Twenty-five years after the shooting death of Jam Master Jay, a man has pleaded guilty to being involved with the murder.

Jay Bryant pleaded guilty to a federal murder charge in the death of the Run-DMC rap star, The Associated Press reported.

Bryant, now 52, told the judge in court on Monday, “I knew a gun was going to be used to shoot Jason Mizell. I knew that what I was doing was wrong and a crime.”

Mizell was Jam Master Jay’s real name.

Bryant did not state the names of others involved with the shooting, but a jury convicted Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington in 2024. A judge, however, cleared Jordan of the crime, the AP reported.

Washington is challenging his conviction as well.

Jordan was Mizell’s godson, while Washington was his former friend.

Prosecutors claimed that the two men were upset over a cocaine deal that Mizell set up but failed.

The prosecution said Jordan shot Mizell while Washington blocked the door. Both denied the accusations.

Jordan’s attorney said he was at his girlfriend’s, and Washington’s attorney said he had no incentive because Mizell helped him out financially.

Three years after the pair were charged, prosecutors said Bryant’s DNA was found on a hat at the crime scene and that he had been seen entering the building.

Bryant was already in jail on federal drug and gun charges, which he had also pleaded guilty to.

His uncle said he told him he shot Mizell after the DJ reached for a gun, but no one had testified that Bryant had gone into the studio.

Then-prosecutor said that either Jordan or Washington brought the cap in, despite not leaving any of their DNA on it, and that Bryant had touched it before hand, the AP reported.

Bryant has been facing charges in the case since 2023, CBS News reported. At that time, he pleaded not guilty.

Prosectuors said that they belive he went into the studio’s building and opened a door for Washington and Jordan to avoid being buzzed in, CBS News reported.

Mizell, the DJ of the trio Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Joseph Simmons (DJ Run or Rev. Run), ran the turntables on such hits as “It’s Tricky” and “Walk This Way,” the latter of which helped the group span genres and brought them into the mainstream, the AP reported.

Jam Master Jay was shot and killed in his studio in Queens in October 2002, and followed the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Nortorious B.I.G.

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