Two Men Convicted in 2002 Murder of Run-DMC Rapper

Image copyright: Lynn Goldsmith/Contributor/Corbis Historical via Getty Images

The 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.

  • 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.


The Spin

Narrative A

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

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.


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