Artist: Cormega
Genre(s):
Other
Discography:
The Testament
Year: 2005
Tracks: 14
62 Pick Ups
Year: 2005
Tracks: 3
Legal Hustle
Year: 2004
Tracks: 17
An underground and critical favourite, Cormega was the rare hard-core rapper to acquire extolment from all directions, and while he ne'er quite crossed over like some of his New York City peers, he retained a estimable independence over the years yet, self-releasing his exploit on the Legal Hustle label. Born Cory McKay, Cormega grew up in the same Queensbridge trapping projects that were dwelling to a generation of rappers, to the highest degree notably Nas, Mobb Deep, AZ, and Tragedy Khadafi, and a previous generation that magnificently included Marley Marl and the Juice Crew.
Following some early guest appearances on releases by DJ Hot Day (e.g., "Fix It Off" on PHD's Without Warning [1991]), Cormega did fourth dimension, which put his tap life history on hold for a few years. In 1994 Nas mentioned him by diagnose on Illmatic, on "One Love" ("And night fourth dimension is more trife than ever/What up with Cormega, did you see him, are y'all together?"), and upon Cormega's release from pokey in 1995, he was featured as a guest on Nas' endorsement album, It Was Written (1996), on "Approbative Action" with AZ and Foxy Brown. Plans were made for a mathematical group -- named the Firm, lED by Nas, with production by Trackmasters and Dr. Dre -- that would recapitulate the collaborative nature of "Affirmative Action" over the course of an album. Cormega was excluded from the project, however, replaced by fellow Queensbridge rapper Nature. A rift 'tween Cormega and Nas resulted, prima to some bitter exchanges all over the years (the deuce after spotted up their differences, reuniting to perform "Affirmative Action" with Foxy Brown live onstage in December 2006).
Too upon his expiration from jailhouse, Cormega signed a recording constrict with Def Jam that seemed promising at the time. During 1995-1996, he went around recording his debut album, The Testament, with such producers as Sha Money XL, Havoc, Jae Supreme, and Hot Day. Def Jam ne'er released the album, unluckily, and Cormega was forced to hold off out his contract, which didn't exhale until 2000. In the lag, he made rare appearances, including features on the How to Be a Player soundtrack (1997), Mobb Deep's Murda Muzik record album (1999), and Nas' QB Finest digest (2000). Finally disengage of his Def Jam get, Cormega founded his possess sovereign label, Legal Hustle, and, via a partnership with Landspeed Records, released his debut album, The Realness (2001), comprised of new recorded real. The record album was critically acclaimed and peaked at number 111 on the Billboard cc (more tellingly, number four on the Top Independent Albums and number one on the Top Heatseekers charts). A second album followed, The True Meaning (2002), and was likewise critically acclaimed, earning Independent Album of the Year at the Source Awards in 2003. The record album batty the Top 100 of the Billboard cc (peaking at number 95).
Cormega then took some time off to raise his girl, born in November 2002, before he resumed music trading operations. In 2004 he returned with Legal Hustle, a collaborative album, and Special Edition, a twofer including both The Realness and The True Meaning. In 2005 he released The Testament, his unreleased Def Jam record album from ten years prior, to which he had of late secured the rights to the master tapes, and in 2006 he was co-featured on My Brother's Keeper, a collaborative album as well billed to Lake, a fellow Queensbridge rapper of some celebrity. In 2007 Cormega released WHO Am I?, a DVD documental covering the time period of 2001-2005; a CD soundtrack comprised of new recorded music was included as well. Also in 2007, he released Got Beats?, an instrumental show featuring an telling roll of producers, including DJ Premier, the Alchemist, Ayatollah, and Ski Beatz.
