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.
Sugar Ray and Hearns
Cormega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[LARGE PROFESSOR]
My performance is live, I speak lyrics that got drive
Hold weight in each part, street, county estate
Makes no different, magnificent is, getting down to business
Ridiculous, vigorous, you can't dilgerous ass nigga's
Stop fucking up the airwaves, stand and ovate
Of all time, rap sergent of rhymes, Large Professor
From the grand on the dresser, to lands you can't measure
My black, cake be stake, uniform in a pile
I do perform with a smile, they took me off for the trail
You ain't often in the wild, heard schemes and dreams
Of the reigning supreme, nigga coming staight from queens
[CORMEGA]
Ghetto philosopher, like marjuna i'm sparking ya
Verbal conquerer, drama chereograhper
Design rhyme for crimnal mind, individuals
My physical was formulated like a bio-chemical
I wear suede by fila, architect divise
Then I analyze the rhyme I scientifically apply
My device is precise like a sniper's sight
My mic is quite addicted off the rhymes I write
And at night when mega cocaine grams exchange hands
My pen explains my thoughts contained like a brain scan
Live beat suiduce me, mentally suits me
Melody massage me nice, like a gicuzzi, mike?
I write smoothy, while you fein for ganja
I drink pinacallada's, on a crews to the bahamas
I'm too exotic with lyrics, vicious like a school of paranyas
Using knowledge, to devour, with buddah calmnes
The lyrics of "Sugar Ray And Hearns" by Cormega Ft. Large Professor are a display of their skills and abilities as rappers. The song is focused on their individual talents, with each rapper showcasing their unique style and delivery. Large Professor starts off the first verse by emphasizing his skills and experience in the rap game. He talks about his ability to hold weight in any part of the country with his magnificence that gets down to business. The lyrics highlight the significance of his greatness and how he is one of the greatest rappers of all times. Additionally, he emphasizes his knowledge of the street, county, and estate. He also calls out other rappers who are messing the airwaves.
Cormega's verse is equally impressive, as he presents himself as a ghetto philosopher. He discusses his role as a verbal conqueror and a chereographer of drama. He goes on to address his ability to design rhymes for criminal minds and the complexity of his physical constitution. Cormega then talks about his love for wearing suede by fila and analyzing his rhymes scientifically. He also incorporates a metaphor to compare himself to a sniper, whose devices are precise. A key point in his verse is when he mentions mega cocaine grams exchange hands, which is a reference to dealing drugs. He concludes his verse by mentioning his love for Pina Colada and his unique ability to use knowledge to devour with Buddha's calmness.
In conclusion, "Sugar Ray And Hearns" is a song that reflects the skills and abilities of both Cormega and Large Professor. It is a proclamation of their greatness in the rap industry, and each verse showcases their unique styles and abilities.
Line by Line Meaning
My performance is live, I speak lyrics that got drive
I am an exceptional artist who delivers powerful lyrics with energy
Hold weight in each part, street, county estate
My impact is felt across all corners of society, from the streets to the countryside
Makes no different, magnificent is, getting down to business
What matters is my ability to deliver excellent music and lyrics that resonate with people
Ridiculous, vigorous, you can't dilgerous ass nigga's
I am an unstoppable force, and my haters can't compare with my skill and dedication
Stop fucking up the airwaves, stand and ovate
Other artists need to step up their game and deliver quality music that deserves applause
XP I be the one who was great
I am Large Professor, and I am one of the greatest rap artists of all time
Of all time, rap sergent of rhymes, Large Professor
I have achieved legendary status in the rap world, and my skills are unmatched
From the grand on the dresser, to lands you can't measure
My influence spans far and wide, and I have fans and admirers around the globe
My black, cake be stake, uniform in a pile
My wealth and success are undeniable, and I have made it to the top of my game
I do perform with a smile, they took me off for the trail
I have enjoyed success throughout my career, and even when I faced challenges, I remained strong and positive
You ain't often in the wild, heard schemes and dreams
Most people can't know what it's like to achieve success in the tough, competitive world of rap
Of the reigning supreme, nigga coming staight from queens
I am from Queens, New York, and I am proud to represent my city and my community
Ghetto philosopher, like marjuna i'm sparking ya
I am an intellectual who draws inspiration from my environment and my experiences
Verbal conquerer, drama chereograhper
I have a way with words and can paint vivid pictures with my lyrics
Design rhyme for crimnal mind, individuals
I understand the struggles of people from all walks of life and use my music to speak to them
My physical was formulated like a bio-chemical
My talent and skill are natural and innate, like a chemical reaction
I wear suede by fila, architect divise
I have my own unique style and fashion sense that sets me apart
Then I analyze the rhyme I scientifically apply
I take my craft seriously and approach it with precision and detail
My device is precise like a sniper's sight
My writing is well-thought-out and precise, like a sniper who takes careful aim
My mic is quite addicted off the rhymes I write
My microphone seems to love the way I rhyme, and my fans feel the same way
And at night when mega cocaine grams exchange hands
When the streets are active with drug deals and other illicit activities, I am still working on my music
My pen explains my thoughts contained like a brain scan
My lyrics are a reflection of my innermost thoughts and emotions, like a brain scan
Live beat suiduce me, mentally suits me
The music that I make love to my ears and my soul, and it motivates me to write great lyrics
Melody massage me nice, like a gicuzzi, mike?
The melody of a song is like a warm, relaxing massage to me, and I perform best when I'm in that zone
I write smoothy, while you fein for ganja
I write with ease and finesse, while others are struggling to get high on marijuana
I drink pinacallada's, on a crews to the bahamas
I enjoy the finer things in life, like sipping piña coladas while cruising to the Bahamas
I'm too exotic with lyrics, vicious like a school of paranyas
My rhymes are extraordinary and unique, and they can be dangerous and powerful, like a school of piranhas
Using knowledge, to devour, with buddah calmnes
I use my intelligence and wisdom to overcome challenges, and I maintain a Zen-like calmness while I face them
Contributed by Josiah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philadelphia Phinessers
cormega spits one of the greatest verses in all of hip-hop. seriously, top 10, if not top 5
Francisco Pedraza
Real talk, this is legendary and underrated af
millwallfan06
i could listen to this beat a million times and never get bored
Francisco Pedraza
For real son
8th Youtube
Beat? Man mega verse might’ve been best ever tell me I’m lying.
SmokeyLah1
Roll somethin and listen to this. Lyrics and flow are flawless by both. Peace to Mega...
OshawaStateOfMind
such a chill song, love the beat and megas verse kills it, anyone have the instrumental?
Milo Tucker
CORMEGA WITH ONE OF THE BEST VERSES I EVER HEARD
bigdog1002
Ghetto philosopher, like marijuana I'm sparkin ya, verbal conqueror, drama choreographer.. design rhymes for criminal mind individuals... my physical was formulated like a biochemical.... Cormega killed that
the Outsiders
Surgical !!!