It was cold & cloudy when I arrived at 90-10 Merrick Blvd. The shrine is there. Mourners are gathered. Some folks stop in passing, bow their heads in respect & continue on their way. I’m outside the studio where Jam Master Jay of Run DMC was murdered, just paying respect to a pioneer.

A cop stands by the lamppost. He’s teary-eyed & his voice cracks when he’s asked questions by pedestrians. You can tell he was a fan. He possibly even requested this assignment. I assume he’s here to make sure the throng that has gathered remains orderly. I am certain he waits for someone to give him information about the murder.

Tapped to the gate of the parking lot, there are many handmade posters. Their messages are various degrees of praise. “I will make sure my son knows who you are”. “We will pursue nonviolent justice for JMJ”. “Queens put rap on the map”. There are various pairs of Adidas & some turntables left on the ground. The combined sentiment is this hometown boy-made-good will be missed.

An old woman, dressed for church, asks me if this “is the place where that rap fellow was killed”.

“Yes, ma’am”, I say, pointing up at the second floor above the jerk chicken place. “Right up there.”

I’ve never been this close to a murder site to my knowledge. I didn’t like the way it made me feel.

Jam Master Jay was born Jason Mizell in Hollis Queens 37 years ago. As the backbone of Run DMC, he brought DJ-ing to the mainstream & influenced hundreds. He even taught at the Scratch DJ Academy in downtown Manhattan. He helped give a lot of guys a start in rap music. He never left his community. He was a giver, which is apparent. It’s apparent in the air outside of 90-10 Merrick Blvd.

Growing up in Queens Village in the early 80’s, everyone wanted to be Run DMC. But in 1983, all I knew about them was that I saw them on MTV at my cousin’s house. I thought it was good music, but buying albums was not on my itinerary yet. Still, 1 evening when my mom took me to Lorenzo’s Pizzeria on Jamaica Ave. to pick up a pepperoni pie, there was loud raucous laughter emanating from the back room. My mom asked if there was a party back there, as I peered around her legs to get a look at what was going on. The guy behind the counter said Run DMC were eating back there. My mom paid for the pie, took my hand & led me out of the pizzeria, but I recall thinking that it sounded like someone was having a good time back there. So that’s my opinion on Run DMC. They’re 3 guys who wanted to have a good time.

I wrote this shortly after Jason Mizell was murdered. I hung onto it for reasons I can't recall right now. A year later, there's no arrest of the killers & the shockwaves of Jay's death are still being felt. I felt now was the time to share these words. Rap means little these days, but Run DMC still means a lot. Word.

R

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