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Cormega

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Cormega
Background information
Birth nameCory McKay
BornBrooklyn,New York City,U.S.
OriginQueens,New York City, U.S.
GenresEast Coast hip hop
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active1989–present
Labels
Member of

Cory McKay,[1]better known by his stage nameCormega,is an American rapper.

Early life

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Cormega was born inBrooklynand raised inQueens.He was childhood friends withNas,HavocandCapone,who all went on to become successful rappers.[2][3]A frequent theme of his music is the countless number of his friends and family that have been killed by violence.

Career

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1990s

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He was featured on Hot Day's "Going Straight Up" from his albumIt's My Turn.He was also featured onBlaq Poetand DJ Hot Day's track "Set It Off" from their albumWithout Warningin 1991. During a period of incarceration, Cormega gained some attention following ashout-outfromNason his song "One Love",from theIllmaticalbum released in 1994.[4] Following his release from jail in 1995, Cormega became determined to pursue rapping. Nas included him on a song entitled "Affirmative Action" on his albumIt Was Writtenreleased on July 2, 1996. The song also featuredAZandFoxy Brown,and becameThe Firm's first appearance.[5]He was signed toDef Jamand recorded an album calledThe Testament.Nas, his managerSteve Stouteand producersDr. DreandThe Trackmastersjoined to form The Firm. However, Cormega was replaced with another Queensbridge artist,Nature,because Nas and/or Stoute favored Nature.[5]That ended Cormega's friendship with Nas. After he fell out with his manager Chris Lighty and his labelViolator Recordshis debut albumThe Testamentwas indefinitely shelved. During the recording forThe TestamentCormega responded to Nas' "One Love"in the form of a letter also entitled" One Love ".[4][6]

2000s

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In 2000, he was released from his contract and he started his own record company, Legal Hustle Records.[4]Cormega vented his disappointment with Nas and The Firm in amixtapesong titled "Never Personal". This song was never directly pointed to Nas, but the media made it look like that.[5]In 2001, he released his debut album,The Realness.[4]Many of the songs share a theme ofbetrayal.[6]Nasresponded to Cormega on his song "Destroy and Rebuild" from his albumStillmatic.Cormega retaliated with more mixtape tracks, "A Slick Response" and "Realmatic".

Cormega's follow-up album,The True Meaningwon theSource Magazine's Underground Album of the Year award.[citation needed]In 2004, he followed up withLegal Hustle,acompilation albumshowcasing his label's artists. In 2005, he releasedThe Testamenton his own label.[4]

On December 22, 2006, at theNokia 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.[4][7]

An album collaboration with Lakey the Kid entitledMy Brother's Keeperwas released independently on August 22, 2006. On November 20, 2007, Cormega finally released his DVD in-the-makingWho 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 entitledUrban LegendbeforeT.I.'salbum of the same namewas released (Cormega mentions this on theWho Am IDVD, dated circa 2003); the new title wasBorn and Raised.The album was released October 20, 2009. The first single is called "Journey."[7]

2010s

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Cormega's latest album,Mega Philosophy,was entirely produced by frequent collaboratorLarge Professor.[8]

On December 26, 2018, he released his firstEPMEGA.[9]

2020s

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Cormega appeared on Nas'King's Diseasein 2020, reuniting with members of the defunctThe Firmsupergroup.[10]

In November 2022, Cormega released his long-awaited album,The Realness II,to rave reviews. It served as a sequel to his 2001 debut albumThe Realness.

Discography

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Main article:Cormega discography

Film

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  • Who Am I? (2007)[12]

References

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  1. ^CORMEGA [@iamcormega] (April 26, 2018)."@TheSource Thank you God bless but today is NOT my birthday"(Tweet).RetrievedJanuary 9,2021– viaTwitter.
  2. ^"CORMEGA BIOGRAPHY".Archived fromthe originalon February 24, 2015.RetrievedMarch 9,2015.
  3. ^"Cormega – Article".Archived fromthe originalon September 28, 2007.
  4. ^abcdefBirchmeier, Jason."Cormega biography".AllMusic.
  5. ^abcBirchmeier, Jason."The Firm > Biography".AllMusic.
  6. ^abBerliner, Brett (September 1, 2003)."Cormega – The True Meaning – Review".Stylus Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon December 25, 2008.
  7. ^ab"Nas Plays New York, Reunites With Cormega & Foxy Brown".Archived fromthe originalon January 7, 2007.
  8. ^"Cormega, Action Bronson, Roc Marciano & Saigon; Hip-Hop's Next Supergroup??? - Beats, Boxing and Mayhem".Beatsboxingmayhem.com.March 6, 2012.RetrievedMarch 9,2015.
  9. ^"Cormega Drops Off His New EP" Mega "".Hotnewhiphop.com.December 27, 2018.RetrievedMay 20,2019.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^Allah, Sha Be (August 19, 2020)."Nas Confirms The Firm Reunion on 'King's Disease' Tracklist".The Source.RetrievedAugust 22,2020.
  11. ^"Cormega - The Realness II".Apple Music.RetrievedOctober 7,2022.
  12. ^Steve 'Flash' Juon (December 4, 2007)."Cormega: Who Am I?".RapReviews.com.RetrievedJune 16,2016.
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