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Run DMC Star Murdered In New York

Author: Jonty Adderley
Saturday, November 2, 2002
Jam Master Jay, the DJ from rap pioneering rap group Run DMC was shot and killed this week, when gunmen invaded his Brooklyn studio on Wednesday evening (October 30). The founding member of the New York trio reportedly died at the scene, after two men entered his studio, shooting him in the head and wounding a 25 year old man.

The 37 year old DJ (real name Jason Mizell) formed Run DMC alongside Joe Simmons ('Run) and Daryl McDaniels (DMC) in 1982 and the group became the first rap group to enjoy mainstream commercial success. Hugely successful throughout the 80s, notably with multi-million selling album Raisin' Hell, they somewhat slipped out of the limelight during the 90s before Jason Nevin's house version of It's Like That, took them back to the top of the world's pop charts in 1997.

"These are our Beatles," Public Enemy founder Chuck D told the New York Times, speaking on the street outside the scene of the murder.
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