Twenty-four years later, we finally know who killed Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC

At about 7:30 in the evening of October 30, 2002, a couple of men walked into Jam Master Jay’s recording studio on Merrick Avenue in Queens and shot him dead. And then they just walked away. Who murdered him?

For years, this was a giant mystery, although there were suspects.

Two years ago, there were a couple of arrests. And now, almost a quarter-century after the shooting, someone has pleaded guilty.

The confession comes from Jay Bryant, who said, “I helped them kill Jason Mizell,” using JM Jay’s real name. The “them” is Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington, Jay’s godson. It was a drug deal gone wrong. While Bryant was never in the studio, he opened the back door to the building, allowing them to enter.

Washington was convicted at a trial in 2024. Jordan’s conviction was overturned, even though evidence pointed to him pumping two shots into Jay’s head at point-blank range.

Bryant faces a sentence of 15-20 years.

For the full story, see episode two of my podcast, Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry on the story.

Read more here.