ, whose real name was Jason Mizell.

“Jam Master Jay was the quintessential DJ that every DJ wanted to be like,” said McDaniels, the Queens Public Library’s hip hop coordinator. “There were DJs that came before him but he was on a pedestal that no DJ had ever been before — playing live aid, being on MTV, playing big stadiums.”

McDaniels said Jay was an astute performer and purveyor of hip hop culture.

“Jay was always the professional. If there was an interview, he wanted to know where you want to do the interview, what questions do you want to ask,” McDaniels said. “If there was a concert, he was the guy who showed up first to check the equipment and make sure everything was ready.”

Fans used social media to share their memories of Mizell and to recall some of Run DMC’s greatest hits. A mural to the slain DJ is emblazoned on a wall in Hollis.

Even one of the city’s top cops recalled Jam Master Jay’s influence.

“Me being a native of Queens, being a big fan of Run DMC and Jam Master Jay, making this arrest was very important for me,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison told CBS News. 

Despite his musical accomplishments, court documents paint a complicated picture of Mizell, who allegedly conspired to sell drugs in Maryland before his death. The two defendants charged with the murder, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., allegedly plotted to kill Mizell after he cut Washington out of a cocaine distribution deal, prosecutors said.

In a statement, Run DMC member Darryl McDaniels — no relation to Ralph — said the indictments opened up “a lot of painful memories for all of us who knew and loved Jam Master Jay.”

“I’m relieved to hear that two suspects have been arrested and charged with his murder,” he added.

Mizell’s family issued a statement asking for privacy and describing their “mixed emotions.”

“We truly hope that these indictments are a solid step towards justice being served in the murder of Jay,” the family wrote.

“We realize that there are other families out there who have lingering pain who continue to wait for their own closure, and we pray that this case gives them hope.”

RUN DMC shared the family’s statement on the group’s official Twitter account. 

Their tweet included a special message: “Jam Master Jay Forever.”