Jam Master Jay of Run DMC killed
Legendary DJ Jam Master Jay, of Run DMC, Has Been Shot and Killed.
By Chuck Creekmur, BET.com Staff Writer
Posted Oct 31, 2002-- Police have confirmed that legendary DJ Jam Master Jay, (Jason Mizell), one third of the rap team Run DMC, was shot and killed in his Merrick Boulevard studio in Queens, New York last night. There are few details at this point but reports say that unidentified men shot Jam Master Jay in the head and his associate, 25-year-old Urieco Rincon, in the leg at 7:30 p.m. The police have confirmed that after being rushed to a local hospital Jam Master Jay was dead on arrival. He was 37 years old and is survived by his wife and three children.
Police were unable to establish a motive at press time and they stated that the killer was still at large.
As a part of Run DMC, Jam Master Jay was a part of musical history. The group blazed trails and paved the way for hip-hop mainstream acceptance. They generated the first hip-hop album on Profile Records and subsequently the first rap album to achieve both gold and platinum sales.
In the 80's the group broke through with a reworking of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," a song that resuscitated the rock group's career. Jam Master Jay via his JMJ Records also introduced the gritty rap group Onyx.
Earlier this year, the group was inducted on Hollywood's Rock Walk of Fame, a strip dedicated to those that have contributed to the advancement of music. Run DMC and Jam Master Jay were the first hip-hop act to achieve this status and share this honor with the likes of B.B. King, Johnny Cash, George Clinton and Aerosmith.
At a show in New York City last night, Big Daddy Kane dedicated a portion of his concert to the memory of Jam Master Jay. Kool Herc, credited at the creator of hip-hop, also took the stage during a set by the Jurassic 5 to pay respects to the legendary DJ and urged people to pray for peace.
Chris Brown, of Delaware, who attended the show, said that Jam Master Jay was one of his heroes from the 80's.
"That dude was an OG of the game and I really can't believe that he isn't here. Even though he wasn't actually in the group name, Run DMC isn't complete without Jam Master Jay. He turned the DJ into a national celebrity," Brown said.
Run DMC recently finished a tour with Kid Rock and Aerosmith, and the trio was slated to perform on Halloween as the half-time act as a Washington Wizards game.
Run DMC and Jam Master Jay celebrated 20 years as one of the most successful rap acts to date with seven albums to their credit. The group was planning an eighth album at the time of Jam Master Jay's death.
BET.com will keep you updated as information becomes available.
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