Darryl McDaniels responds after Jam Master Jay murder conviction is overturned

Darryl McDaniels says surprised by the overturned Jam Master Jay murder conviction and is consulting Jay’s family

Darryl McDaniels, known globally as DMC of Run-DMC, is responding to new developments in the long-running Jam Master Jay murder case after learning that one of the convictions has been overturned.

The update comes more than two decades after Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, was shot and killed in his Queens recording studio in 2002.

According to court records, a U.S. District Judge last week granted Karl Jordan Jr. an acquittal on the murder charges that were handed down in February 2024. The judge cited a lack of sufficient evidence to support the conviction, marking a major legal shift in a case that has remained deeply significant within the hip hop community.

TMZ Hip Hop spoke with McDaniels in New York City on Monday, where the Run-DMC co-founder appeared genuinely surprised by the news. McDaniels said he had only just learned of the overturned conviction and emphasized that he is not relying solely on media reports to understand what happened. Instead, he said he planned to consult directly with Jam Master Jay’s family to get clarity on the situation.

Darryl McDaniels, aka "DMC," will be consulting with Jam Master Jay's family after learning one of the men convicted in the 2002 killing just had his murder conviction overturned last week. https://t.co/uCJa7JCYjK pic.twitter.com/7CLDWHrJOI

— TMZ (@TMZ) December 22, 2025

While Jordan’s conviction has been overturned, the case is not fully resolved. Jordan’s co-defendant, Ronald Washington, remains incarcerated for Jam Master Jay’s murder. The judge noted that Washington allegedly had a stronger motive tied to a failed drug deal, which prosecutors argued played a central role in the killing.

Jam Master Jay’s death has long been considered one of hip hop’s most tragic unsolved stories, and the recent court decision has reignited public attention. As legal proceedings continue, McDaniels has made it clear that Jam Master Jay’s legacy remains deeply important to him, regardless of the ongoing developments in the case.