An official announcement was made on Wednesday (11/6) during a press conference in Manhattan staged to announce the formation of a coalition to help raise money to aid Jam Master Jay�s family. 

Reverend Run said the following during the press conference: 

"We were just on tour with Aerosmith and Kid Rock, and we can't perform anymore. Nobody wants to see Run and D.M.C. without Jay. Jay was definitely one-third of the group, and a lot of people I was seeing on television was wondering, 'Is Jay...was he a significant third of the group?' He was. We split this money three ways and we're not able to go back out in December with Kid Rock and Aerosmith now.

"Run-D.M.C. is officially retired. I can't get out in front of my fans with a new DJ. Some rock bands can replace the drummer. People say that to me: 'Are you the original three members?' I say, 'I don't know any other way but to be the three original members,' and that's all I can say--is that we're retired. Does anybody have a job out there?"