SPORTS GAL
Love and Hip Hop: the Somaya Interview Exclusive!

By Entertainment Gal | May 1, 2011 | Gals On The Town

You know that Sports Gal is obsessed with VH1’s Love and Hip Hip, and she hasn’t been shy expressing her true emotions about the series and its stars. Now she sits down with the cast one by one and gets answers.

Somaya Reece and Sports Gal had a candid one-on-one about where sheΓÇÖs come from, where sheΓÇÖs going, and how this hardened survivor with a marshmallow center is planning out her next move.

Somaya is a first generation American who grew up in South Central Los Angeles. The family lived in a garage, the best they could afford on an income derived from housework. Additionally, Somaya had to deal with her fatherΓÇÖs alcoholism and her motherΓÇÖs verbal abusiveness. All of this led to her dropping out of school in the 5th grade and looking for love in very dark places.

Realizing that she didnΓÇÖt want to die or wind up in jail, and after experiencing a violent domestic situation that left her seriously injured, Somaya decided to live a more positive life. After getting her GED and taking some college courses, Somaya set out to persue her first love: performing. She has long played the violin despite her parents lacking the money to get lessons for her. She trained as an actor under Aaron Spier who coached Jennifer Lopez in the early part of her career. Her acting coaches believe her in work ethic and that it will ultimately make her successful.

Somaya is both a rapper and a singer. Her goal is to bring the Latino hip hop sound to the US. She raps or sings based on what the music speaks to her. As of now, she has no backup plan; she believes that successful people, “just go for it with all they have.” SheΓÇÖll be happy as long as sheΓÇÖs living her dream. As for acting, sheΓÇÖs done several commercials to date and currently has a film in post-production. She loves being on the screen, but it doesnΓÇÖt give her the same immediate gratification as singing and rapping do.

So what does Somaya plan to say the night of her Grammy win? “Cry while dedicating the win to everyone who believed in me: fans, God & those who had their dreams crushed.”

So is Love and Hip Hop an accurate reflection of Somaya’s life? She admits the series doe not show all of who she is and what she does. So what’s the missing part? She wants people to see her accomplishments before judging her, because “the underdog doesnΓÇÖt always lose.”

Don’t miss tonight’s season finale of Love and Hip Hop, Monday, May 2 at 9 p.m. on VH1.

photo credit: VH1