Lance “Un” Rivera share his thoughts on Jay-Z after being mentioned during the rapper’s freestyle at the Roots Picnic back in May. Un also writes an open letter to Hov.
In a sit-down interview with The Art of Dialogue this past Sunday (July 5), Un called out Jaÿ for seemingly only referencing Un when it’s time to promote something.
But before Un got into the specifics of Hov’s freestyle, Un shared an open letter he wrote to the Brooklyn MC. Un spoke positively on his former friend. While complimenting Jaÿ’s contributions to the culture, he noted how important Jaÿ’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 in the letter, which he also shared on Instagram. “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.”
After reading the letter, Un shared some additional sentiments about the negative way in which Hov rapped about Un at the Roots Picnic.
“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.
“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,” Un 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.”
