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.
Take These Jewels
Cormega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody who shake your hand
Ain't your man
Its real, if you sleep you better wake up man
Don't be a fool, learn the rules
Put your faith in your hands
Or be stunned when you see your son
Hanging your ass
He intended to squeal day one
DA's said he's willing to deal
Never let your friends know
How your pistol blow
How you get your dough
About the crib on the low
The code of silence expired long ago
Even in Queensbridge, you'll be surprised who's informing yo
Once the shit hit the fan, the horns will blow
The DA is the conductor for the chorus yo
The symphony ain't complete till the curtains close
And you upstate thinking you deserve parole
Now you vexed cause your man won't accept your calls
I speak valuable lessons so check this yo
[Hook]
Keep your friends close, enemies closer
Never sleep on any beef, or get worked to a smoke
[Cormega]
Loyalties worth more wealth, in world where people be all for self
I got friends who never call me till they want help
Then expect me to show love, I don't receive from them
It hurts me, cause I will bleed for them
Yet is it worth me risking, being free for them?
I got a lot more to lose in thought
A lot more secluded
Yours a lot more polluted
What should I do man?
Women, flocking my digits like the Blue Van
My boy Blue passed, it seems he was one of my true mans
Dudes smile in my face with there conspiring ways
Betrayal put Christ in the grave
Niggas, unrighteous ways
You up, they want to stop you
Down, they talk about you
Even your friends will rob you
You think I'm lying?
Ask Rich Porter mom duke
Shit is real
Gimmie a bit a favour, of a friend who won't snake you
Coke that don't lose grams, and I'm cool man
I was quarterback in the pack, despite D from the Blue Van
Just me and a few mans, setting screens, reppin Queens
Whoever thought that this will be Cory's destiny?
[Hook]
Keep your friends close, enemies closer
Never sleep on any beef, or get worked to a smoke
[Cormega]
We out
In this song, Cormega speaks about the importance of being cautious of people, even those who appear close to you because they may not always have your best interest at heart. He warns against being too trusting and advises listeners to keep their enemies closer than their friends to avoid getting caught off guard. Cormega emphasizes that everyone is looking out for themselves in a world where loyalty is worth more than wealth. He highlights how the code of silence and trust among friends are no longer being respected, and people should be careful as they can get betrayed by those they thought were genuine.
Cormega further elaborates on the theme of betrayal by discussing some instances where he or people close to him have been let down. The tone of the song appears to reflect Cormega's experience growing up in Queens, where he faced challenges that shaped his outlook on life. He also highlights how his past experiences have taught him valuable lessons about trust and betrayal.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale, reminding listeners of the importance of watching their every move and being careful who they trust in their journey through life.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody who shake your hand
Not everyone who appears friendly can truly be trusted
Ain't your man
They may not have your best interests at heart
Its real, if you sleep you better wake up man
Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert, or you may become a victim
Don't be a fool, learn the rules
Educate yourself and understand how to navigate difficult situations
Put your faith in your hands
Rely on yourself to make decisions and take action
Or be stunned when you see your son
Don't be surprised when your own family turns against you
Hanging your ass
Putting you in a dangerous or difficult situation
I mean you thought that nigga was real
You believed he was trustworthy, but he was not
He intended to squeal day one
He planned to betray you from the very beginning
DA's said he's willing to deal
District attorney has made a deal with your betrayer
Never let your friends know
Keep secrets to yourself and only tell those who you fully trust
How your pistol blow
Don't boast about your weapons or abilities to use them
How you get your dough
Don't talk about where you get your money or how you make it
About the crib on the low
Keep your home and its contents private, don't reveal important information to others
The code of silence expired long ago
People are no longer loyal, and will betray you for their own gain
Even in Queensbridge, you'll be surprised who's informing yo
Even in close-knit communities, there are those willing to betray and inform on you
Once the shit hit the fan, the horns will blow
When things get tough, people will run and betray others to save themselves
The DA is the conductor for the chorus yo
District attorney is controlling the situation and orchestrating the betrayal and punishment
The symphony ain't complete till the curtains close
The plan is not finished until it's executed and the consequences are realized
And you upstate thinking you deserve parole
You're stuck in jail, thinking you deserve to be paroled
Now you vexed cause your man won't accept your calls
You are angry and upset because even your friends have turned on you
I speak valuable lessons so check this yo
I am sharing important advice, so listen up
Loyalties worth more wealth, in world where people be all for self
Having trustworthy friends is more valuable than money in an individualistic world
I got friends who never call me till they want help
People only seek you out when they need something from you
Then expect me to show love, I don't receive from them
They want your help, but they don't show you the same support and care
It hurts me, cause I will bleed for them
You value these friendships and are willing to do whatever it takes to help them
Yet is it worth me risking, being free for them?
You question whether these one-sided relationships are worth the potential consequences
I got a lot more to lose in thought
You have much more to lose than those who rely on you
A lot more secluded
You are more isolated and alone in your struggles
Yours a lot more polluted
Your life is tainted by these toxic relationships
What should I do man?
You are seeking advice and guidance for how to move forward
Women, flocking my digits like the Blue Van
You are being pursued by women for your money and status
My boy Blue passed, it seems he was one of my true mans
A friend has died, and you realize he was more loyal and trustworthy than many others
Dudes smile in my face with there conspiring ways
People pretend to be friendly, but they are secretly plotting against you
Betrayal put Christ in the grave
Even the most righteous people can be betrayed and subjected to great harm
Niggas, unrighteous ways
People will act unethically and immorally to get what they want
You up, they want to stop you
When you are successful or on the rise, people may try to bring you down
Down, they talk about you
Even when you are struggling, people may gossip and spread rumors about you
Even your friends will rob you
Those closest to you may still take advantage of you or steal from you
You think I'm lying?
You question the truth of these statements
Ask Rich Porter mom duke
Referencing a real-life incident where a friend betrayed and killed another friend for money and power
Shit is real
The world and its dangers are very real
Gimmie a bit a favour, of a friend who won't snake you
All you want is a friend who can be trusted and won't betray you
Coke that don't lose grams, and I'm cool man
As long as you have trustworthy friends and a dependable source of income, you can be content
I was quarterback in the pack, despite D from the Blue Van
You were leading and managing a group of people, despite being targeted by law enforcement
Just me and a few mans, setting screens, reppin Queens
You and just a few trusted friends were working together to support each other and represent your neighborhood
Whoever thought that this will be Cory's destiny?
Reflecting on how far you have come and the challenges you have faced to get to where you are today
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind