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.
Hoody
Cormega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Verse 1: Dona]
The clock is tickin, niggaz lookin for a bitch they can drop and strip
Or cock back and dick em
I ain't out here clubbin cousin just to fuck with a nigga
Who straight thuggin and show no lovin
Five seconds on the war, I ain't wit a nigga, say no more
Everyday I'm at war with these ma'fuckers
One day I'ma be on top, let me explain somethin
Niggaz ain't givin you shit, but hard dick
Last call for drinks at the bar, we gon' get bent
Anybody got a problem with me they got a problem with he, and Montana
Ain't gon' be that sweet, niggaz die for me
[Verse 2: Cormega]
Uh...Uh..
I had to step it up a notch the all metal Benny watch
'Meg for real I'm in the ghetto a lot
Yo fuck all that don and king shit
I'm tryin to be a convict who got rich like Don King did
Ya smallminded, I'm a behemoth
Ya stature is like half of what I spent on sneakers
Niggaz gossip like women, but wanna be the man
Who bought a Hummer six months after the BM
You dream of me failin, talkin in ya sleep
People so careless
Either, you don't care or you think I don't hear it
Here's a quote from the late great Christopher Wallace
"I sold more powder than, Johnson and Johnson"
Hitman like Bronson, vigilante
You want to get on son, you need to ask me
I ain't livin on the strength of no man
I'm livin on an acre, don't worry about me
Get ya weight up
Like Brooklyn and J.J. Building
My AK feeling more kids then Bebe, get it?
I twist ya wig back like ShaNayNay did it
You a son like K.J. nigga
I'm the one like Rod Strickland
I quit thuggin my art ???
Wishin I could be like Law Diggas
Who chilled off summer and ?pushed RV's? in harsh winters
Now most of them all ?rhyme p? a hard sentence
Uh!
The song "Hoody" by Cormega featuring Dona is a piece that delves into the complicated nature of street life. The two rappers speak about the realities of the harsh communities they live in, where survival means constantly watching their backs for danger. Dona's verse describes the day to day struggle of trying to navigate the world of male-dominated nightlife. She talks about the desperation of men who are just looking for a quick way to get off with no emotional intimacy, and the pressure she feels to constantly be protecting herself. Cormega's verse challenges the status quo of street culture. He acknowledges the weight that people put on being "the man" and accumulating wealth, but he also emphasizes that achieving these things is not worth compromising one's values or putting themselves in harm's way. He speaks to his own success and the fact that he has no one to thank for it but himself.
Overall, "Hoody" is a cautionary tale that speaks to the allure and danger of living life in the street. It offers a sobering commentary on how young men and women can get caught up in a cycle of violence and crime in their pursuit of wealth and power.
Line by Line Meaning
The clock is tickin, niggaz lookin for a bitch they can drop and strip
Time is running out, men are looking for a woman they can use and abuse
Or cock back and dick em
Or become violently aggressive and sexually assault them
I ain't out here clubbin cousin just to fuck with a nigga
I am not going to the club just to have casual sex with anyone
Who straight thuggin and show no lovin
I don't want to be with someone who is all about being a thug and doesn't show any love
Five seconds on the war, I ain't wit a nigga, say no more
I'm not going to be associated with someone who is about to fight, no need to say anything else
Keep it real pays to be the boss
Being honest and authentic is important for being a successful leader
Everyday I'm at war with these ma'fuckers
Every day I am in a battle with these disrespectful people
One day I'ma be on top, let me explain somethin
I will be successful one day, let me tell you why
Niggaz ain't givin you shit, but hard dick
Men aren't giving you anything except for sexual pleasure
Last call for drinks at the bar, we gon' get bent
It's the last chance to drink at the bar, let's get drunk
Anybody got a problem with me they got a problem with he, and Montana
If anyone has an issue with me, they are also going to have a problem with my associates
Ain't gon' be that sweet, niggaz die for me
Things are not going to be easy, people will die for me
I had to step it up a notch the all metal Benny watch
I had to upgrade to a better watch, a fully-metallic Benny model
'Meg for real I'm in the ghetto a lot
I am really in the ghetto often
Yo fuck all that don and king shit
Forget about being a boss or a king
I'm tryin to be a convict who got rich like Don King did
I'm trying to become a former convict who became as successful as Don King
Ya smallminded, I'm a behemoth
You are narrow-minded, I am a giant
Ya stature is like half of what I spent on sneakers
Your status is equivalent to only half of what I spent on shoes
Niggaz gossip like women, but wanna be the man
Men gossip like women, but still want to be seen as masculine
Who bought a Hummer six months after the BM
He bought a Hummer six months after the BMW
You dream of me failin, talkin in ya sleep
You dream of me failing and even talk about it in your sleep
People so careless
People are so thoughtless
Either, you don't care or you think I don't hear it
Either you don't care that I hear it or you don't think I hear it
Here's a quote from the late great Christopher Wallace
Here is a quote from the deceased and respected Christopher Wallace
"I sold more powder than, Johnson and Johnson"
I sold more drugs than a well-known pharmaceutical company
Hitman like Bronson, vigilante
I am like a hitman, a vigilante
You want to get on son, you need to ask me
If you want to be successful, you need to come to me
I ain't livin on the strength of no man
I am not relying on anyone else's strength to live
I'm livin on an acre, don't worry about me
I am living on a large piece of land, don't worry about me
Get ya weight up
Work on getting stronger or more successful
Like Brooklyn and J.J. Building
Like the Brooklyn and J.J. building, which is huge and strong
My AK feeling more kids then Bebe, get it?
My AK rifle has killed more people than Bebe clothing has dressed, do you understand?
I twist ya wig back like ShaNayNay did it
I will hurt you badly, like ShaNayNay from the show 'Martin'
You a son like K.J. nigga
You are a nobody, like a fictional character named K.J.
I'm the one like Rod Strickland
I am the one, like the very talented basketball player Rod Strickland
I quit thuggin my art ???
I stopped being a thug for my art, but there's a missing word or phrase in the middle
Wishin I could be like Law Diggas
I wish I could be like the group 'Law Diggas'
Who chilled off summer and ?pushed RV's? in harsh winters
Who relaxed during summer and either promoted RVs during harsh winters or did something similar, there is a missing word or phrase in the middle
Now most of them all ?rhyme p? a hard sentence
Now most of them just rap about being in prison and being tough, there is a missing word or phrase in the middle
Contributed by Julian B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.