Jam Master Jay was one of the most influential figures in hip-hop history. One-third of the rap group Run-DMC, he was known for his talent on the turntables, turning cutting and scratching into an art form that could not be matched.
Suggested Reading
But the world was stunned in 2002 when the news broke that he was shot and killed inside his Queens, New York recording studio. The case went unsolved until 2024, when two men were convicted of his murder. This week, in another shocking twist in the case, the conviction of one of the men, the DJ’s godson, Karl Jordan Jr., was overturned, as the judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence of a motive.
We’re breaking down the details behind one of the most infamous cold cases in hip-hop history.
Musical Beginnings
Born January 21, 1965, Jason Mizell was a musician from a young age. He grew up playing bass, drums and guitar long before he learned to DJ.
The Makings of a DJ
Mizell’s family eventually moved to the Hollis section of Queens. There, he discovered DJing at age 13 and began using his skill to entertain crowds at parks and parties around his neighborhood.
Joining Run-DMC
In 1982, he joined Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels as a DJ for their groundbreaking hip-hop group Run-DMC. The group, known for hits like “It’s Like That” and “Peter Piper,” were hip-hop pioneers who made history when their self-titled debut album became the first rap album to reach gold status.
The Look
Along with their hit records, Run-DMC was known for their style, rocking Kangol hats, shell toe Adidas sneakers (with no laces, of course) and fat gold chains on the regular.
There’s No Place Like Home
Even as Run-DMC found mainstream success, Jam Master Jay kept his home base in Hollis, Queens. He never left the neighborhood, and he did what he could to take care of the friends he made there.
“Jay was a good guy. He made a lot of money, and he spent a lot of money…on his friends. And so he was beloved in that neighborhood,” David Thigpen, author of ‘Jam Master Jay: The Heart of Hip-Hop,’ told A&E. “And he was faithful to his childhood friends… And that’s what came back to haunt him.”
Just Say ‘No’
In the 1980s, Run-DMC used their platform to join in the war on drugs. They teamed up with the Drug Enforcement Agency to record a series of anti-drug PSAs encouraging their fan base to Just Say ‘No.’
Taking A Turn
According to testimony from the murder trial, witnesses told jurors that Jam Master Jay got involved in cocaine to earn money during the 1990s when Run-DMC’s popularity began to wane. They say he was a middleman who connected drug traffickers to street dealers.
“Jason wasn’t a drug dealer. He just used it to make ends meet,” Ralph Mullgrav told jurors in his testimony during the murder trial.
Jay’s family insists he wasn’t involved in dealing drugs.
Shocking Murder
In October 2002, the world was stunned when the news broke that Jam Master Jay had been shot to death at his Queens, New York recording studio while working on new music.
A Cold Case
As ABC 7 New York reported, there was no evidence or video footage at the crime scene, making the investigator’s work in making an arrest even harder. The case went unsolved for more than 20 years.
In 2020, police finally made an arrest, charging 56-year-old Ronald Washington, Jay’s longtime friend, and 36-year-old Karl Jordan Jr., Jay’s godson, with the crime.
What Went Wrong?
According to prosecutors in the case of Jam Master Jay’s murder, the brutal killing was the result of a drug deal gone wrong. In August 2002, Jay made a deal with Washington and Jordan to distribute cocaine he’d acquired in the Washington D.C. area, promising them $200,000 for their participation. Although the deal went down, Washington and Jordan didn’t get paid and made a plan to murder him as revenge.
A Long-Awaited Conviction
After a month-long trial, a federal jury in Brooklyn found Karl Jordan Jr., and Ronald Washington, guilty of his murder in February 2024. The prosecution argued that the murder was in retaliation for a drug deal gone wrong. According to evidence presented during the trial, Jordan was the shooter, while Washington pointed his gun at witnesses in the area.
A Cold Case Is Never A Forgotten Case
After the verdict was announced, then-New York City police Edward A. Caban emphasized the department’s commitment to solving the case and helping Mizell’s family find the closure they deserved.
“A cold case is never a forgotten case, ” he said in a statement. “In the decades since Mr. Mizell was brutally murdered, the greatest detectives in the world followed every lead until arrests could be made, and a solid case could be brought to our partners in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.”
A Shocking Update
On Dec. 19, United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall, who presided over the trial, overturned the conviction of Karl Jordan Jr. for Jam Master Jay’s 2002 murder. The judge said the prosecution did not provide enough evidence of a motive for Jordan to commit the crime. Ronald Washington’s bid for an acquittal, however, was denied.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
