Cormega

Corey McKay, better known by his stage name Cormega, is an American rapper.

Early life Cormega was born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens. He was childhood friends with Nas, Havoc and Capone, who all went on to become successful rappers. A frequent theme of his music is the countless number of his friends and family that have been killed by violence.

Career 1990s He was featured on Hot Day's "Going Straight Up" from his album It's My Turn. He was also featured on Blaq Poet and DJ Hot Day's track "Set It Off" from their album Without Warning in 1991. During a period of incarceration, Cormega gained some attention following a shout-out from Nas on his song "One Love", from the Illmatic album released in 1994. Following his release from jail in 1995, Cormega became determined to pursue rapping. Nas included him on a song titled "Affirmative Action" on his album It Was Written released on July 2, 1996. The song also featured AZ and Foxy Brown, and became The Firm's first appearance. That ended Cormega's friendship with Nas. After he fell out with his manager Chris Lighty and his label 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 titled "One Love".

2000s In 2000, he was released from his contract and he started his own record company, Legal Hustle Records.

An album collaboration with Lakey the Kid titled 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 titled 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 was Born and Raised. The album was released October 20, 2009. The first single is called "Journey."

On December 26, 2018, he released his first EP MEGA.

2020s

Cormega appeared on Nas' King's Disease in 2020, reuniting with members of the defunct The Firm supergroup.

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

Discography

The Realness (2001) The True Meaning (2002) The Testament (2005) Born and Raised (2009) Mega Philosophy (2014) The Realness II (2022)

Film Who Am I? (2007)