Great Things That Jay-Z Has Done: Stabbing of Lance "Un" Rivera

The 1990's were a time of violence in the world of hip-hop and anybody that's anybody in the rap game caught a case. It was a right of passage. The passing of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur didn't cool matters. While "beefing on wax" was always a part of the culture, hip-hop continued to spiral out of control in the streets, offices, and the night clubs.

Jay-Z was no different as he fell into conflict with a friend and colleague, Lance "Un" Rivera. The spark for the feud is unknown. Jay-Z says it was over the bootlegging of his 1999 album Volume 3...Life and Times of S. Carter but Cam'ron has made reference to Jay-Z and Rivera's altercation as a result of a love quarrel over female rapper Charlie Baltimore.

The altercation du jour happens to be a stabbing which took place at a Q-Tip album release party. Jay-Z "allegedly" stabbed his friend Lance with a 5 inch blade. Jay-Z was indicted by a grand jury and later plead guilty to a misdemeanor. Which, technically, is a direct contradiction to his 2000 hit, "Guilty Until Proven Innocent."

Jay-Z would serve three years probation and continue to make mention of the incident in songs such as Cam'ron's "Welcome to New York City" and "I Did It My Way" off of his Blueprint 2 album.

Occasionally, Jay-Z finds time to laugh about it in freestyle form with Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97.

Just chalk it up to one of the many great things that Jay-Z does.