Jam Master Jay (1965-2002)

I met Jam Master Jay a couple of years ago. We shared a flight from Denver to Chicago.

At the baggage carousel in O’hare Airport, I was waiting for my suitcase. I glanced to my right…and Jam Master Jay was standing right next to me. I stared for a couple of seconds, then glanced away. I knew it was him, because I had a ticket to see RUN-DMC’s Chicago show later that night.

I turned back, just to make sure. He was wearing a baseball cap and a Phat-Farm backpack. Yep—that’s Jay. I had to say something to him.

“Yo, Jay.”

Not the most clever opening, but it worked. He turned toward me.

We had a standard fan–celebrity conversation. I told him I was a big fan; he asked if I was coming to the show tonight; I said yes. We shook hands, grabbed our suitcases and parted ways.

That night, I wore my white Adidas shell-tops to the concert. As their customary show-opener, Jay took the stage first. Behind his turntables, he led the crowd in call-and-reponse chants, cutting and scratching to a fever pitch. Then the beat stopped, and we heard the unmistakable opening to “Rock Box”. “Run, Run D-M-C…”, and the emcees took the stage.

It was a great show, with all ages and races representing. There were the Asian b-boys, the 40-year-old heads, and lots of college kids. I remember being mesmerized by a hot Latina breaker girl. There was even a nerdy kid with a Bill Gates haircut—he knew all the lyrics. During the show, DMC left the stage and wandered through the crowd, while we all reached out to touch his bald head.

After the show, RUN-DMC were hanging out in the bar. I was amazed by how approachable they were. I went up to Jay, and he recognized me from the airport. I shook his hand again, and he flashed his wide friendly smile. Lyor Cohen is right about Jay’s smile—it is an entire conversation.

I held up my Adidas sneaker, and all three of them autographed it. I left the bar with an autographed sneaker and an autographed t-shirt.

I saw RUN-DMC a few other times, but never got close to them again. At one show, a fight broke out. Jay stopped the music, and got the entire audience to give the “Peace” sign as security escorted the trouble-makers out of the building.

When Jay got murdered last night, it hurt.