Somaya Reece Names Her Top 5 Dead Or Alive

"Love & Hip Hop" cast member, Somaya Reece names her top 5 dead or alive...that is, the top five rappers dead or alive she considers to be the best. I think it is an interesting list. Check it out below-

• Big Pun. He really paved the way. What he did for us Latins was such a big thing. So he's always going to be one of the best. Not only did he rap amazing rhymes, it's just what he was able to break culturally was such a big deal. You can't argue with that. Big Pun was so amazing and is still so amazing to me.
• Crooked I. You know I love Crooked I. He's my boy. He's a really good friend of mine. Crooked is just ridiculous when he raps. I really love Crooked. I've known Crooked for a long time and he's really good.
• Talib Kweli. I have to put Talib Kweli in there. That's a no-brainer.
• Lauryn Hill. If we can name girls, then I'm going to say Lauryn Hill. How could you not put her in your Top 5? She was so empowering [to] girls. She was empowering to children too. Lauryn stood up for women in her music.
• MC Lyte. I have to make sure and name MC Lyte for sure. She is a hip-hop pioneer. I grew up listening to a lot of MC Lyte because one of my sisters was so obsessed with her. It was so funny. She didn't even speak good English but she knew all of MC Lyte's songs. I really want to include Nas, Eminem and Tupac but they're in the Hall of Fame!
  
  
  
  I think the only name i dispute on her list would have to be Crooked I. Crooked hasn't put in much work to be on that list, but i guess it is a personal thing, so she has the rights to name anyone she wants. Although he has a couple of mixtapes, he has just one solo album, and one collaborative album with the Slaughterhouse crew. But i do like the names she added at the end. It shows she knows quality rap music, and not just about the "people's choice".
  
  Personally, i think Big Pun is so underrated. Not to offend anyone, but i would pick him over Biggie any day. I have the two biggie albums at home, but i rarely listen to them. Really, maybe it is just about the kind of person i am. I just have to hear that depth when i listen to a rapper...i easily get tired of  just braggadocios rap. Even if i like that kind of rap, it must come with something else...a little creativity...a little story telling...a little flipping of flow on the track...that kind of thing.