Man Admits Role in 2002 Killing of Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay

A man has pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in the 2002 killing of Jason Mizell, the influential DJ pioneering hip-hop group Run-DMC, marking a significant development in a case that remained unresolved for years.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Jay Bryant, 52, admitted to a firearm-related murder charge tied to the fatal shooting of Mizell inside a recording studio in Jamaica, Queens, New York. During a plea hearing on Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg in Brooklyn, New York, Bryant acknowledged his involvement in helping others gain access to the building where the attack occurred.

“I knew a gun was going to be used to shoot Jason Mizell,” Bryant said in court, adding that he understood his actions were criminal.

Federal prosecutors said Bryant entered the building on Oct. 30, 2002, and opened a locked fire escape door, allowing armed individuals to enter undetected. Two men then entered the studio, where one pointed a firearm at an individual and ordered her to the ground while another approached Mizell and fired at close range, killing him. A second person in the studio was also struck and injured.

Bryant’s plea carries a potential sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison, which also encompasses separate narcotics trafficking and firearms charges he previously admitted to, federal officials said. No sentencing date has been publicly set.

The DOJ said the killing stemmed from a dispute tied to a failed drug transaction. Prosecutors alleged that Mizell had been involved in arranging cocaine distribution in the months leading up to his death, and that tensions escalated after certain associates were excluded from a deal worth nearly $200,000. Authorities said the fallout ultimately led to the fatal shooting.

In 2024, two other men, Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington, were convicted in connection with the killing, though legal proceedings remain ongoing. One defendant was later cleared by a judge, while another has challenged his conviction.

Law enforcement officials emphasized the length and persistence of the investigation.

“More than two decades after the cold-blooded, execution-style killing of Mr. Mizell, an exhaustive investigation revealed Bryant’s role and today he finally admitted his guilt,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “The prosecutors in our Office and our law enforcement partners never give up, no matter how long it takes, in the pursuit of justice for the victim and the victim’s family.”

Mizell, known professionally as Jam Master Jay, was shot at age 37 in the Queens neighborhood where he grew up. His death followed a series of high-profile killings in hip-hop during the late 1990s and early 2000s that challenged investigators for years.

As a member of Run-DMC, Mizell helped shape the sound and commercial rise of rap music. The group achieved widespread success with hits such as “It’s Tricky” and “My Adidas,” and their collaboration with Aerosmith on “Walk This Way” helped bridge hip-hop and rock audiences. Run-DMC became the first rap group to earn gold- and platinum-selling albums and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.

Beyond his work on stage, Mizell founded JMJ Records and mentored emerging artists.