Jam Master Jay

Jam Master Jay
Background information
Birth name Jason William Mizell
Also known as Jam-Master Jay, DJ Jazzy Jase, Jam Master Funk
Born (1965-01-21)January 21, 1965
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died October 30, 2002(2002-10-30) (aged 37)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres Hip-hop, golden age hip hop, rap rock
Occupation(s) Disc Jockey, Producer
Instruments Vocals, Turntables, Bass guitar, Drums, Keyboards
Years active 1983–2002
Labels Jam Master Jay, Profile
Associated acts Run–D.M.C.
Chuck D
Onyx
50 Cent
Flatlinerz
Website jammasterjay.org

Jason William Mizell (January 21, 1965 – October 30, 2002), better known by his stage name Jam Master Jay, was an American musician and DJ. He was the DJ of the influential hip hop group Run–D.M.C. During the 1980s, Run-D.M.C. became one of the biggest hip-hop groups and are credited with breaking hip-hop into mainstream music.[1][2]

For his skill re-working riffs from classic guitar records, he was ranked No. 10 on Spin's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.[3] On October 30, 2002, while recording new music at his studio in the Jamaica section of Queens, New York City, Mizell was shot and murdered by an unknown assailant.

Early life

Mizell was born in Brooklyn, New York City.[4] At the age of 3, he started playing trumpet and played bass, guitar, and drums in various bands prior to discovering turntables. Later, he moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he was taught to cross fade by legendary DJ Def Lou Hauck. [4][5] He moved to Hollis, Queens in 1975 with his family where he soon discovered the turntables and started DJing at the age of 13.[4][6] He caught on quickly because of his musical experience and after a year of DJing he felt that he was good enough to play in front of people.[4][5]

Career

He first started playing at parks and later played at bars. He also began throwing small parties around the area.[5] Once he got a pair of Technics 1200s he improved rapidly since he was able to practice at night with headphones on when he was supposed to be sleeping.[5]

Mizell became a DJ because he "just wanted to be a part of the band".[5][7] Prior to joining Run-D.M.C. he played bass and drums in several garage bands.[6] In 1982 he hooked up with Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels just after they graduated from high school and agreed to DJ for them because he wanted to be part of the band.[4][7] On Run-D.M.C's album Raising Hell, Mizell played keyboards, bass, and live drums in addition to his turntable work.[4] Mizell remained in his childhood neighborhood in Hollis, Queens his entire life.

In 1989, Mizell established the label Jam Master Jay Records, which scored a success in 1993 with the band Onyx.[8] He also connected Chuck D with Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin. After achieving relative prominence, Mizell was known to use the alias Jay Gambulos so as to avoid unwanted public attention. He is also related to the Mizell Brothers, a popular production team for Gary Bartz, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, and others.

In 2002, Mizell founded the Scratch DJ Academy in Manhattan to "provide unparalleled education and access to the art form of the DJ and producer."[9]

On consecutive Christmas holidays, Mizell survived a car accident and a gunshot wound to the leg.[5]

Death

Tribute mural of Jam Master Jay at 5 Pointz, New York City

On October 30, 2002, at 7:30 pm[10] Mizell was shot and killed in a Merrick Boulevard recording studio in Jamaica, Queens. The other person in the room, 25-year-old Urieco Rincon, was shot in the ankle and survived.[8] Following his death, several artists expressed their grief for the loss in the hip hop community and remembered him for his influence on music and the genre.[11] Mizell was buried at Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum in Hartsdale, New York.[12]

In 2003, Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a convicted drug dealer and longtime friend of Murder Inc. heads Irv and Chris Gotti, was investigated for targeting Mizell because the DJ defied an industry blacklist of rapper 50 Cent that was imposed because of "Ghetto Qu'ran", a song 50 Cent wrote about McGriff's drug history. [13]

In April 2007, federal prosecutors named Ronald "Tenad" Washington as an accomplice in the murder.[14] Washington also is a suspect in the 1995 murder of Randy "Stretch" Walker, a former close associate of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, who was also murdered.[14] According to court papers filed by the prosecution, Washington "pointed his gun at those present in the studio, ordered them to get on the ground and provided cover for his associate to shoot and kill Jason Mizell."[14] However, he was never convicted and no new suspects have been named.[15]

See also

References

External links

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