The murder of DJ Jam Master Jay from the rap group Run DMC had puzzled investigators for decades. Now two of the musician’s former friends have been found guilty in New York.
More than 20 years after the murder of American hip-hop musician Jam Master Jay, a jury in New York has found two men who were once his friends guilty. This was announced by the public prosecutor’s office. The 40 and 59 year old convicts now have to expect long prison sentences, which will be announced at a later date.
The death penalty had already been ruled out in advance of the proceedings. A third man is also accused, but the separate trial against him is not scheduled to begin until 2026.
The musician, born in 1965 with the real name Jason Mizell, became world famous in the 80s as a DJ for the rap band Run DMC. The murder of the then 37-year-old puzzled investigators for decades. The case was mentioned in the same breath as unsolved murders such as those of rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG.
Murder in a dispute over Drug deals
The trial against the two defendants began in January. The men are accused of shooting Jam Master Jay in a music studio in the New York City borough of Queens in October 2002. The accused and the murdered man all come from the same area of New York. The musician was also the godfather of one of the men. Mizell was married and had three children.
According to the prosecution, Jam Master Jay increasingly dealt in cocaine as his musical success waned. When there was a dispute with the now convicted people about the drug business, according to the public prosecutor’s office, they forged a murder plot.
Run DMC as pioneers of rap music
Run DMC was founded in Queens in the early 1980s by Mizell and his school friends Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels. The rap group is considered one of the most influential in history. She contributed significantly to the development and spread of hip-hop and revolutionized the music scene with her unique style that combined rock elements with classic hip-hop.
Their breakthrough came in 1983 with the album “Run DMC”, which is considered a milestone in hip-hop history. The group’s fashionable style with Adidas sneakers and gold chains significantly influenced the hip-hop aesthetic. After Jam Master Jay’s death, Run DMC officially disbanded in 2002.
Antje Passenheim, ARD New York, tagesschau, February 28, 2024 10:38 a.m