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.
62 Pick Up
Cormega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo, I live the life of '62 pick-ups
Pumpin' on corners, beat downs to stick-ups
Seein' events, of which I had to stay silent
Murder, extortion, and all types of violence
Kids, livin' the life of ghetto heavens
Sellin' cracks, ready to attack with knives and mac-11's
Havin' dreams of being big bosses
Son, it's a shame, but in this game
The strong survive, either get live or get slain
Cuz in the ghetto, respect is mandatory
Drug wars ignitin', mad fightin' for territory
My niggaz, steppin' with automatic weapons
Stick up kids, with .357's
Yo, it's violence, I know old timers move silent
But nowadays, niggaz be wildin'
Drug dealers stylin', with 5-series Beamers
It deep the way, sunny day, don't seem to reach us
Forty-five under the seat of a Lexus
Thugs rollin' with bulletproof hats and vestes
Earnin' ya props off big dime rocks
Your man shorty rock is on the block with a glock
He just got knocked, now he's out on bail
For semi automatic, and a undercover sale
Trained mercenary, with a heart that's cold
Pushin' an Acura, at 17 years old
In the passenger seat, and he's smokin' a blunt
With some shine on, any live nigga would want
Somebody wasn't up on and you know what they want
Tellin' shorty, run the jewels and don't try to front
Shorty reaches for the nine, but before he could shoot
Blood scattered in the '92 Acura coupe
Another victim of modern day stick-ups
This is the life of '62 pick-ups
In Cormega's "62 Pick Up," the artist depicts the gritty realities of city life through the lens of the drug trade. The verse paints a picture of a dangerous and violent world where respect is mandatory and the strong survive. The lyrics reference murder, extortion, and other forms of violence that must be kept silent to avoid becoming another victim.
The title of the song, "62 Pick Up," refers to a card game typically played with a standard deck of cards. The game involves randomly picking up cards and discarding them until there are none left. The game's name seems fitting, given the lyrics' theme of the drug trade, where people's lives are also randomly picked up and discarded in a ruthless game of survival.
Cormega describes the young people living in the "ghetto heavens" who are selling drugs, ready to attack with knives and automatic weapons. They have dreams of becoming big bosses driving Porsches, but more often than not, they end up as corpses before they achieve their goals. Cormega highlights the senseless violence and the drug wars that ignite, leading to senseless fighting over territory.
In conclusion, Cormega's "62 Pick Up" is a hard-hitting depiction of the harsh realities of the drug trade where violence and retribution are commonplace, and life is fleeting. Through its powerful lyrics, the song is a warning about why the glamour and perceived riches of the drug world are a hollow illusion.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, I live the life of '62 pick-ups
I'm living a life where danger and violence are common occurrences like in the game of picking up cards known as '62 pick-ups'
Pumpin' on corners, beat downs to stick-ups
I hustle on street corners and experience and or witness events that range from physical beatings to violent, armed robberies
Seein' events, of which I had to stay silent
I witness first hand the violence all around me but can't speak up due to fear of the consequences
Murder, extortion, and all types of violence
The violence in my world ranges from homicides, crime related bribes, and other severe forms of ruthless behavior
Kids, livin' the life of ghetto heavens
Even the young ones grow up fast in these harsh conditions as they embrace and internalize the brutality as their normal way of life
Sellin' cracks, ready to attack with knives and mac-11's
Drug dealers sell crack cocaine and carry various weapons ranging from sharp knives to deadly mac-11 submachine guns
Havin' dreams of being big bosses
The aspiration is to become a powerful drug kingpin or mob boss
Driving porsches, by the time, they get rich, they corpses
The dream is to own a luxurious Porsche, but many never achieve that goal, as they either meet their untimely demise or end up incarcerated by the time they get the money to afford it
Son, it's a shame, but in this game
Sadly, this is the reality we live in titled 'the game'
The strong survive, either get live or get slain
Only the tough make it through, either by navigating harsh circumstances or succumbing to its dangers
Cuz in the ghetto, respect is mandatory
Living in a poverty-stricken neighborhood means that having respect and maintaining an image is essential for survival
Drug wars ignitin', mad fightin' for territory
Rival drug groups fight relentlessly for control of a particular area or territory
My niggaz, steppin' with automatic weapons
My associates carry fully automatic firearms to protect themselves and their drug business from rival groups or the authorities
Stick up kids, with .357's
Robbers have access to and use .357 Magnum revolvers during robberies
Yo, it's violence, I know old timers move silent
Violence is the norm, and old-timers or veterans of the game prefer not to speak about it and instead take action with a numb acceptance of their reality
But nowadays, niggaz be wildin'
However, newer generations are more brazen and reckless, leading to even more violence
Drug dealers stylin', with 5-series Beamers
Drug dealers now show off their wealth with luxury cars like BMW 5 Series
It deep the way, sunny day, don't seem to reach us
Even on sunny days, the darkness of the environment is persistent and overwhelming
Forty-five under the seat of a Lexus
A .45 handgun is kept in the car's seat of a Lexus
Thugs rollin' with bulletproof hats and vestes
Criminals wear bullet-resistant headwear and vests to protect themselves from gunshots
Earnin' ya props off big dime rocks
Earning respect and status by selling large amounts of crack cocaine
Your man shorty rock is on the block with a glock
Your associate, Shorty Rock, is on a specific street corner armed with a Glock handgun
He just got knocked, now he's out on bail
He was caught by the authorities and now is temporarily released on bail while awaiting trial
For semi automatic, and a undercover sale
The crimes Shorty Rock was arrested for were possession of a semi-automatic firearm and selling drugs to an undercover officer
Trained mercenary, with a heart that's cold
One drug dealer is trained with skills comparable to that of a soldier and has become desensitized to the violence and danger of the job
Pushin' an Acura, at 17 years old
The previously mentioned drug dealer is driving an Acura at the incredibly young age of seventeen
In the passenger seat, and he's smokin' a blunt
There's an individual in the passenger seat smoking a marijuana cigarette
With some shine on, any live nigga would want
He's also wearing jewelry, which makes him more attractive to some people
Somebody wasn't up on and you know what they want
Someone who does not belong in the drug or crime world notice the display of wealth and jewelry and plans on stealing it
Tellin' shorty, run the jewels and don't try to front
The thief is instructing Shorty to hand over the jewelry and to not act like a tough guy
Shorty reaches for the nine, but before he could shoot
Shorty draws a gun, a 9mm handgun, intending to use it
Blood scattered in the '92 Acura coupe
The subsequent altercation ends in gunfire, resulting in bloodstains all over the interior of the 1992 Acura coupe
Another victim of modern day stick-ups
Another individual becomes a victim of a robbery or theft in today's harsh society
This is the life of '62 pick-ups
All these events, experiences, and violence represent that life is like playing the game of '62 pick-ups'
Contributed by Liliana N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ernest P. Worrell
Yo, I live the life of '62 pick-ups
Pumpin' on corners, beat downs to stick-ups
Seein' events, of which I had to stay silent
Murder, extortion, and all types of violence
Kids, livin' the life of ghetto heavens
Sellin' cracks, ready to attack with knives and mac-11's
Havin' dreams of being big bosses
Driving porsches, by the time, they get rich, they corpses
Son, it's a shame, but in this game
The strong survive, either get live or get slain
Cuz in the ghetto, respect is mandatory
Drug wars ignitin', mad fightin' for territory
My nigg@s, steppin' with automatic weapons
Stick up kids, with .357's
Yo, it's violence, I know old timers move silent
But nowadays, nigg@s be wildin'
Drug dealers stylin', with 5-series Beamers
It deep the way, sunny day, don't seem to reach us
Forty-five under the seat of a Lexus
Thugs rollin' with bulletproof hats and vestes
Earnin' ya props off big dime rocks
Your man shorty rock is on the block with a Glock
He just got knocked, now he's out on bail
For semi automatic, and a undercover sale
Trained mercenary, with a heart that's cold
Pushin' an Acura, at 17 years old
In the passenger seat, and he's smokin' a blunt
With some shine on, any live nigg@ would want
Somebody wasn't up on and you know what they want
Tellin' shorty, run the jewels and don't try to front
Shorty reaches for the nine, but before he could shoot
Blood scattered in the '92 Acura coupe
Another victim of modern day stick-ups
This is the life of '62 pick-ups
garyfagan123
wish this was longer it goes hard as fuck cormega is the man
Binaural Blessings
Fiyah
Ernest P. Worrell
Yo, I live the life of '62 pick-ups
Pumpin' on corners, beat downs to stick-ups
Seein' events, of which I had to stay silent
Murder, extortion, and all types of violence
Kids, livin' the life of ghetto heavens
Sellin' cracks, ready to attack with knives and mac-11's
Havin' dreams of being big bosses
Driving porsches, by the time, they get rich, they corpses
Son, it's a shame, but in this game
The strong survive, either get live or get slain
Cuz in the ghetto, respect is mandatory
Drug wars ignitin', mad fightin' for territory
My nigg@s, steppin' with automatic weapons
Stick up kids, with .357's
Yo, it's violence, I know old timers move silent
But nowadays, nigg@s be wildin'
Drug dealers stylin', with 5-series Beamers
It deep the way, sunny day, don't seem to reach us
Forty-five under the seat of a Lexus
Thugs rollin' with bulletproof hats and vestes
Earnin' ya props off big dime rocks
Your man shorty rock is on the block with a Glock
He just got knocked, now he's out on bail
For semi automatic, and a undercover sale
Trained mercenary, with a heart that's cold
Pushin' an Acura, at 17 years old
In the passenger seat, and he's smokin' a blunt
With some shine on, any live nigg@ would want
Somebody wasn't up on and you know what they want
Tellin' shorty, run the jewels and don't try to front
Shorty reaches for the nine, but before he could shoot
Blood scattered in the '92 Acura coupe
Another victim of modern day stick-ups
This is the life of '62 pick-ups
DJ Psynthetik
One of the best hip hop songs ever written. Mega fucking kills it. Then you listen to dead man walking and realize this guy is one of the best lyricists you’ll ever hear.
Edit: how the fuck can anyone down vote this???
Lonewolf
Classic track indeed Hill Street Blues sample WORD!!!
james green
Cormega voice and style is true
jason lock
trained mercenairy with a heart thats cold pushing an accura at 17 yearsold
InfamousConglomerate Entrapranuer
I love Mega Montana man, I will listen to any joint he drops, he got a great flow,ILL style,speaks the truth,Ain't lying about being a hustler,he is just a great Lyricist,an a pretty good story teller, Cormega is just Fire,Ill in every aspect of rhyming.
NoSwine Please
Hits the soul still
Fern From Lake Ave
who wouldve thought one of megas most visual and striking tracks would be an intro song for an almost unreleased album? mega too ill