Old School Feature – Old School Fans Speak Out on the Death of Jam Master Jay

Posted on Nov 7, 2002

This is a sampling of the Messages of Remembrance sent to OldSchoolHipHop.Com after the death of Jam Master Jay.

“J-a-y are the letters of his name
Cutting and scratching are the aspects of his game
So check out the Master as he cuts these jams
And look at us with the mics in our hands
Then take a count, 1-2-3
Jam Master Jay, Run-D.M.C.”

I was sadden when I heard the news today regarding Jam
Master Jay’s death.  Jay had unmatched skills on the
wheels of steel, with scratching, cutting, you name he
could do it.  There was no other DJ that can fade him. 
Afterall he was “tougher than leather.” 
It is hard to imagine the inseparatable trio without him.

Rest in peace to a pioneer of hip hop……
You’ll be missed 🙁

Luis Plascencia, Chicago, IL

I’m imagining Jay has been welcomed to the fold and is
getting ready to battle Scott La Rock. Scott has a
broad smile on his face and has been dreaming about
one day meeting his man again.
After the battle they exchange stories then over walks
Cowboy. Jay busts a badass Billy Squire beat and
Cowboy flows on and on till the break of dawn.
Jay needs to rest but the beat keeps on going with
Pumpkin on the sticks. Trouble T-Roy entertains the
crowd with some old and new dance moves with Kuriaki
and Buck 4 of Rocksteady waiting on the sidelines.

Peace,

Repo 136

I am Shocked and do not know what to say.  Run D.M.C. was the only thing I
listened to back in day. If it wasn’t for JMJ rap would not be where it is
now. I guess this is how America felt when John Lennon Died….

Daniel Sanchez

Dear Jason Mizell,

I’m speechless… Wednesday night I felt how the earth quaked around the world. After that it started to rain and I knew there was happened a tragedy. When I opened the newspaper I realised what happened. A few million people didn’t just lost a great musician, no they lost a special person, a friend they listened to so many times. You was there with your music when we laughed and when we cried. With your honesty and love you showed us what a real man has to be. With your infinite talent you inspired a whole generation to go on the streets and make music from their hearts.
Jason, I just want to let you know that the whole world mourns and that we’ll keep you in our hearts until the end of time…
Love to your family and your friends.

Matthew, Germany

While he was not the first, he was the first to break out of the pack and
into the WORLD.  We’re missing him already.

MC Meldoee
circa 1984

I grew up listening to RUN DMC, this is so sad for the
whole rap community please relay my deepest sympathy
to the family of The DJ of DJ’s Mr. Jam Master Jay.

PS Thanks for providing a venue for fans to grieve who
are far away (CA).

Erick Lopez

Greetings to all,

Just like to extend my condolences to Jam Master Jay’s family! This was truly a tragedy that should not have happen. I only knew of this brotha through his music and numerous spotlights via the media and interviews. From what I’ve seen, heard, and experienced through his spotlight he was down to earth, always kept it real, and his positive rap lyrics encouraged me greatly. As he looked out for others constantly so do I! It truly saddens me that this positive black brother is no longer around to help others to learn to be a success through good and evil means. Most will see this as another black on black crime but I see it as another avenue for black youths closed down. We don’t have too many positive black men of Jam Master Jay’s talents but at least I can say that I have seen and learned from watching RUN DMC. You brothers of RUN DMC stay strong, stay positive cause there are brothers like me who are listening, watching, and learning from your musical talents, positive strong black rap messages! When will we learn that ONLY the black culture suffers from senseless violence like this! It was RUN DMC that taken Rap to a new level! And even Rap has taken many turns and twist and even been perverted in some cases, only RUN DMC has kept it vibrant, entertaining, and (yes) positive through the decades and changing times. Thanks RUN DMC and thanks Jam Master Jay and his beautiful family. He will be missed but certainly never forgotten.

A poem in honor of Jam Master Jay (January 21, 1965 – October 30, 2002) and his family!!

And Yet I stand!! Cleveland E Chapman, Jr. Malicious Terror invades thy mind And Yet I stand Hidden fear strangles from behind And Yet I stand Unseen changes like seasonal breezes Rolling waves of emotions that easily freezes Weeping eyes rinsing thy emotional state While new mercies are received from heaven’s gate And Yet I stand as I did before Clutching your fate forever more Hearing mental whispers echoing down But on bending knees I stand my ground Thy planted foot gives way to my spirit’s flow Perceiving your doom as my mind now know Thy arms extended seducing fear As thy fingertip caresses away each tear Revengeful Terror has forced my hand And yet I stand Transforming Peace with Harmony And Yet I Stand

Copyright ©2002 Cleveland E Chapman, Jr.

Chappy

There is no way to accurately describe how RUN DMC introduced me to
old school….in 1993!!! After Down With The King..I started checking
out thier older stuff and found that lo and behold rap started in
the early 70’s!! Who knew!?!?! I LOVED the sounds I started hearing!!
I attribute my old school discovery to Spyder D BUT
I done owned ALL RUNDMC albums and the greatest hits and ALL that.
I owned RUNDMC w/ Beavis and Butthead and the track RUNDMC did on the
“Judgement Night” soundtrack…….

It KILLS me that one of these cats got “it”….
At first I was like, why not any other of these violence-promoting
m*********n foo’s??? Then I realized that NOONE rapper or not should
be done in like this……..I still hurt and will continue for a while.

Isaac Ludwig

I first heard the news 10:35 P.M. on Channel 11 news in New York. I was instantly devastated! I immediately called my boyfriend and shared the tragedy I had just heard. I grew up in the 80’s and Run DMC was my first tape. My mother bought me and my brother a boom box (with the detachable speakers 🙂 and the Run DMC tape “King of Rock”. I called everyone I knew from Chicago to Massachusetts, to Florida and everyone that I told was just as devastated as I was. This violence needs to stop! And I really don’t think that all the talking in the world is going to stop it. We need action! The people in the front line of the music industry are the first voice that people are hearing because it is being expressed in the form of music. We need the artists to come together instead of always fighting each other. Battling was cool back in the day because it stayed on wax. Now they want to take it to the streets. JMJ died for nothing. He was doing what he loved to do – music. Jealousy is so raw in this industry that it is sick! Fake Hop is what I call Hip Hop now. JMJ represented Hip Hop. He was a great example of what it was to love music and be in for it for the music and love and not just the money and fame. I don’t know what will become of Hip Hop now, all I know is that we have lost one of the greatest pioneers of our history.

Demetra Thompson

I have much respect for Jam Master Jay and I will truly miss him. My stepdaughters Eboni, Candace and Jasmin don’t know him well, but they give their love to him and his family. Jam Master Jay you are the greatest DJ ever. I am from Brooklyn and I enjoyed listening to Run DMC and without Jay the group will truly miss him. God Bless You Jay and Rest in Peace Bro.

Your fan,

Allen J. W. Representing (Brooklyn, New York Kid)

I heard the news at work tonight and I feel I have to say something.
We was just giving props to RunDmc for revolutionizing the game of Hip-Hop with “Sucker Mc’s”. They changed the game and opened many doors helping to make rap the billion dollar business it is today. They gave people from the streets a chance and hope to one day be able to make it in the Hip-Hop game. RunDmc will NEVER be the same without Jay. NOONE can replace him. My heart goes out to his family and friends. We all have lost a legend in this game. Just a senseless and tragic loss over something that probably was a petty disagreement. Whatever it may have been over it should have never came to that………I’ll leave it alone for now because i’m upset.

PEACE JAY!

dagod9

i think i need to express my sadness over the loss of Jay.
After listening to King of Rock in my car on the way home a few hours ago, i went to oldschoolhipop.com and saw that the Jam Master had been killed. This truly is a tragedy, i can’t belive he’s gone. Run DMC have been a huge part of my life, and they were one of if not THE reason i got into hip hop. i have so many memories of the trio from Queens that it’s hard to comprehend all of what’s happened. it instantly reminded me of Scot La Rock’s death in ’87, another legend who shouldn’t have gone out the way he did.

Anyway, Peace out Jay, you truly are an icon that will be missed. you helped put Queens on the map and helped pave the way for others to follow. We salute you

Run DMC – Together Forever

Tomukun, Australia

Last night ….I was still in shock. It hadn’t truly sunk in yet. It was like it wasn’t real…I kept waiting for the reports to come back and say they had the wrong information or something. I was just kinda numb.

This morning when I got up, I just felt empty. I literally felt ill. I’m not ashamed to admit this…I shed tears. That’s saying a lot for me because, in every other instance where a Hip Hopper passed, I might have felt a sense of loss but I never was moved deeply enough to cry. Not when BIG or Pac died, not even when I went to Scott La Rock’s memorial service at Latin Quarter. But this is somehow different. I felt like a part of me died with him.

I’m not gonna front like I was friends with him or anything, but I have met the man on a couple of occasions. This was a man who always came off like a cool brother who was just doing his thing. He wasn’t trippin’ on who he was and he always got a lot of respect. I’m from Hollis and I would see him from time to time around the way just being a regular guy…taking his sons to the movies or something like that. Funkmaster Flex said it best last night on the radio….”he wasn’t supposed to go out like this.”

I’m sure you’ll hear a hundred different people list all of the things that RUN-DMC has accomplished – as they should -….but that doesn’t do justice to expressing how much more these cats were. Having seen the whole thing grow from the start to now, no other group embodied Hip Hop in my mind more than these guys. There were cats that did it before them; cats that rhymed and cut better them; sold more records then them; etc. etc…..but in my book, in their prime, there was NEVER anybody before or after them that so completely represented HIP HOP. Every accomplishment that they made wasn’t just for them…it was for US.

For that reason, this loss seems so much more personal. He represented me to the world…as Hollis; as Queens; as New York; as a respected black teen/man; as a respected musician; as a respected artist; as a cultural pioneer; and more than anything else………as HIP HOP.

Peace, love and universal understanding; this would be a blessing indeed.

One.

EyeGetzRaw

THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER!!!!!
HAD TO SHOW LOVE AMONG MY FELLOW PEEPS
IN MOURNING JAM MASTER JAY!!!!
TO SAY YOU’LL BE MISSED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT
PEACE & LOVE THE FAMILY OF JASON MIZELL
ONE OF THE BEST THAT EVER DID IT

“AND WHEN YOU ASK WHO’S BEST YA’LL SHOULD SAY RUN DMC—JAM MASTER JAY!!!!!

DJGLI67

I became a dj because of Jam Master Jay. I got into Hip Hop and wore adidas because of Run -Dmc and Jay.
He was one of the people that I always wanted to meet.

“Father in Jesus name comfort his family in their time of need

romi rome

I still can’t believe it myself , it doesn’t seem real . I can’t really speak like I want to because I don’t have all the facts..but image wise Run DMC really affected me ..I dressed like them, walked like them and even wore my adidas with no strings…..

JayQuan

Like all of yall I’m heartbroken too…I’m from St. Albans…Run and them were like damn they were the epitome of what was going on in the street…Those cats weren’t ever the types to come off like hardrocks or nothing….they were plain old cats like me and you. No one can replace JMJ…there are a million deejays but only one Jammaster.

Peace

MarkSkillz

My prayers go out to Jam Master Jay and his family. JMJ, you will be greatly missed, but forever remembered.

#1KBlow

big tears:

I hold much in my heart for these guys. I wish everyone affected good health and strength.

greeneyes

Just want to pay respects to a person who provided so much to young people and hip-hoppers alike.
RUNDMC where a band that painted the correct picture for young people and their influence on hiphoppers was a credit to them …

My prayers go out to his family & friends.

onetime

R.I.P to one of the most influential DJ’s of our time!.
Thanks JMJ, for giving us so much.

“God damn that DJ made my day!”

dble_agent
Melbourne, Australia

I woke up on the 31st and could not believe what I was hearing on the news .My heart sank .I felt as if I lost a family member.I grew up listening to RUN-DMC,they were part of my life.The soulless basterd who did that is the prime exsample of how out of control the world and hip hop have become.Glorifying drug dealing and violence on every other video has got to stop,its sickining already!I cant even begin to imagine what his children are going through.Another thing I couldnt comprehend was BET playing a video by MURDER INC during there tribute to JMJ.I MEAN COME ON!!!JMJ was murdered, you dont play a video by a group whos title is MURDER INC!!Lets use some common sence.Im sorry to sound this way but this really hit me bad.I hope that something is learned from all this but probobly not.Nothing has changed since Biggie and Pac were killed.Its a shame that something with such a positive history has turned into a senseless violent machine.They can keep there Jay Z,s Ja Rules and any other recycled garbage they want to crank out evry other day,just leave are godfathers of hip-hop out of the mess!!!!To RUN,D and the Mizell family I can only hope for peace in your lives both mentally and physically.RUN-DMC JMJ were the best there was the best there will be…..period!!!!

RockerShocker

As I heared the news of Jam Masters death I was really shocked because he and the others of RUN-DMC were my first contact with HipHop and so he was a special person for me. I think with his death a part of hiphop died with him. It is like a hole in HipHop.

rapiddaZZler Germany

One of the greatest DJs of the b.boy era. My appreciation to him. Rest in peace DJ.

Giovanni Perez

I will never forget a grade 5 birthday party where the whole time we were there all that was played was Run Dmc. Tougher than Leather was just released and to me Jam Master was the man. Little did I know how much of an influence that would have. A couple of years later I became a Dj myself and I always remembered that party and how I felt hearing Jam Master rip shit up. Even though I have never met the man he has left an impression that will stay with me forever. rest in peace

Dj Ritz

I, like many other DJ’s, owe thier careers to having Jam Master Jay as a mentor. The music that Run DMC created helped shape who I am today. It has been said by someone else who I will qoute here, ” To sum up who JMJ was, for all of you too young to remember, YOUR FAVORITE DJ LOST HIS/HER FAVORITE DJ TODAY” I will be DJing this weekend at Universal Studios Orlando and as a tribute to JMJ I am creating a medley of Run DMC tracks that I will play midway through my set. I urge all those DJ’s like my self who have been molded by JMJ to do the same. In closing I would like to add that Somewhere in heaven there is a party going on, and Jay is on the Decks. God bless JMJ and his family. We will never get over the loss.

-DJ Mo-Joe, Orlando Florida.

Jay was not only a great dj / rapper , he was also a good hearted family man. my heart go,s out to his friends and family.

God bless kim w mnpl. mn

JAM MASTER JAY WILL TRULY BE MISSED. WHEN I THINK OF RUN DMC AND JAM MASTER JAY IT REMINDS ME OF MY HIGH SCHOOL DAYS IN THE 80’S. THE DANCE S BACK THEN LIKE THE WHOP, POP, BREAK DACNCE. CABBAGE PATCH..ETC. HATS KANGOL. SEEING DMC ON ROCKAWAY BLD. LL COOLJ ON JAMAICA AVE VISITING THE COLISEUM. I KNEW THAT THE GROUP RESIDED IN QUEENS BUT I NEVER KNEW HOW CLOSE. JAMAICA AVE QUEENS NY> WAS THE PLACE TO BE BACK IN THOSE DAYS AFTER SCHOOL> I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO JAM MASTER JAY FOR PUTTING HIP HOP IN THE HART OF QUEENS>MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIS FAMILY AND THOSE CLOSE TO HIM>>>>>>>>>>JAMAICA AVE SHOULD BE RENAMED FOR JASON MIZELL OR JAM MASTER JAY WAY>> SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION TO OUR LIVES>>>> MICHELLE

he was a bright man that turned every record he touched into gold….R.I.P…Jam Master Jay…….

will bickle

Firstly I must send my condolences to Jam Master Jay’s family and friends.

What happened this weeks was terrible. It is when things like this happen that you realise how important people are in your lives. The music you listen to shapes you as a person and, despite living in London and never having met Jay I felt like I had lost an important person. A Run DMC record was always an event. Their concerts in the UK – Raising Hell Tour etc – are legendary. Jay’s status was confirmed in London this week as the awful news made our national television news and was a headline in the London Evening Standard Newspaper. We have lost one of our generations ‘Beatles’.

Rest in Peace Jay

Simon Gray

Jam Master Jay is truly an insperation to all in Hip Hop Djing. His intro cuts from Crush groove after Run broke fool on Blair Underwood is the first cut I learned and the main reason why I started to D J in the first place.

R I P Jay. God bless you.

Jason C. Eggleston, Run DMC fan forver.

jam master jay was a wonderful man. i loved the way he rapp. everytime i hear run-dmc i get happy and i start to sing. i was in shock when i heard that he died i couldn’t believe it i taugh it was all fake. i started to cry and i was putting on run-dmc music. and holding a picture of him. it would be better if he was here with us and with his family, but is not the same no more. he will alwayz be in our hearts. i will alwayz love jason mizell. i would never forget about him,the fans wont forget about him. he was a lovable guy,he was a cool guy to hang around and to talk with. I luv you jam master jay. you would never be forgotten.

love wendy, from california

“Brown Sugar’ is a recently relaeased movie that poses the question “When did you first fall in love with hip-hop?”

King of Rock –

There is nothing else to be said, it began my lifelong affair with hip-hop. A legend most definately has been lost.

Hip-hop changes as everything else does, I hope the next avenue we take is better than this that we are currently on.

SMILAN3585

I remember being 11 years old and sitting in a school bus and the driver had on 98.7 kiss fm and i distinctly remember the song (jam master jay) playing… And the bus driver (who was probably about 25 years old at the time) was rapping along with the verses ” j.a.y. are the letters of his name, cuttin and scratchin are the actions of his game………” and that is the first time that i noticed rap music and definately took a liking to it… At the time most of my friends were listening to mostly heavy metal but run dmc was definately a turning point for me..and i’ve been heavily into hip hop ever since. Another memory i had was hearing the song “hollis crew”…… And when they said ” were funky fresh from hollis queens”.. It made me bug out because i was being raised in flushing which is close to jamaica and hollis…… At this time no musicians were really representing their neighborhoods plus most were from cali anyway, so just the mere fact that these rappers were practically from my neighborhood meant (in the eyes of an 11 year old who was star struck) that i may see these guys in the street. And sure enough years later in high school dmc was known to drive around blasting tunes out of his blazer all i have to say is to the people that say hip hop only preaches violence, they need to sit down and listen to all of run dmc’s songs and they will realize they were no more violent than pavorotti is. Rip jmj for ever!!!!!!!..

Dvs sixcentz

I met Jay once after a show,he (and run + d) took the time to meet the fans even though a 100 or so turned up, I can honestly say J was a diamond, he chilled with me and the boys for an hour or so. ‘Jam master jay-the big beat blaster’ peace.

geeiscool Belfast.

Jam Master was a big inspiration to me, he showed me that music is color blind and that your dreams can come true. He is a legend that will never be forgotten. Jay never hurt anyone, I do not see why he was targeted, the shooter is gutless to take a loving father, husband, friend, and musical Icon away from those who loved him dearly. I think that the shooter should be strapped to the Brooklyn Bridge so that the fans can have their way with him, and show him who’s house it really is. My condolences go out to the family, and to reverend Run and DMC, may God bless you and keep you safe mentally and physically in this time of need. May the legacy continue.

-Big J, AKA – BIG EVIL

I will truly miss jason jam master jay. He was truly a legend and pioneer in the rap business. The group run dmc gave so much of themselves in concert as while as in the neighborhood of queen hollis.

I grewed up on the old school music. My addias was one of many song brought out by run dmc group that had me in tone with their music as while as that the way it is.

I don,t understand why some one will take a god sent brother like jason jam master j mizell life, he was such an inspiration to the hip hop generation young as while as old.

We can judge any one but god know the heart and i just want to send my sympathy out to the family and to the run dmc group…god bless you all…..jam master jay will truly be missed by many of his fans as myself.

God have a better work for jason jam master j to do…he is rapping in the heavenly choir…where every day is sunday and there is no night…he is in a better life.

Yours truly

friend and fan

terrence chadwick jamaica queens new york

I have been into hip hop & especially run dmc for many years & i have to say i’m greatly saddened by the great mans death. Such a waste, a true legend of hip hop, who else could have made aerosmith great again? Jmj will live forever together tougher than leather. Just get those cd’s/vinyl out & listen again & do not ever forget what he did. Condolences go out to his family & run & dmc. Remember that he left us a legacy of great music & jmj are the letters of his name cuttin & scratchin are the aspects of his game. Jam master will always be jammin’ Jmj thanks for the music.

Gary Scott

Check Out More Posts From OldSchoolHipHop.Com

Old School Feature – Run DMC Concert Review March 2001 Raising Hell: The Reign, Ruin, and Redemption of Run DMC and Jam Master Jay Run DMC – Run DMC Run DMC – King of Rock Run DMC