Cormega was raised in Long Island City, Queens, forming childhood friendships with future rappers such as Nas, AZ, Nature, and Capone-N-Noreaga.
1980s
He was featured on Hot Day's "Going Straight Up" from his album "It's My Turn". He was also featured on Blaq Poet & DJ Hot Day's track "Set It Off" from their album "Without Warning" in 1991.
1990s
Cormega was sentenced to 5–15 years in prison for armed robbery in 1991. Despite his incarceration, Cormega gained some attention following a shout-out from Nas on his song "One Love", from the critically acclaimed Illmatic album.
Cormega was released from prison on appeal after serving almost 4 years in New York's Mid-State Correctional Facility. Following his release in 1995, Cormega became determined to pursue rapping. Nas included him on a song entitled "Affirmative Action" for his second album It Was Written. The song also featured AZ and Foxy Brown, and became The Firm's first appearance. Based on his performance, he was signed to Def Jam and recorded an album called The Testament. Based on the buzz from "Affirmative Action," Nas, his manager Steve Stoute and producers Dr. Dre and Trackmasters joined to produce The Firm. Cormega was replaced with another artist, Nature, because either he would not sign a contract with Stoute or Stoute felt Nature was a better rapper. This led to an alleged altercation between Cormega and Nature. Cormega's dispute with Stoute also ended his friendship with Nas. Following the end of his membership in The Firm, Alex Trojano contributed in producing his album The Testament. Meanwhile, following a falling-out over creative differences with his manager Chris Lighty and Def-Jam imprint Violator Records, his debut album The Testament was indefinitely shelved. During the recording for The Testament Cormega responded to Nas' "One Love" in the form of a letter also entitled "One Love".
2000s
In 2000, he was released from his contract and he started his own record company, Legal Hustle Records. Cormega vented his disappointment with Nas and The Firm in a mixtape song titled "Never Personal".This song was never directly pointed to Nas, but the media made it look like that. In 2001, he released his new debut album, The Realness, which was acclaimed by critics. Many of the songs share a theme of betrayal. Nas responded to Cormega on his song "Destroy and Rebuild" from his album Stillmatic. Cormega retaliated with more mixtape tracks, "A Slick Response" and "Realmatic". Nas revisited the Cormega beef in his song "The Cross" on the album God's Son. In reference to Cormega, Nas rapped "What I've discovered is my brother's tryin to be/The next me, yeah I support him but he's blinded I see/ Jealousy he love me to death and I'm buggin I love him for life/ We both still mournin on our mother's life" (referencing the fact that Cormega's mother was murdered when he was four).
Cormega's follow-up album, The True Meaning won the Source Magazine's prestigious Underground Album of the Year Award. In 2004, he followed up with Legal Hustle (a compilation album showcasing his label's artists) and other talented hip-hop lyricists such as Ghostface Killah, Large Professor, AZ, Kurupt, Jayo Felony, and several others. This album is considered by some as more of a project than an actual solo album; nonetheless it was well received. In 2005, he was able to release The Testament on his own label, which saw good reviews and sales and featured the original banned version of "Dead Man Walking" as a hidden track.
In early September 2005, Cormega posted a statement on his website that he and Nas had spoken and ended their feud. Cormega explained that their conversation had come about due to the death of Cormega's grandmother. Both rappers have stated the possibility of a collaboration. On December 22, 2006 at the Nokia Theatre Times Square, Cormega appeared on stage at a Nas concert and went on to perform with Nas (and Foxy Brown as well), further evidence that their feud is over.
The feud was settled in Cormega's home in early December 2005, when Cormega and Nas realized that it was destructive for each of them. It is not known who was responsible for their meeting but both artists are now working alone. In the mid-2000s Cormega helped produce a few albums and was featured on several songs with The Jacka and the Mob Figaz.
An album collaboration with Lakey The Kid entitled My Brother's Keeper was released independently on August 22, 2006. On November 20, 2007, Cormega finally released his DVD in-the-making Who am I?. The DVD took over four years of filming of Cormega in all aspects of his life and what others thought of Cormega, unedited. The DVD was released as a soundtrack plus DVD. Cormega intended to release an album which was to be entitled Urban Legend before T.I.'s album of the same name was released (Cormega mentions this on the Who Am I DVD, dated circa 2003); the new title is Born and Raised. The album was released October 20, 2009. The first single is called "Journey."
2010s
Cormega has stated his desire to work with a variety of artists including Scarface, Lauryn Hill, Slick Rick, as well as past collaborators M.O.P., Mobb Deep, and tha Dogg Pound.
Cormega's Album "Raw Forever" was released on 2011.
His latest work is the Album Mega Philosophy. It was produced by Large Professor and released on July 22, 2014.
5 For 40
Cormega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Son I was a young nigga hustling
Me serving a D was unheard of, unless a D served me
Speak words superbly, its clear you heard me
Your idea of a real nigga changed
I'm into bigger things
I'm tryin to maintain the same aim of prisoners
drug dealers and my niggas you gangbanged
Niggas went from greatness to statements and wires
So scared to face biz they be trading their suppliers
So niggas outta state, you want weight you pay higher
I'm commended yet exulted for words spoken cautious
Seen some of the biggest drug dealers blow fortunes in bathrooms
Niggas be sniffin like vacuums
Reminisce to '88, the year crack ruled
I had Nike Delta Forces with them clear capsules
5 for 40, crackheads like "I only buy from Cory"
In Cormega's song 5 For 40, he reminisces on his past as a young hustler and how the game has changed. He talks about how serving a D (a drug) was unheard of unless he was being served by it. He also mentions how the idea of a real nigga has changed with time and how he's into bigger things now. He aims to maintain his loyalty to his fellow prisoners, drug dealers, and gangbangers. He states that the game has changed and people are scared to face business, so they trade their suppliers. He emphasizes on how niggas out of the state pay higher for weight. Cormega is praised for his cautious words and reveals how he has seen some of the biggest drug dealers blow their fortunes in bathrooms.
He then goes on to take the listener back to 1988 when crack was rampant. He had Nike Delta Forces with clear capsules and sold five dollars' worth of crack for forty dollars. The crackheads would only buy from him, showing his notoriety and success in the game. The lyrics of the song paint a vivid picture of the dangerous and complex world of drug dealing in which Cormega was involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Son I was a young nigga hustling
I started dealing drugs at a young age.
Me serving a D was unheard of, unless a D served me
I never sold drugs until I was introduced to the business by someone else.
Speak words superbly, its clear you heard me
I am very good at expressing myself through my lyrics, and people listen.
Your idea of a real nigga changed
The definition of what it means to be a real person has evolved over time.
I'm into bigger things
I am focused on achieving greater success in my life.
I'm tryin to maintain the same aim of prisoners
drug dealers and my niggas you gangbanged
I am still loyal to the same people I worked with when I was involved in illegal activity.
The game changed, shit is on fire
The drug business has become more dangerous and unpredictable.
Niggas went from greatness to statements and wires
People who were once successful drug dealers are now snitching on each other to save themselves.
So scared to face biz they be trading their suppliers
Some people are so afraid of the consequences of dealing drugs that they turn on their own suppliers to avoid being caught.
So niggas outta state, you want weight you pay higher
If you want to buy drugs from dealers in other states, you will have to pay more money for it.
I'm commended yet exulted for words spoken cautious
People praise me for being careful about what I say in my music.
Seen some of the biggest drug dealers blow fortunes in bathrooms
Even the most successful drug dealers can lose all their money due to drug addiction.
Niggas be sniffin like vacuums
People who are addicted to drugs will do anything to get their fix.
Reminisce to '88, the year crack ruled
I had Nike Delta Forces with them clear capsules
I remember the time when crack cocaine was the most popular drug, and I used to wear shoes that had a clear compartment in them for hiding drugs.
5 for 40, crackheads like "I only buy from Cory"
Even drug addicts have loyalty to their favorite dealers.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CORY MCKAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind