Had he not been murdered in a Queens, New York recording studio in October 2002, Jam Master Jay would have been 45 today. Born Jason Mizell on this date in Brooklyn in 1965, Jam Master Jay went on to become one of the most well-known DJs of all time and served as the backbone of the revolutionary rap troupe Run-DMC. At their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction last year, both Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels opted not to perform, explaining their group wasn't Run-DMC without the involvement of Jam Master Jay. Mizell's murder remains unsolved.
For more on the JMJ, check out our Run-DMC features:
• Run-DMC's Road to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time: 48) Run-DMC
• Metallica, Run-DMC, Jeff Beck Join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Wild Induction Ceremony
• Run-DMC Says They Won't Perform At Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
