Two men have been charged with the murder of Jam Master Jay

According to the authorities, the fatal shooting was the result of a cocaine deal gone wrong

Two men have been charged with the murder of Run-DMC legend Jam Master Jay.

The pioneering DJ, real name Jason Mizell, was killed in his studio in Queens, New York back in 2002, bringing the hip-hop world to a standstill and achieving a mythic status as one of rap music’s coldest cases.

Over the last two decades, numerous theories have surfaced surrounding who carried out the killing, with 2018 Netflix documentary Remastered: Who Killed Jam Master Jay? reinvigorating public interest in the case.

On Monday, city and federal authorities announced they had charged two males who had long been suspects in the murder. According to the authorities, the fatal shooting was the result of a cocaine deal gone wrong.

Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., were charged with murder while engaged in drug trafficking in a 10-count indictment on Monday in the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. The pair face minimum sentences of 20 years in prison if convicted.

Mr. Jordan pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday afternoon, while Mr. Washington is expected to be arraigned later this week.

Acting U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, Seth D. DuCharme, stated: “This is a case about a murder that for nearly two decades has gone unanswered. Today we begin to answer that question of who killed Jason Mizell and why.”