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.
Make It Clear
Cormega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Than face indictments of heavy when taking lightly ain't the way I take my rhyming
Maybe it's fate that drives me
Greatness I seek may never be achieved til the day that I cease
I think of my peeps either in the grave or the pen
Or on the block pushing that rock like Payton to Kemp
I gave you a glimpse of the way we exist my book of life
So full of anguish pages I skip I write with a radiant wrist
And expected you'd question the weight of my shit
It's so real you smell the stench of elevators with piss in
Feel the palm sweat from pumping all day on the bench
I see fake niggas embrace men they say the resent
They hear the door hit the floor I'm straight off the hinges
Food for thought a lot of niggas ate off my strength
Now they thirst my deep dishes (deep dishes) keep wishes
Sleep isn't a trait of street niggas live off strength
Yet a strong case could break a weak nigga
See it's different when facing adversity mys
And deep lyrics became realer from gained wisdom
I'm here to play the hand that I'm dealt
I suggest you do the same these words are heart felt
I lay it our clear ya niggas better use it
All eyes on us and we keeping it live x2
Born and raised where real niggas are legendary
Some are present others in state pens and cemeteries
Niggas be struggling so hustling is necessary
Unless you got a mean jump shot
I seen niggas nice at ball pump rock and not get drafted in the NBA
They laying up in a casket
Every rhyme I say is classic
Like episodes of Sanford and Son
At my man crib where we had the stash hid
Right next to the gat with the red light
Feds might be listening hoping that my shit ain't air tight yeah right
I'mma shine I'm the street personified
Niggas ain't built to see the ill grief and homicide
Real recognize real fake can't relate to how I feel
I could say names but I'mma chill yo we dreamed to beat poverty
When Benny Blanko pop Carlito I shot the screen
I've got to be one of the realest niggas
I talk it cause I lived it from the kitchen
With the raw to the courtroom sentence to the dorm holding
The horn rocking fila slippers thoughts will never end unless it's what I intended
In Cormega's song "Make It Clear," the artist expresses his desire for greatness and success despite the challenges he faces as a rapper. He would rather face the sky in the Cayman Islands than face indictments for taking his rhyming lightly. He acknowledges that achieving greatness may never happen until he dies. The artist reminisces about his friends who are either in the grave, in prison or still pushing drugs on the block. He describes his life, which he writes about in his book of life, as one filled with anguish, but he writes with a radiant wrist.
Cormega paints a picture of the reality of the streets with lines like "It's so real you smell the stench of elevators with piss in, feel the palm sweat from pumping all day on the bench." He also touches on how street niggas survive on strength and how a strong case could break a weak nigga. Cormega truly lives up to his lyric, "Real recognize real, fake can't relate to how I feel."
This song highlights Cormega's personal experiences and his acknowledgment of the harsh reality of his environment. It showcases his profound lyricism and storytelling abilities in a way that is both introspective and relatable to rap fans worldwide.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd rather face the sky in the Caymans
I would prefer to relax on a tropical island than deal with the serious consequences of my actions that I take very seriously
Than face indictments of heavy when taking lightly ain't the way I take my rhyming
I would rather avoid serious criminal charges because I don't approach my music casually
Maybe it's fate that drives me
I think my destiny propels me forward
Greatness I seek may never be achieved til the day that I cease
I'm striving to be great, but I may not attain it until I die
I think of my peeps either in the grave or the pen
I reflect on my friends who have passed away or are incarcerated
Or on the block pushing that rock like Payton to Kemp
Some of my friends are still selling drugs on the streets
I gave you a glimpse of the way we exist my book of life
My music reveals the struggles and hardships of my life and those around me
So full of anguish pages I skip I write with a radiant wrist
My writing is filled with pain, and I skip over some pages of my life story. I write with skill and passion
The nights is the way that I spit so much crack I gave you a brick
I write my best at night, and I've given you a lot of hard-hitting, gritty music
And expected you'd question the weight of my shit
I know my music may be too intense for some and might prompt disbelief or criticism
It's so real you smell the stench of elevators with piss in
My music is so authentic that it transports you to the gritty, grimy streets of the city
Feel the palm sweat from pumping all day on the bench
You can feel the tension and energy of working hard all day waiting for something to happen
I see fake niggas embrace men they say the resent
I observe fake people pretending to like people they secretly dislike
They hear the door hit the floor I'm straight off the hinges
When I arrive, people can tell that I'm an unpredictable, explosive force
Food for thought a lot of niggas ate off my strength
Many people have been inspired and gained sustenance from my strength and talent
Now they thirst my deep dishes (deep dishes) keep wishes
People are hungry for more of my powerful music, and my art continues to grant their desires
Sleep isn't a trait of street niggas live off strength
Sleeping too much is not a common practice among streetwise people; they rely on their strength and stamina to survive
Yet a strong case could break a weak nigga
Someone who cannot handle pressure or adversity may crumble under the weight of a strong case
See it's different when facing adversity mys
Facing challenging circumstances is a unique experience, one that is personal and different for everyone
And deep lyrics became realer from gained wisdom
I've gained a lot of wisdom from my experiences and have been able to express it more effectively in my music
I'm here to play the hand that I'm dealt
I'm accepting the life I've been given and trying to make the best of it
I suggest you do the same these words are heart felt
I recommend that others also try to make the best of their lives and that my music comes from the heart
I lay it our clear ya niggas better use it
I'm being straightforward with my message, so people should pay attention and take heed
All eyes on us and we keeping it live x2
We are the focus of attention, and our music is full of energy and vitality
Born and raised where real niggas are legendary
I come from a place where genuine, authentic individuals are highly respected and admired
Some are present others in state pens and cemeteries
However, some of these real people are still around, while others are either incarcerated or have passed away
Niggas be struggling so hustling is necessary
Many people in our community are struggling, so hustling or working hard to get ahead is essential
Unless you got a mean jump shot
Unless you're a highly skilled basketball player with a good chance of making it professionally
I seen niggas nice at ball pump rock and not get drafted in the NBA
I know people who are really talented at basketball but didn't make it in the NBA, so they turned to other means of making money
They laying up in a casket
Sadly, some people who couldn't find a way out of poverty ended up dying young
Every rhyme I say is classic
I believe all of my music is timeless and memorable
Like episodes of Sanford and Son
My music is as classic and beloved as the popular TV show Sanford and Son
At my man crib where we had the stash hid
I spent time at my friend's house where we kept our illegal drugs hidden
Right next to the gat with the red light
We kept our guns nearby, ready for any potential danger
Feds might be listening hoping that my shit ain't air tight yeah right
The government could be spying on me in hopes of catching me doing something illegal, but I am confident that I am careful enough not to get caught
I'mma shine I'm the street personified
I will stand out and be successful, embodying the essence and attitude of the city streets
Niggas ain't built to see the ill grief and homicide
People are not capable of withstanding the intense pain and violence that permeate our society
Real recognize real fake can't relate to how I feel
Truly authentic individuals can sense and understand each other, whereas those who are fake cannot understand the true depth of emotions I express
I could say names but I'mma chill yo we dreamed to beat poverty
I could name drop or call out specific people, but I choose to refrain. Instead, I want to work with these individuals to try to overcome poverty
When Benny Blanko pop Carlito I shot the screen
I became emotionally invested in a movie scene and felt like I was a part of the story
I've got to be one of the realest niggas
I consider myself to be a highly authentic, genuine person
I talk it cause I lived it from the kitchen
Everything I rap about, I have actually experienced firsthand
With the raw to the courtroom sentence to the dorm holding
I've been involved with selling unprocessed drugs, been convicted, and even spent time in jail or prison
The horn rocking fila slippers thoughts will never end unless it's what I intended
Even when I'm just relaxing at home in my slippers, my mind is constantly racing, and my thoughts will continue for as long as I allow them to
Contributed by Maya I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daniel Charles
Cormega so underrated. One of the best Alive. Realest cat in the game. In prisons in the street anywhere in NJ NY and philly Cormega name is respected. And known as thorough stand-up dude. Mega ill
Ibrahim
@John doe the streets in Amsterdam too bro
John doe
The streets up in Canada have mad respect for MEGA
Aussie Jorge
+1
Anthony Williams
Agree all day
TitoYuca
such a great song. mega is so consistent and he has always been underrated. the beat is amazing, and premo always brings out the best in those that rap over his beats.
Sensaye25
Cormega is from the best draft class of MCs ever. '94 Alumni.
Anthony Williams
Lol
Tony Sabal
even thou this is an old track, im still feeling it like the day it came out
REDRUM 818
REAL REKOGNAIZ REALL YEYAAAA DA SHIZNITTT