Lance ‘Un’ Rivera has shared his thoughts after Jaÿ-Z mentioned him during his freestyle at the Roots Picnic back in May.
“Have you n**gas no shame? Y’all tryna get under skin?/I really get under skin, ask Un how I’m playing,” Hov rapped on stage, referencing the 1999 incident where he stabbed Un, resulting in a misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault.
In an open letter to Hov shared to his Instagram page on Sunday (July 5), Un spoke positively on his former friend. While complimenting Jay’s contributions to the culture, he noted how important Jay’s influence is and how powerful his journey has been.
“You understand what it feels like to come from environments where people have to fight mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially just to survive,” Un wrote. “You understand the weight people carry when they feel trapped between who they are, and who the world expects them to become. Your story evolved beyond survival. You showed people growth.”
But moments later, he shared some additional sentiments in a sit-down interview with The Art of Dialogue, calling out how Jay seemingly only references him when it’s time to promote something.
“If you want to send the message to your brand and your partnerships that you’re dangerous, using me as an example of how dangerous you are just to sell products, then that’s up to him,” he said. “Find another way to make you a tough guy, a bad guy. Stop using me to do it. Unless you’re going to pay me. Send me a check [and] I’ll be a part of your marketing strategy.”
Check out the full letter to Jaÿ-Z and Un’s interview below.
See Un Rivera’s Letter to Jaÿ-Z and Interview About Him
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