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.
Honorable
Cormega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Political prisoner, check the chain
Out the country with my dame
Televised gangsters, see me up close, nothing's changed
Gettin' top on top, bags and duffels
I need the long Glock
You stupid? Don't play me
See 'em in drugs spots, plainclothes, all in shock
I live for the moment, give to the homeless
$20,000 TEKs, cribs is a bonus
You fuckin' with them niggas who bust straight
Menace to society drinkin' juice in the hood, waitin'
Paper made me do it, your body we'll snatch
It's like a London flick against the Japs
Sittin' at the dice table, handlin', man to man
One-on-one, a hundred grand and your son
In life we're faced with obstacles
We want to achieve dreams that might seem impossible
The odds don't lie, look at mine - acknowledge truth
The streets raised me to be wise and honorable
Wise and honorable
The streets raise me to be wise and honorable
Wise and honorable
The streets raised me to be wise and honorable
Beef and money don't mix, invest in peace
I've paid dues in the street, respect is my receipt
Truth will set you free, except with police
Be aware when you sleep or you could rest in peace
I elevate poetically, I'm incredibly deep
Never ball 'til you fall, capisce? Stay on your feet
If you were anxiously waitin' for me and Rae on the beat
Be gracious, understand patience is key
I once needed direction now I'm facin' the East
To give praise like Mohammed
Indeed Allah opened my eyes, I'm watchin' my surroundings
Sharks and piranhas survive in the warmest waters
Mama Sana won't allow me to acknowledge doubters
Couldn't conceive I was built to prosper
The team wearin' diamond jewelry in the projects
If you get knocked, housing's gonna seize your apartment
In life we're faced with obstacles
We want to achieve dreams that might seem impossible
The odds don't lie, look at mine - acknowledge truth
The streets raised me to be wise and honorable
Wise and honorable
The streets raise me to be wise and honorable
Wise and honorable
The streets raised me to be wise and honorable
The lyrics of "Honorable" by Cormega convey the experiences of an individual who has endured the harsh realities of life on the streets. The opening lines "The library of slangs dutches up in Ukraine, Political prisoner, check the chain" highlight how vernacular language and incarceration are integral components of street culture. The singer also refers to the image of "televised gangsters," who people watch from the safety of their homes and glamourize without understanding the hardships involved in such a lifestyle. The lyrics "I live for the moment, give to the homeless, $20,000 TEKs, cribs is a bonus" touch upon the fact that survival in the streets is often about making the best of limited resources. In such an existence, anything can be a bonus.
Cormega's lyrics in this song stress the importance of loyalty, wisdom, and honor. The singer highlights the importance of remaining true to oneself and one's principles even in the face of adversity. The line "Beef and money don't mix, invest in peace" speaks to the futility of money seeking and the importance of a peaceful environment for growth. The lyrics "Truth will set you free except with police" allude to the systemic oppression faced by marginalized communities, where the truth is not enough to ensure justice. Cormega also recognizes the power of community support and acknowledges his mother's role in his success as he sings "Mama Sana won't allow me to acknowledge doubters."
Line by Line Meaning
The library of slangs dutches up in Ukraine
The slang words and phrases I know are so extensive that they could fill up a library. I can even use them in Ukraine.
Political prisoner, check the chain
I'm like a political prisoner, always being watched and monitored. Check the chain that's holding me down.
Out the country with my dame
I'm leaving the country with my woman by my side.
Televised gangsters, see me up close, nothing's changed
I'm a famous gangster. Even when you see me up close on TV, I'm still the same person.
Gettin' top on top, bags and duffels
I'm getting rich and buying expensive bags and luggage.
I need the long Glock
I need a long gun, like a Glock, to protect myself.
You stupid? Don't play me
Don't play games with me. Are you stupid?
See 'em in drugs spots, plainclothes, all in shock
When plainclothes officers see me at drug spots, they're surprised.
Gal can't even explain me
Even my woman can't fully understand me.
I live for the moment, give to the homeless
I focus on the present and give to those less fortunate, the homeless.
$20,000 TEKs, cribs is a bonus
I have $20,000 guns and nice homes are just extra.
You fuckin' with them niggas who bust straight
You're messing with some real gangsters who shoot straight.
Menace to society drinkin' juice in the hood, waitin'
I'm a threat to society, just drinking juice in the neighborhood, waiting for something to happen.
Paper made me do it, your body we'll snatch
I'm motivated by money to commit crimes. If necessary, we'll take your life.
It's like a London flick against the Japs
It's like in a movie where London goes against Japan, where two unlikely forces engage.
Sittin' at the dice table, handlin', man to man
I'm gambling at the table, handling things one-on-one, just between two men.
One-on-one, a hundred grand and your son
We're betting one-on-one, for $100,000 and even your son.
Beef and money don't mix, invest in peace
Conflict and money don't go together. Invest in peace instead.
I've paid dues in the street, respect is my receipt
I've gone through a lot of struggles in the streets, but respect is what I receive in return.
Truth will set you free, except with police
Honesty will get you out of trouble, but not with the police.
Be aware when you sleep or you could rest in peace
Stay alert even when you're sleeping, or you might never wake up again.
I elevate poetically, I'm incredibly deep
I express myself poetically and my words have deep meaning.
Never ball 'til you fall, capisce? Stay on your feet
Don't party too hard and lose everything. Stay in control and keep standing.
If you were anxiously waitin' for me and Rae on the beat
If you were eagerly waiting for me and Raekwon to collaborate on a track...
Be gracious, understand patience is key
Be thankful and realize that patience is important.
I once needed direction now I'm facin' the East
I used to be lost, but now I know where I'm headed. I'm looking towards the East.
To give praise like Mohammed
I want to give praise and be respected like the prophet Mohammed is for Muslims.
Indeed Allah opened my eyes, I'm watchin' my surroundings
God opened my eyes and now I'm more aware of my surroundings.
Sharks and piranhas survive in the warmest waters
Dangerous people survive even in the most difficult environments.
Mama Sana won't allow me to acknowledge doubters
My mother won't let me pay attention to those who doubt me.
Couldn't conceive I was built to prosper
People didn't believe I was destined for success.
The team wearin' diamond jewelry in the projects
My team is wearing expensive diamond jewelry even while living in the projects.
If you get knocked, housing's gonna seize your apartment
If you go to jail, the government will take your apartment in public housing.
In life we're faced with obstacles
We encounter challenges throughout our lives.
We want to achieve dreams that might seem impossible
Even if our dreams seem unattainable, we still strive for them.
The odds don't lie, look at mine - acknowledge truth
The chances of success may not be in our favor, but we must face the truth and recognize it.
The streets raised me to be wise and honorable
Growing up in the streets taught me to be smart and respectable.
Wise and honorable
Smart and respectable.
The streets raised me to be wise and honorable
Growing up in the streets taught me to be smart and respectable.
Wise and honorable
Smart and respectable.
The streets raised me to be wise and honorable
Growing up in the streets taught me to be smart and respectable.
Wise and honorable
Smart and respectable.
Lyrics © SUELION MUSIC
Written by: KEVIN ANTHONY JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind