Two Men Convicted in 2002 Murder of Run-DMC Rapper

Facts

• Almost 22 years after he was killed at his recording studio in Queens, New York, on Tuesday two men were convicted for the murder of hip-hop icon Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell.¹
• An anonymous federal jury in Brooklyn found Mizell's godson Karl Jordan Jr., 40, and the musician's childhood friend Ronald Washington, 59, guilty of his 2002 murder. The verdict reportedly sparked a commotion in the courtroom once it was read.²
• Mizell was the pioneering DJ of the hip-hop group Run-DMC, which he formed alongside friends Joseph Simmons (aka Run) and Darryl McDaniels (aka DMC) in the early 1980s.³
• Despite the group's lyrics disavowing drug use and their involvement in anti-drug public service announcements, the prosecutors alleged that Mizell had turned to cocaine trafficking to cover debts and his habitual generosity to friends once the trio's star power began to wane.²
• According to witness testimonies, he had planned to acquire 10 kilograms of cocaine and distribute it through Jordan, Washington, and a drug dealer. However, a dispute cut Washington out of the deal, which prosecutors argue led to Mizell's killing on Oct. 30, 2002.⁴
• Meanwhile, another suspect, Jay Bryant, is awaiting trial on charges of allegedly allowing Jordan and Washington through the back door of the studio where the Run-DMC star was fatally shot. His case is expected to begin within the next two years.¹

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Associated Press, ³CNN and ⁴PBS NewsHour.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by CBS News. While long-awaited justice for the slaying of Jam Master Jay is welcome, it comes at a cost to his legacy and to his family after the trial revealed the icon's engagement in drug trafficking despite the public image he tried to maintain.
• Narrative B, as provided by Associated Press. Just because Jam Master Jay was involved in drug trafficking, that doesn't take away from his laudable achievements as a musician. Many artists, particularly from the hip-hop community, are products of their environment, and we wouldn't get their great art without the hardships from which they came.

Predictions