November 05, 2002
Death of a Hip Hop General: Tribute to Jam Master Jay
By Shelley Nicole
I'm just a little girl in love with hip-hop, and recently we lost another who made hip-hop my lover. I'm not having a Brown Sugar moment, but I am taking a moment to pay homage to a great man. Legendary hip-hop DJ Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC was shot and killed in Queens, NY on Wednesday, October 30th, 2002. He was shot inside a recording studio on Merrick Blvd around 7:30pm.
What can I say about Jam Master Jay? He was a pioneer, a legend and a soldier. He loved hip-hop with all his heart and always gave back to the craft that gave him so much. He made it clear that being a DJ meant more than just standing in the back and spinning the records. It's a craft, an art. He understood that you have to get inside the music to bring it to the people. To rock the house. To move the crowd.
Today we mourn the loss of a General in this thing we call Hip Hop. Unfortunately we are paying respect at the wrong time. We need to honor our legends while they are alive. For some reason in hip-hop, if you don't currently have a hit record then you are cast to the side. You are considered old school and subsequently old news. But when have pioneers of any other genre been considered obsolete just because they don't have a record on the charts or are not making records at all.
If the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Pete Townsend, or Paul McCartney never make another record they will still be greeted with the utmost respect at all times. The light will always shine on them. But when our pioneers slow down they are just dropped off the map.
Pick up your sword and shield for our legends. Don't let others decide who is important in our musical history. Send your love to Afrika Bambaataa, Doug E. Fresh, Public Enemy, the Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Salt n' Pepa, the Funky Four plus One, Kurtis Blow, Heavy D, Queen Latifah, Boogie Down Productions, LL Cool J, Roxanne Shante, UTFO, MC Lyte and the list goes on and on.
Respect and give thanks to the men and women who raised you with love and opened you up to an art form that changed your life. I don't care who you are or where you came from, love it or hate it you had hip-hop in your life. Maybe you were breakin' or chasing your first Adidas suit or bomber jacket. Maybe you loved rockin' your Kangol or begged your mother for a pair of Gazelle's. Maybe you saved your last dime to get that new record and screamed when the MC told you to. Maybe you shook our ass at a basement party or in your bedroom by your damn self to "It's Like That." I know I did. It was one of the first records I ever bought. Run DMC changed the world and my life. It may sound dramatic, but it's true. They fed the seeds water and we grew up with them.
Chuck D said so poignantly today, "Instead of pouring gasoline on the seeds, pour water. How are they going to grow with gasoline on them? They'll have twisted limbs." One of those seeds with twisted limbs shot Jason Mizell. Father, husband, friend, brother, one of the greatest DJs of all time. I am blessed that I was able to spend a moment in time with Jay and speak personally to him. He was funny, sincere, open, caring and most of all, humble.
Jason Mizell was a young man whose life changed everything when he became Jam Master Jay. Break out your Adidas in honor of Jay. Remember your craft in honor of Jay. Be clear about what you are feeding the seeds in honor of yourself. It's time to fight for love.
God Bless & Rest
Jam Master Jay The King of Rock 1965-2002
Shelley Nicole is a singer and musician. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. Give her a holla at
Posted at November 5, 2002 10:44 AM