Run DMC Series + Jam Master Jay Murder

Earlier this week, two men were convicted of the 2002 murder of legendary Run DMC DJ Jason ‘Jam Master Jay‘ Mizell following a month-long trial in Brooklyn, New York City.

According to eyewitness testimony, Mizell’s 40-year-old godson, Karl Jordan Jr., shot and killed the DJ at his studio over a $200,000 drug deal. Mizell’s childhood friend Ronald Washington, 59, held visitors in the studio captive during the murder. Both men face up to 20 years in prison. 

Ironically, the verdict comes a month before the 40th anniversary of Run DMC’s self-titled debut album and a month after the release of a three-part series detailing the pioneering group’s lengthy career, Kings from Queens: The Run DMC Story. 

The series charts Run DMC’s meteoric rise as hip-hop’s first platinum-selling group and documents rapper Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels’ mental health struggles.

As one-third of Run-DMC, Mizell became one of the world’s best-known DJs in the 1980s. However, despite finding success as a producer and helping to launch the career of 50 Cent, Mizell turned to drug dealing after income from his music dried up in the 1990s.