Police investigating the murder of Run DMC frontman Jam Master Jay are hoping his longtime friend, Randy Allen, holds the key to his death.

Allen was blasted by Jay's grieving mother, Connie Mizell, in a recent interview with newspaper New York Daily News for not getting in touch to offer his condolences, and refusing to assist the police.

She said, "That hurts me more than words will ever say. All of these years, Jason (Jay's real name) and Randy have been friends. We were all as close as close can be, and I haven't seen Randy since my Jason was killed.

"You're his friend for 20 years and you don't want to talk to the police about what happened? You don't come to my house after he died? You want to say you don't know anything?"

But Allen - who raps in hip-hop outfit Rusty Waters - strenuously denies any involvement with the murder.

He fumes, "It took me for a spin. That's the meanest thing you can do to somebody, to say that their best friend is involved with something like that. It's all crazy. The part of it that hurts me the most is that's just...made up. I don't know why somebody would do that."

Jam Master Jay was murdered in his Queens, New York, recording studio in October last year.

Other suspects who were once  name din the on-going case were < STRONG>50 Cent and Murder Inc affiliates.