1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: Disgraceland as a production of Double Elvis. Hey Guys. So 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: back in twenty twenty, we released an episode on Run 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 1: DMC all about how the iconic trio took rap music 4 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: to New Heights in the nineteen eighties and introduced suburban 5 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: and mainstream America to a genre that had up to 6 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: that point been made by and four New Yorkers. We 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: ended that episode with a brief reference to the murder 8 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 1: of Run DMC's jam Master Jay at a studio in 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: two thousand and two. Now, at the time that that 10 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: episode of ours was released, police had still not made 11 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: any arrests eighteen years after the murder. Since Jay's killer 12 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: still had not been brought to justice, and since there 13 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: was so much speculation and rumors surrounding the case, we 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: just didn't feel like it was right to get into 15 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: all that until we had more information that was sourced 16 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: and verified. Four years after we dropped that episode, However, 17 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: in February of twenty twenty four, two men were convicted 18 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: of the murder of jam Master J and we now 19 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: have a much clearer picture of what happened. So, without 20 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: further ado, here's our part two episode on Run DMC 21 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: all about the secrets and lies that kept the murder 22 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: of Jason Mizel aka JM Master J unsolved for over 23 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: two decades. This is a story about loyalty, about street 24 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: corners and queens, about sneakers and shelters, back room handshakes, 25 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: and two old friends walking into a studio. This is 26 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: the story of a pioneer who helped take a genre 27 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: from the parks to the penthouses, and the price that 28 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: he paid for doing that. This is not a story 29 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: you've likely heard in full. It's not just about a 30 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: DJ and a hip hop group who changed everything. It's 31 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: about what happens when the money runs out, when the 32 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: industry moves on, and when the streets come calling. This 33 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: is a story, of course, about run DMC's jam Master J, 34 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: a story that places him not just at the birth 35 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: of hip hop, but at the center of a brutal conspiracy. 36 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: It was fueled by desperation, betrayal, and cocaine. And this 37 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: being a story about jam Master J means it's also 38 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: a story about great music. Unlike that music I played 39 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: for you at the top of the show that wasn't 40 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: great music, and that was a preset loop from my melotron. 41 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: Called with friends like These MK two. I played you 42 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,959 Speaker 1: that loop because I can't afford the rights to Dilemma 43 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland. And why would I play 44 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: you that specific slice of breaking up a happy Home Cheese? 45 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: Could I afford it? Because that was the number one 46 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: song in America on October thirtieth, two thousand and two. 47 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: Then that was the day that jam Master J was 48 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: shot down and whole blood inside his own recording studio, 49 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: a murder that rocked the hip hop community, that revealed 50 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: a tangled web of criminals who conspired to silence one 51 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: of rap's great innovators at the age of just thirty seven. 52 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: On this episode, Side Hustles loaded thirty eight's real names, 53 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: street names, and one of the most heartbreaking murders in 54 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: hip hop history. Jam Master J. Run to MC. I'm 55 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: Jake Brennan and this is Disgraceland. The disruptors, pioneers, the 56 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: ones who go loud before the rest of us go right. 57 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: They all leave their mark on the world, and in turn, 58 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: the world never spends the same way again. But as 59 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: the world turns and time passes, even pioneers can get 60 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 1: lost in the rotation, and as the new guard shuffles on. 61 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: It's all too easy for a one time disruptor to 62 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: get left behind along with the dusty, yellowing pages of 63 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: yesterday's papers. This was the situation that hip hop pioneers 64 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 1: Run DMC found themselves in at the dawn of the 65 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: nineteen nineties, when that G funk whistle blew in on 66 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 1: the wind from the West Coast and the Death Row Blueprint. 67 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: The sound of Doctor Dre's The Chronic made Run DMC 68 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 1: stripped down boombobt once the authentic soundtrack to the streets 69 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 1: of New York City, a more naive artifact of another 70 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: time and place that was, in fact still just less 71 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: than a decade old. For Jason Maizel aka JM Master J, 72 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: that now familiar sting of cultural irrelevance hit him especially hard. 73 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: J was the DJ in the group broughn on at 74 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: the last minute after Joseph Simmons aka Run and Daryl 75 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: McDaniels aka DMC had already begun recording their debut album, 76 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: and contracts were written with this arrangement in mind, meaning 77 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: that Jay didn't earn as much in royalties or songwriting 78 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: credits as his bandmates did. I mean the group was 79 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: called Run DMC. The names of the two mcs are 80 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: in that name. Jay wasn't even featured in the cover 81 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: photos for their first three records, even though the B 82 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: boys style that Run in DMC represented was all j 83 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: Those were his ideas that Joseph and Daryl were rapping about. 84 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: And when the group hit the road on tour in 85 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 1: the mid nineteen eighties, as their success began to really 86 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 1: take off, according to Run DMC's tour manager at the time, 87 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 1: j got a meager cut of each day's take, something 88 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: like two or three hundred dollars out of the four 89 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: or five grand that they were making nightly. In his defense, 90 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: MC runs said that he promised Jay one third of 91 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 1: their touring revenue and that their tour manager, Jeff Flood, 92 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: Jay's former DJ partner, could not be trusted. Trust, as 93 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: it turns out, is a pretty big part of this story. 94 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: But I'm getting ahead of myself. My point here is 95 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: that by the time the nineteen nineties rolled around, as 96 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: Run DMC's popularity began to wane along with their record sales, 97 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 1: Jason Mizel aka jam Maaster J had to pivot not 98 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: to stay relevant musically but just to stay afloat, he 99 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: owed back taxes to the irs from the raising Hell 100 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: days when Run DMC were making history as the first 101 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:49,239 Speaker 1: hip hop group to go platinum and then multiplatinum. Now, 102 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: instead of celebrating one million records sold, Jay was trying 103 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: to wrap his head around the half million dollars that 104 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: he owed the US government. So he opened a recording 105 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: studio called twenty four to seven and started a record label, 106 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: JMJ Records to get work as a producer and talent scout, 107 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: but not before Uncle Sam put a lean on the 108 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: money that was coming in, which sucked because he needed 109 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: that money desperately, not only for himself, but because a 110 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: lot of people depended on him. There was his mom 111 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: down in North Carolina, his cousins who needed help hanging 112 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: their way through college, his own wife and kids, and 113 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,559 Speaker 1: his sister in her house which Jay bank rolled, along 114 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: with the guy currently crashing on his sister's couch. Jay's 115 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: old childhood friend, Ronald Washington aka Tannard, who had just 116 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: gotten out of prison in Maryland and returned home to 117 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: Hollis Queen's, the neighborhood wherever since there were kids, Jay 118 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: was known to have your back. That's how it worked 119 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: in the close knit community of Hollis. Jay had your back, 120 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: you had Jay's. Still one couldn't be too safe out 121 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: in the reception area, really just a corner with a 122 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: computer off to the side of this makeshift line un 123 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: Randy's sister, Lydia, high jmj's office manager, was busy looking 124 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: through Jay's itinerary for tomorrow. It entailed the flight to Washington, 125 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: d C, where he was scheduled to perform with run 126 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: DMC at a Wizard Celtics basketball game. Jay wasn't thinking 127 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: about planes or basketball at the moment. He was mashing 128 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: the buttons on his controller, trying to get the ball 129 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: downfield and score on his young opponent here, so he 130 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: wasn't paying attention when the footsteps from outside approached the 131 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: main door of the studio, directly across the room from 132 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: where Jay and Rincone were gaming. Jay wasn't expecting anyone, 133 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: but tonight's visitor was unexpected and unannounced. The door flew 134 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: open and two men walked inside, one tall and one short. 135 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,719 Speaker 1: They were armed. Lydia, right there by the entrance in 136 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: her little nook, screamed and tried to make a run 137 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: for it. The tall one pushed her down to the ground, 138 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: aimed his gun at her head, told her not to move. 139 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: Hring Con self began to ring and Jay jumped as 140 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: a short one, a hoodie draped over his head, made 141 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 1: a bline for the coach. His arm extended, his gun 142 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: locked loaded and pointed right at Jay. Oh shit, Jay 143 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: yell reaching over to where his thirty eight sat on 144 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: the arm of the other couch, and before he could 145 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: grab it, the gunman fired. The shot was loud and 146 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: the range was close. Gunpowder burned Jay's shirt, The bullet 147 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: hit him in the head, and Jay was killed instantly. 148 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: The gunman then fired again, this time hitting ring Cone 149 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: in the leg. Ring Cone screamed in pain and fell 150 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: to the ground, grabbing his bleeding leg. While the two 151 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,719 Speaker 1: gunmen hauled ass out of the studio, Randy Allen came 152 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: bounding out of the adjacent room, a three eighty semi 153 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: automatic in his hand. Whether or not he ben dipping 154 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: his hand in the record company's bank account didn't matter 155 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: at this moment. He had Jay's back just like Jay 156 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: had his, and Randy tore out of the studio after 157 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: Jay's assailants, chasing them for a moment down Marek Boulevard, 158 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: but it was no use. The killers a head start 159 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: and they were fast. Soon they had disappeared into the night, 160 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: and Randy stopped running and turned around, the cold rain 161 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: beating down on his face. He tossed the gun in 162 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: a parking lot and headed back to the studio, where 163 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: his friend, his business partner, and Hollis Queen's caretaker, one 164 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: of hip hop's true pioneers, lay dead on his studio floor. 165 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: Twenty two years earlier, in nineteen eighty, fifteen year old 166 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: Jason Maizel was still two years away from becoming a 167 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: hip hop alter ego jam Master J. At the time, 168 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: he was just another kid coming up in Hallis Queen's 169 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: and looking for a crew to roll with. Jay's mother 170 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: and father, a school teacher and a social worker, had 171 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 1: moved their family to Hollis back in the seventies because 172 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: at that time it was a safe, middle class neighborhood, 173 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: far removed from New York City's fabled crime and crime. 174 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: But by nineteen eighty, Heroin had long since moved in 175 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: next door over on two hundred and fifth Street, the 176 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 1: Heroin Block, just two streets from where Jay lived on 177 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 1: two hundred and third, and that changed everything. As Russell Simmons, 178 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: run DMC's manager and the co founder of def Jam Records, 179 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: would say, the drug fueled sea change in Hollis destroyed lives. 180 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: Instead of moving up, a lot of kids moved down. 181 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: But at fifteen years old, you don't know whether you're 182 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: going up or down. You're just going with the flow. 183 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: You hang out with the aptly named Hollis Crew, a 184 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: loose collection of kids from the neighborhood looking to protect 185 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: what's yours, whatever that means. And some days it's your rep, 186 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: other days it's your turf, doesn't matter. You wake up 187 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 1: in the morning, put on your black jeans and your 188 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: black floor hat and then your white shel toe Adidas 189 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: with laces that match whatever color shirt you're wearing, and 190 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: you hit the bricks to go roll with the boys. 191 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: And then right there, inside the halls of Andrew Jackson 192 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: High School, where just months earlier you all watched slack 193 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,079 Speaker 1: jawed as cops rated a heroin factory operating out of 194 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: the school's basement, Those five percenter dudes are making a 195 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: bee line to your crew, looking to beef about what 196 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: you don't know somebody says some shit, or looked at 197 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: a guy the wrong way, or or probably some other 198 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: stupid reason, like it always was. But even in the 199 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:45,839 Speaker 1: face of stupidity, you're loyal and you're always looking out. 200 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: So when one of the five percenters pulls out a piece, 201 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: when the muzzle flashes and the shot rings out so 202 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: loud that it rattles the lockers nearby, so loud that 203 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: you think you've gone death in one ear, and you 204 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: notice your boy, Wendel. That's Wendyill Fight, by the way, 205 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: is soon to be known on the ones and twos 206 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: as DJ Hurricane. You see Wendell grimace as he takes 207 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 1: a bullet to his leg. You immediately spring into action. 208 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: You cover Wendell with your own body and help pull 209 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: him to safety because you know that Wendell will do 210 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: the same for you. And when the violence of the 211 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: Hollis Crew turns you off and sends you looking for 212 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: a different gang, you start hanging out with some smashing 213 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: grab dudes, and this is where you meet some of 214 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: your lifelong friends, guys like Randy Allen, Darren, Big d Jordan, 215 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 1: and the dude who will crash on your sister's couch 216 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: two decades later Ronald Tynard Washington. But unlike these dudes, 217 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: you don't go full criminal, at least not first. You 218 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: play a supporting role. You let the guys stash their 219 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 1: stolen goods in your parents' basement. Soon enough, however, they 220 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: convince you to go with them on one of their 221 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: nightly runs tonight. The mark is in a fancier part 222 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: of Queen's and Jamaica Estates, where you rummage through a 223 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: doctor's house for the finer things. You're green and this 224 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: is your first time, so on your way out, you're 225 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: sloppy and a security guard spots you. He yells at you, 226 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:14,079 Speaker 1: and your adrenaline spikes. You start to run, your legs 227 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: pumping in, your heart pounding you. Hear a gunshot and 228 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: then another, Holy shit, this fucking guy's trying to shoot you. 229 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: You run faster. Everything's a blur and you round a 230 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: corner and they're waiting for you, and not your friends, 231 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: not your crew, but the cops. You only do a 232 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: little time at a juvie center in the Bronx, but 233 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: it's your folks disappointment in you that stings the most. 234 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: And you're well aware, even as a teenager that this 235 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: isn't the way. There are other crews out there that 236 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: distance themselves from the long arm of the law. I'm 237 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: lucky for you you are musically inclined, and also lucky 238 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: for you, this new phenomenon called rap music is taking over. 239 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: You're in the right place, at the right time, with 240 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: the right set of skills, and so you trade in 241 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: a life of crime for a life of music, a 242 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: life behind the decks that will take you from the 243 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: mean streets of Hollis to the TV sets of every 244 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: suburban kid in America. Jason Miselle's commitment to a life 245 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: on the up and up, a life that blazed a 246 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: trail in the American culture while striking an anti drug, 247 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: anti crime bee boy stance, was a big reason why 248 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: upon his murder in two thousand and two, so many 249 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: had a hard time believing that the motive for that 250 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: murder was rooted in the kind of life that Jay 251 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: seemingly left behind like so many other childish things. But 252 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: disbelief didn't stop. The word on the street. Word was 253 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: Jay had been selling drugs and he was gunned down 254 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: after a drug deal had gone very, very bad. No 255 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: one wanted to believe that Jay was involved in the 256 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: drug trade, and no one wanted to believe the article 257 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: written by Frank Owen and Playboy Magazine the following year, 258 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: two thousand and three that made this explosive room Republic. 259 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: Frank Owen got a lot of hate from the hip 260 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 1: hop community for writing that piece, a piece that many 261 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: said was slanderous, bullshit that existed for no other reason 262 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: but to tear down one of the good guys. But 263 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: here's the thing, Frank Owen was not bullshitting. Jay had 264 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: been working a side house for years in which he 265 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: was a middleman who helped to shift a lot of cocaine, 266 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: and he didn't even have to get his hands dirty. 267 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: Sometimes he just had to call his contact, a supplier 268 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 1: who everyone knew was Uncle, and then connect Uncle with 269 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: a seller. Two phone calls tops Uncle would make sure 270 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: the coke was waiting in a stash house, and the 271 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: seller would pick it up, move it, and everyone got theirs. 272 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: For Jay, his take was three grand per kilo, So 273 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: if the deal was twenty kilos, say that was sixty 274 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: thousand dollars in Jay's pocket, and all he had to 275 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: do to make that money was just match up a 276 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: supplier with a seller, just like he did in the studio, 277 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: matching a beat makeer with an MC. All of the 278 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 1: shock and surprise and outrage that came in the wake 279 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: of that Playboy article from those who knew Jay. Some 280 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: of it was legit, but some of it was a 281 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:14,879 Speaker 1: put on because J had people watching his back, just 282 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: like Jay once watched theirs. Now they were looking out 283 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: for Jay's legacy, looking to protect his good name from 284 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: being tarnished by the revelation of some truly shady shit, 285 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 1: but given the circumstances, truly necessary shit or Jay, at least, 286 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: because Jay was in debt, J was a provider. J 287 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 1: needed money. It wasn't about good or bad. To Jay, 288 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 1: it wasn't about right or wrong. It was about what 289 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: you needed and what you had to do to get it. 290 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: But no one talked about what Jay did to make 291 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,880 Speaker 1: ends meet, And no one talked about what they saw 292 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: in Jay's studio the night he was murdered. Not Tony McCone, 293 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: the assistant who was shot in the leg about the killer, 294 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: and not really High, the office manager who was forced 295 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: to the ground by the second gunman. The cops asked 296 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: both of them if they knew who shot Jay, and 297 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: they both said they did not. They lied, but they 298 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: didn't lie it to some noble desire to protect Jay's legacy. 299 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: They kept quiet to protect themselves because they were afraid. 300 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 2: They feared that if they told what they really knew, 301 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,360 Speaker 2: that the same thing that happened to Jay what happened 302 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 2: to them. 303 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 1: We'll be right back after this. We're were were. The 304 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: man Jay called Uncle was waiting for him in the 305 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 1: DC hotel room. Uncle was all business, clear, direct and 306 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 1: to the point, just as Jay's stripped down rap beats 307 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: were once the most clear and direct music you could 308 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: hear on the radio. But this was the summer of 309 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: two thousand and two, and Jay, still a young man 310 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: at age thirty seven, was being forced into entering his 311 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 1: godfather era. Early the music business was a fickled bitch. 312 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: Yet Jay made the transition gracefully, seeing as how he 313 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: was already well established as something of a hip hop ambassador, 314 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: mentoring the new crop of talent on the come up. 315 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 1: Guys like fifty Cent and Onyx came as naturally to 316 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: Jay as the wide brim fedora he was known to 317 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: rock on the regular. The money, however, was more elusive 318 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:31,880 Speaker 1: hence this clandestine meet up with Uncle. Here. Uncle laid 319 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: it out easy, like he always did, ten kilos of coke. 320 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: Jay had seven days to find a seller. As usual, 321 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: Jay didn't need to put up any money. Uncle trusted him. 322 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: In turn, Jay trusted once he found a seller and 323 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: had the money in hand, Uncle would reward him with 324 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 1: his cut, which in this instance would be thirty grand. 325 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: For Jay was a lightlift, some of the easiest money 326 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: he'd ever made. He thanked. Uncle left the hotel, but 327 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,400 Speaker 1: went outside to his car, where his old friend Ronald 328 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 1: Washington aka Tanard, the guy who was crashing on his 329 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 1: sister's couch, was waiting. Together, they hit the road due 330 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: northeast to Baltimore, where j knew a guy who was 331 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 1: ready to pick up where Jay was putting down. Tannard 332 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: didn't have to be there. Tannard was there because Jay 333 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: was just about the most loyal dude in the game, 334 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: and there was a place in his adult life for 335 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: all the other loyal dudes he used to run with 336 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: as a kid, like Randy Allen, who now worked as 337 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 1: Jay's business partner, or Randy's sister Lydia, who ran the 338 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: record label office, and then there was Carl big D Jordan, 339 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: who J and Run DMC had hired as their new 340 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: tour manager back in nineteen eighty five. At the time, 341 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 1: big D was running his own side hustle as a 342 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: confidential informant for the Queen's DA office. The same year 343 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: he started on runs payroll. In order to avoid doing 344 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: two to six for a weapons charge, big D testified 345 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 1: against a guy named Joseph Money Thomas, who was on 346 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: trial for murder. Big D helped put Money in prison 347 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: twenty five to life. In the eyes of the streets, 348 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: run DMC was now running with a snitch. But to 349 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: j big D was a friend first always, just like 350 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: Ronald Tenard Washington, whom the streets had long whispered was 351 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 1: the trigger man who shot down Tupac should Cure's best 352 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 1: friend Randy Stretch Wallace as he was riding in a 353 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: car in Hallis. Jay didn't fuck with all the gossip. Instead, 354 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: Jay fucked with trust, and right now in a car 355 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: headed from DC to Baltimore, Jay trusted the guy sitting 356 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 1: next to him. After all, Jaye bought Tenar to brand 357 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: new wardrobe. When Tnar got out of the joint and 358 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: Jay gave him walking around, money in a place to stay. 359 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: Tanard needed Jay, and it's really easy to trust a 360 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 1: guy who needs you. The car approached the agreed upon 361 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 1: meeting place and Jay and Tanard parked and stepped out 362 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,959 Speaker 1: of the vehicle, and the seller was waiting arms car. 363 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: Jay and Tannard began their approach on foot, ready to 364 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: quickly lay out the terms before the inevitable deal went down. 365 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: But as they got closer, Jacob sensed Tanard was acting 366 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 1: strange and Tnard's gate was slowing down, not in a 367 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: mellow kind of way, but a skeptical one. Tanard was 368 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:20,919 Speaker 1: now locking eyes with the seller, who was returning the 369 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: same intense stare. The fuck is he doing here? Tanard asked, 370 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: referring to the seller, who Tannard was only now realizing 371 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: was Ralph Mulgrave, a guy everyone called Yaquim. Jay and 372 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,919 Speaker 1: Tannard had known Yakim since way back in high school 373 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 1: in Queen's but over the years, Jakim and Tannar's relationship 374 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: had soured. Jay was only now seeing in real time 375 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: just how much it had soured. Jaqum shook his head. Yeah, Jay, 376 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: you didn't mention anything to me about this motherfucker. Tanard 377 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 1: was there to help ja facilitate the movement of this 378 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: particular batch of cocaine. In fact, by helping out Tanard 379 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: along with Carl Big D Jordan's son, Carl Little D Jordan, 380 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: Jay's godson, We're going to split a good chunk of 381 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: Jay's earnings. But the tension that was starting to swamp 382 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: this little meat up like the Marilyn Humidity, was saying otherwise. 383 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: Tanard wasn't down to work with Yakim. Jaquim felt the same. 384 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: In fact, Yaquim was gonna go get his gun. What 385 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,880 Speaker 1: do you need that for? Jay asked to shoot Tanard? 386 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: Hold up, Hold up, hold up. Jay was saying, let's 387 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:32,160 Speaker 1: let's let cooler heads prevail, or rather Jay's cool head. 388 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,239 Speaker 1: If Jaquem and Tanar didn't want to work together, they 389 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 1: didn't have to work together. It was as simple as that. 390 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 1: But this deal was gonna happen, and it had to 391 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: happen in seven days or less. Jay wasn't about to 392 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 1: break a sweat finding another Cellar. Jaquin was this guy. 393 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 1: The easy solution, in Jay's eyes, was to cut Tenard 394 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: and thus also cut his godson, Carl Little D Jordan 395 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: out of the deal. Allegedly, this is what happened, and 396 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,120 Speaker 1: as soon as it did, As soon as he made 397 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:26,120 Speaker 1: that decision, jam Master Jay's days were numbered. Not long 398 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: after Jay was murdered, on October thirtieth, two thousand and two, 399 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: police arrested Tenard for knocking over a string of stores 400 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: and hotels while armed. In custody. He was asked if 401 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: he knew anything about who killed Jay, seeing as he 402 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: and the DJ have been close friends for decades. What 403 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: Tenar had said next was shocking. He told the cops 404 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 1: that on the night of October thirtieth, he was walking 405 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: towards Jay's studio in the rain with a pocket full 406 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: of bullets. It procured the bullets for Jay, who is 407 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: currently holed up in his student udio recording yes, but 408 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,680 Speaker 1: also increasingly paranoid as he got deeper and deeper into 409 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 1: the drug trade and all its inherent dangers. The bullets 410 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: meant for Jay's thirty eight were designed to make Jay 411 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: feel a little safer. Tanard was walking fast, walking with purpose, 412 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: dodging the rain drops, and he was just about there 413 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 1: when suddenly he saw two figures emerge from the studio 414 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 1: and start running up the street. One was tall and 415 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,160 Speaker 1: one was short, and there was no mistaking who they were. 416 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: In Tannard's eyes, the two men were Carl Big D 417 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: Jordan and his son, Jay's godson, Carl Little D Jordan Junior. 418 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: Days later, according to Tanard, little D told him my 419 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: pops wasn't supposed to shoot Jay. This version of events 420 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: struck the cops as a little odd because both Lydia High, 421 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: the office manager, and Tony Rincon, the young studio gopher 422 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: who got shot in the leg, had both gotten a 423 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: good look at the gunman that night, and they knew 424 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 1: who Big D and Little D were, and yet they 425 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: claimed they didn't recognize either assassin. And if Tanard was 426 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,439 Speaker 1: hoping that his eyewitness testimony would somehow help with his 427 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: own legal troubles, he was dead wrong. With Tannard's revelation 428 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: not panning out due to the lack of evidence, he 429 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: was sentenced to seventeen and a half years for his 430 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:23,239 Speaker 1: past transgressions. The suspects, meanwhile, began to pile up. There 431 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 1: was Randy Allen, Jay's longtime friend and business partner, who, 432 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 1: according to some sources, was about to be fired by 433 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: Jay because he'd been stealing money from the record label. 434 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: Some even swore that Randy was the benefactor of Jay's 435 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: half a million dollar life insurance policy. Then there was 436 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: New York City drug lord Kenneth's Supreme Griff, who had 437 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,439 Speaker 1: been beefing with Jay's protege fifty Cent. The cops couldn't 438 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:46,959 Speaker 1: rule out the possibility that Jay had somehow wound up 439 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 1: caught in some sort of pissing match crossfire. And there 440 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,959 Speaker 1: was another known Queen's figure, Curtis Scoon, whom the police 441 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: favored as their guy early on. Scoon, it turned out, 442 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,640 Speaker 1: had been burned some seven years prior to the murder 443 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 1: when he was unable to recoup the money he put 444 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 1: up for one of Jay's drug deals. But Scoon was 445 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 1: adamant that Jay had ultimately made it good and there 446 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: was no bad blood between them. And besides, why the 447 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: hell would Schoon murder j over some missing money from 448 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:18,679 Speaker 1: seven years ago? It just didn't make any sense. And 449 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: all of this continued to make no sense for years. 450 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,400 Speaker 1: But in twenty sixteen, nearly a decade and a half 451 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,199 Speaker 1: after Jay's murder, after it looked like the case had 452 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 1: gone cold for good, a witness's conscience finally got the 453 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: best of them, and they talked first. However, the US 454 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: Attorney's Office shed some light on the bigger picture concerning 455 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 1: the drug trade that Jay was involved in. In that 456 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 1: same year, they uncovered the true identity of Uncle Jay's supplier. 457 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,199 Speaker 1: Uncle was Terry Flennery, one of the co founders of 458 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: the Black Mafia Family, who at the time of Jay's 459 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,360 Speaker 1: death were one of the largest cocaine distributors in the country. 460 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 1: They were also rumored to have given Diddy the startup 461 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 1: cash for bad Boy Records. Again rumored, but I digress. 462 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:08,439 Speaker 1: The reason that Jay was given such large amounts of 463 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: coke to move with no money expected up front was 464 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: because he was being used knowingly or unknowingly to launder 465 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: dirty drug money from one of the biggest players in 466 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 1: the game. But back to this witness and their conscience. 467 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 1: When it came to big players, you didn't need one 468 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: to crack this case wide open. It was actually the 469 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: smallest player in the whole story who made the biggest noise. 470 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 1: Uriel Tony Rncone, the studio gopher twenty five at the 471 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: time of Jay's death, who had for years said that 472 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: he either didn't know the gunman or didn't get a 473 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: good look at their faces. In twenty sixteen, however, Ringcone 474 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: finally came forward with the identity of the man who 475 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: shot him and murdered j It was Jay's godson, Carl 476 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: Little D. Jordan Little D pulled the trigger, not his father, 477 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: Jay's old friend Big D, as Tanard had claimed. In fact, 478 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 1: Big D wasn't involved at all. It was Tannard all along. 479 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: He was the other gunman, the one who forced Lydia 480 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 1: to the floor and covered for Little D as Jay 481 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: was executed at close range with no mercy. Tanard was 482 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 1: just another gangster desperately trying to toss blame to anyone, 483 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: even his old friends when he found his ass on 484 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:29,960 Speaker 1: the line. Tannard was still serving time for his armed 485 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: robbery spree in the summer of twenty twenty, just months 486 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: after our first episode on rug DMC went live when 487 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: he and Little D were charged with the murder of 488 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: Jason Mizell aka JM Master J by the US Attorney 489 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: for the Eastern District of New York. According to the government, 490 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: Tannard and Little D conspired to kill j as retaliation 491 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: for getting caught out of that Baltimore drug deal. Leaving 492 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 1: them without their financial windfall. The reluctant testimony of Ralph 493 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 1: mul Grave aka Yaquim, the seller Tnard had refused to 494 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:07,360 Speaker 1: work with, helped prove the government's argument, and on February 495 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:11,719 Speaker 1: twenty seventh, twenty twenty four, a federal journey Brooklyn returned 496 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: a guilty verdict against Ronald Tnard Washington and Carl littl 497 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: D Jordan Junior. As of the recording of this episode, 498 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: both men are still awaiting sentencing, facing a mandatory minimum 499 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: of twenty years to life in prison. So why did 500 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: Tony Rincone wait fourteen years to tell the truth to 501 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: positively identify who killed j. It's like I told you 502 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the episode, people close to Jay 503 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 1: were concerned about destroying his reputation or, as in Rincone's case, 504 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:46,959 Speaker 1: concerned about their own safety. When asked, rincon gave Hiss 505 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 1: a reason for keeping quiet and just three short words. 506 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 1: I was scared, just as Jammaster j was scared when 507 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 1: the night he died, his thirty eight by his side, 508 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: knowing that's something that someone was coming, even if you 509 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 1: didn't know who or why. But damn to have the 510 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: deed done by your so called friends, by your family, 511 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: by the ones who were supposed to have your back, 512 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:19,480 Speaker 1: just as you had theirs. That's nothing short of a disgrace. 513 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan, and this this disgrace Land, all right. 514 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for rolling with me through this run DMC episode 515 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 1: on the Great jam Master Jay Apple Podcast listeners, make 516 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: sure you have auto downloads turned on so you don't 517 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: miss any episodes. Guys, I want to know, was run 518 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: DMC the most influential hip hop group of all time? 519 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 1: Not most influential artists group? Were they the most influential group? Okay, 520 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: if they weren't, who was? Let me know? Nine oh 521 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: six six six three eight semi a voicemail, semi a text. 522 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:06,360 Speaker 1: You might hear your voice or an answer to your 523 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: question on the upcoming after Party episode. You can also 524 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: email me disgrace Lampod at gmail dot com or hit 525 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 1: me up on the socials at Disgracelampod. Guys, I Gotta 526 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: take off here comes from Credits. Disgraceland was created by 527 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: Yours Truly and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. 528 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: Credits for this episode can be found on the show 529 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: notes page at disgracelampod dot com. If you're listening as 530 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 1: a disgracelan All Access member, thank you for supporting the show. 531 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: We really appreciate it. And if not, you can become 532 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: a member right now by going to disgracelampod dot com 533 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:43,520 Speaker 1: slash Membership. Members can listen to every episode of disgracelan 534 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: Ad free, Plus you'll get one brand new exclusive episode 535 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 1: every month, weekly unscripted bonus episodes, special audio collections, and 536 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:56,800 Speaker 1: early access to merchandise and events. Visit disgracelampod dot com 537 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:00,040 Speaker 1: slash membership for details, rate and review the show, and 538 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 1: follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook at disgracelanmpod 539 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: and on YouTube at YouTube dot com slash at disgracelampod. 540 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: Rock a Rolla, He's a bad don Man