Cormega

Cormega
Background information
Birth name	Cory Mckay
Born	1970 (age 41–42)
Origin	Queens, New York City, New York
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Def Jam Records Landspeed Records Legal Hustle Records Koch Records
Website	http://www.legalhustle.net

Cory Mckay (born 1972), better known as Cormega, is an African-American rapper best known for his vivid and poignant narratives about inner-city life. McKay is highly regarded in the underground rap community. McKay is renowned for consistently producing as an independent artist, refusing to go mainstream. He is known for not only "talking the talk" but "walking the walk", something rarely seen in rappers, especially nowadays.

Early life

Born in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Cormega grew up in the Queensbridge Housing Projects in Long Island City, Queens, forming childhood friendships with future rappers such as Nas, Mobb Deep, Nature and Capone-N-Noreaga. When he was 4, he witnessed his mother's murder. After that, he moved in with his father and stepmother who had recently returned from Dallas, Texas and moved back to New York City.

Lyricism

Cormega is known and praised for his intricate, complex, multi-syllabic lyricism and raw, straight delivery. Despite being an underground artist he has gained considerable acknowledgement in the rap community and is regarded as one of the best lyricists to grace the mic. McKay often reflects about the hardships of inner-city life and succeeding in a world where we are very much on our own.

Lyrics from "Journey"

Apparently i realized my destiny's, to write about life in the street and its complexities, in a city that never sleeps many dreams are never reached, i aint afraid to fail if later it'll help succeed, im the same nigga but money changed everything, from location to patience, theres motivation for every scheme, poetically im making a strong case concurrently, with the flow presently redefining my legacy, life is purpose and goals, death is not doing anything, can be achieved if you believe eventually

Lyrics from "The Saga"

Live niggas I rep for, deceased, I pour Moet for those incarcerated, my heart is wit' y'all I know at times it gets hard behind penetentiary bars then once free you realize you're mentally scarred if not physically, if subjected to correctional facilities prepare for your future to the best of your ability prosper, otherwise you've been conquered blowin' up your mother's phone so she can send you a box Son, I sit inside my residence and thank God I'm blessed with this poetical gift evident in every ghetto like graffiti and crack sales and cabs that won't stop for Black Males undercovers givin' younger Brothers bad stares Fours clap, Dogs crap in the grass here you love to hear the story Son, the saga began here MC's are fictitious yet the actual facts here like the Bible said, Jesus had napped hair

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 let him guest 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 (Fuck Nas N Nature)". 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". His 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."

Following his latest project's release, the MC has already announced his next album, tentatively due out summer of 2011. Cormega has already begun work, having recorded collaborations with one of the Wu-Tang Clan and a Queensbridge MC. As for further features, he 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.

Following an interview with Mista Montana on the highly respected, Conspiracy Worldwide Radio, Cormega recently made great efforts to increase peoples awareness of the 2010 flooding tragedy in Pakistan, adding images and video clips to his official site.

Discography

At Orono, Maine

Orono, Maine

Albums

Album information
The Realness Released: July 25, 2001 Billboard 200 chart position: #111 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #24 Top Independent chart position: #4 Singles: "You Don't Want It," "Get Out My Way"
The True Meaning Released: June 11, 2002 Billboard 200 chart position: #95 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #25 Top Independent chart position: #5 Singles: "Built for This," "The Come-Up"
Legal Hustle Released: May 25, 2004 Billboard 200 chart position: #174 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #22 Top Independent chart position: #8 Singles: "Let It Go," "Dangerous"
The Testament Released: February 22, 2005 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #76 Top Independent chart position: #46 Singles: "One Love"
Who Am I? (Soundtrack & DVD) Released: November 20, 2007 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #76 Singles:
Born and Raised Released: October 20, 2009 Billboard Chart Position: - R&B/Hip-Hop charts position: - Singles: "Dirty Game"
Raw Forever Released: September 27, 2011 Billboard Chart Position: - R&B/Hip-Hop charts position: - Singles:

Singles

Year	Song	Chart positions			Album
		U.S.	U.S. R&B	U.S. Rap
2000	"You Don't Want It"	—	—	41	The Realness
2001	"Get Out My Way"	—	—	—
2002	"Built for This"	—	—	—	The True Meaning
	"The Come Up" (featuring Large Professor)	—	—	—
2004	"Let It Go" (featuring M.O.P.)	—	—	—	Legal Hustle
	"Dangerous" (featuring Unda P. and Vybz Kartel)	—	—	—
2005	"One Love"	—	—	—	The Testament
2007	"The Saga (The Remix)" (produced by Stanley O)	—	—	—	Single Release
2009	"Dirty Game"	—	—	—	Born and Raised

External links

• TSS Presents Smoking Sessions with Cormega, Part I
• TSS Presents Smoking Sessions with Cormega, Part II
• HHLO.net "The Journey: An Interview with Cormega