Chuck D: “I’m very, very deeply saddened as well as angered over the loss of a man who was both a hero and a close friend of mine. We were allies and friends, traveled the world together, shared our thoughts and good times, and watched each other’s children grow up. This is an immeasurable loss. Run-DMC are our Beatles. It is a very dark day for the hip hop community.”
Russell Simmons: “For nearly 20 years, Run-DMC has been the closest thing to gospel artists that the contemporary music community has had. They talked about God and their higher selves, the importance of staying away from drugs, and generally inspirational and uplifting subject matter. They represented everything good and positive about hip-hop. Jam Master Jay was a longtime family man and one of the founders of the group that knocked down all of the doors for hip-hop, and a dear friend of mine. I loved him. I will miss him. He is irreplaceable. Before the media rushes to attribute this to East Coast/West Coast violence, they should examine Run-DMC’s two decades of contributions and Jam Master Jay’s personal character. This has nothing more to do with so-called East Coast/West Coast violence than the sniper murders in Washington did. We at the Hip Hop Summit Action Network offer our sincere condolences to his wife and children.”
P.Diddy: “This is a great loss. Jam Master Jay was a pioneer. He led the way for a whole new genre of talent. Not only was he a great artist but he was a great man who will be deeply missed.”
Lyor Cohen: “This is definitely the most difficult statement that I have yet to write. But I feel that it is necessary. Our world can be a convoluted place, often fascinated with distorted and embellished truths. It’s really important for the record to be clear and precise here. Remember Jason does have three kids, a wife, mother, brothers and sisters, all of whom should be given the respect of the truth. And the truth is that Jason was a beautiful person, a loyal husband, an amazing father, and a gracious friend. He was a person who in the due course of his everyday life would offer people his smile and help just because he was Jason. It was Jason to whom I reported from ’82-’85 as Run-DMC’s road manager. He showed me how to settle shows and fulfill my responsibilities to the group. I learned a great deal from him, and to this day, they are the lessons that I rely on in order to do what I do. Jason befriended me immediately, showing me great kindness and the utmost respect. While Darryl McDaniels (my roommate) was shy and Joey was always “Run,” it was Jason who had this amazing network of people who loved him because he was so outgoing. He always displayed a genuine interest, no matter if you were simply a fan or a local DJ. Jason engaged everyone and made people feel important. His eyes always made contact with you, and a smile was never far behind. Jason had the best smile because it was so real and heartfelt. Jason’s smile is what I deeply miss. It was a conversation, containing so many words in its simple silence. Jason and his group Run-DMC have always been about the most positive things — never taking a detour towards negativity. Through their greatness, they helped establish a thriving genre of music. Through their talent, they helped establish Def Jam. And through Jason’s example, we all work very hard to champion the creative over the destructive. To remind us, we will keep Jason’s smile so very close to our hearts.”
