Jason William Mizell (January 21, 1965 – October 30, 2002), better known by his stage name Jam Master Jay, was an American musician, actor, record producer and DJ.

[6] An encounter with an armed security guard frightened him into stopping the burglaries, and as an adult he was known for discouraging criminal activities among his friends and family.

[6] For a time, he lived in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where turntablism pioneer DJ Def Lou Hauck [3][7] taught him to crossfade.

[3][8] On Run-D.M.C's album Raising Hell, Mizell played keyboards, bass, and live drums in addition to his turntable work.

Founded in 2002, the year of his death, the academy was created to "provide unparalleled education and access to the art form of the DJ and producer.

"[9] Jam Master Jay was related to the Mizell Brothers, a popular production team for Gary Bartz, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, and others.

[15] On Wednesday, October 30, 2002, at 7:30 pm,[17] Mizell was fatally shot in New York City in his recording studio on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens.

[18] Following Mizell's death, several artists expressed their grief for the loss in the hip hop community and remembered him for his influence on music and the genre.

[20] In 2003, Kenneth McGriff, a convicted drug dealer and longtime friend of Murder Inc. Records founders Irving "Irv Gotti" Lorenzo and his older brother Christopher, was investigated for targeting Mizell because the DJ defied an industry blacklist of rapper 50 Cent that was imposed because of "Ghetto Qu'ran", a song 50 Cent wrote about McGriff's drug history.

[21] In December 2003, Playboy magazine published an article by investigative journalist Frank Owen, "The Last Days of Jam Master Jay", which traced the murder to a drug deal gone bad.

[6] Owen said he uncovered evidence Mizell, not normally involved in crime as an adult, had turned to cocaine distribution to pay mounting bills.

According to Owen, several sources indicated Mizell traveled to Washington, D.C., on July 31, 2002, to obtain 10 kilograms (22 lb) of cocaine valued at about a quarter-million dollars from a trafficker known as "Uncle".

[22] According to court papers filed by the prosecution, Washington "pointed his gun at those present in the studio, ordered them to get on the ground and provided cover for his associate to shoot and kill Jason Mizell".

She spoke to former Run DMC road manager Darren "Big D" Jordan, who denied allegations of involvement made against him by Ronald Washington.

[32] Washington had been considered a suspect very early in the investigation,[33] and Jordan had been charged in August 2003 with attempted murder after shooting Mizell's nephew, Rodney Jones, in the leg.