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My stiletto heels repeatedly stab the parking lot asphalt as we make our way to the auditorium. The clicking of the awesome shoe is muffled by an uncaring burst of wind. We openly wonder if Twista will be an aloof “celebrity” or if he’ll be as genuine as his music. On the way to the designated meeting spot, a mortician black limo lurks near the alleyway, and the auditorium’s back door is ajar. Finally we escape the cold. A bodyguard with a mountainous physique effectively blocks the elevator. The guard reaches out with his right index finger and presses the up button and we are headed to see Twista and get his Top 5 Dead or Alive.

The Elevator doors shut behind us and we’re led into a comfortable room where Twista awaits. Hands are shook and hugs are given. Two diamond-encrusted chains are the exclamation points of Twista’s ensemble. I try to calculate the amount of postgraduate degrees that those chains could obtain. This isn’t about jewels or school. This is about Twista’s Top 5 Dead or Alive. I retrieve my digital recorder from the bottom of my bag. After the red light flashes we begin.

AllHipHop.com: Will you please give me your Top Five Dead or Alive MCs and the reasons why?

Twista: Okay, hold on, let me think about it. [takes a dramatic pause to contemplate his list] With myself or without myself?

AllHipHop.com: Either way, it’s your list.

Twista: All five, off top— give me a second—Biggie, Tupac, Rakim, Kool G Rap, and LL.

AllHipHop.com: That’s everybody’s list. I mean, what made you choose those MCs?

Twista: Because them the greatest of all time to me. When I think about what they did and how they did it.

Kool G Rap

Twista: Just because…[Kool G Rap is Kool G Rap]

The Notorious B.I.G.

Twista: Biggie for his lyricism and the impact he had coming from New York, and [with him] being the king of New York.

Tupac

Twista: Tupac ,for the hold that he had for everybody in the ghetto. You know, just that feeling he had with how he did his music.

LL Cool J

Twista: LL; because, he is still in the game. He can drop a record right now and everybody still going to rock to it. He never really fell off. He can just drop records at will and he still sells from the time he came up to right now.

Looks over to producer Traxsta who’s listening to beats streaming from his lap top. Twista asks, “Who else did I say?”

Traxsta: Rakim

Twista: Rakim; because, that’s just my favorite rapper. Like his rhymes today are still like the coldest lyrics.

The Sidebar

The Traxsta produced “Yellow Light” featuring R. Kelly, is the next single from Category F5. Look out for the video!