Oh boy, where do we start here?
Cory McKay, better known as Cormega, is a rapper/emcee from the Queensbridge neighborhood of Queens, New York, and is one of many notable emcees to come from said area.
Cormega's career started as a mostly underground rapper coming out in the very late 80s and early 90s, though soon enough his promising career was cut short by a bid. He even received a shout out in 1994 on the album Illmatic on One Love, giving the man more fame than his music did at the time. After his bid ended in 1995, McKay was determined to better himself and pursue a career in rapping. Through his friend Nas, the man joined the Firm, alongside rookie Foxy Brown and promising sophomore AZ, with beats through Dr. Dre. He did well enough on the song Affirmative Action on It Was Written that he got a deal from Def Jam. Things looked rosy and beautiful.
Of course not.
Cormega had a falling out with Nas, or more specifically Steve Stoute, Nas' manager, under circumstances unclear (some cite creative differences; others Stoute preferring Nature or in-fighting). Regardless, it was ugly, and would start a beef between Nas and Cormega that would last for years. To make matters worse, more in-fighting at Def Jam lead to his original debut, The Testament, shelved indefinitely. He had some pretty unlucky years.
Eventually, after getting released from his lame duck contract at Def Jam, Cormega formed his own label (Legal Hustle) and began recording his new LP, The Realness. After already striking twice, you had to hope three was the charm. The Realness was released to genuine acclaim by critics, which of course meant no one bought it.
It's 2016, does this LP still hold strong?
1. DRAMATIC ENTRANCE - And we start off, and immediately we know Mega isn't fucking around. Cory's lyrics, which are mostly introspective and about his struggle in the music industry, and betrayal. I liked Cory's lyrics, they hit like bread and almond butter. J-Love's beat sounds very peaceful and eloquent, yet also has a very strong vibe, like this is the beginning, this is a statement. This wasn't long, but already Mega ships this home.
2. AMERICAN BEAUTY - A lot of bloggers and critics love this but honestly I'm not a fan of this track. Common had already done this before with "I Used to Love H.E.R.", so this feels like a rehash, even if McKay's lyrics towards hip hop are heart-felt. Mega's own beat is a bit plodding and honestly boring. Overall, a skipable track.
3. THUN & KICKO (FEAT. PRODIGY) - Now this is more like it. Both of our hosts, Prodigy and Mega, just freaking tear shit up here. Havoc's beat, while plodding, just knocks, since it moves slowly, it creeps, yet moves fast enough to get you both pumped. Both artist target different opponents; Prodigy with Jay-Z, while Cormega goes after Nas. Regardless, this stirred up a lot of beef with all camps, so it served its purpose. Awesome song!
4. THE SAGA - I was never a fan of this song either; the beat feels incomplete and just plods; it's a boring beat without much depth. That's not to detract from Mega's rhymes, which are rock-solid and describe a world of despair, sadness, and hopelessness. Mega deserved a lot better than this.
5. R U MY NIGGA - Like the previous beat on The Saga, Jae Supreme cooks up a beat which just lacks depth; it's not the worst beat I've heard, but it could've been a lot better. Of course, Cormega's rhymes are particularly strong here, discussing loyalty and trust. I like Mega's ironic lines "Only bitches deal with emotion, Yo son, how many snitches are still in the ocean, I'm gettin too deep, spittin unique". Also, really nice wordplay by Mega.
6. UNFORGIVEN - I actually really like this one. It's a short and sweet one, where Mega drops some good rhymes when it comes not just to betrayal, but also paranoia. Spank Brother's beat isn't the best, but sounds dramatic as fuck still, so overall this actually kicked ass.
7. FALLEN SOLDIERS - Fucking awesome. Mega's rhymes of deceased brethren are just heartfelt and straight forward throughout. Seriously, the dude raps with raw emotion, which, when done correctly, can conjure a fucking amazing track. J-Love gives us another banging beat, using Wet Willie's "Beggar's Song" to great effect. Seriously, if there were a list of best mourning tracks in rap, this is one of them.
8. GLORY DAYS - Another kickass song, this time Mega giving us a taste of memory lane as well as what it's like to reach the top, with some cynicism and caution mixed it. Jae Supreme's beat is as pleasant as honeydew here, creating a peaceful, yet almost mournful vibe for the listener. Also, is it just me, or is the bass to Guns n Roses Sweet Child o Mine used here? Probably not, but still, awesome.
9. RAP'S A HUSTLE - I guess this is sort of like a remake to American Beauty. I'll admit, Cory's first verse trying to compare stealing a girl (that's hip hop) to some dude's pen and pad is unintentionally hilarious. It reminds me of little kids playing with toys, as if they're living real things. His second verse comparing it to the drug trade hits on point though. I liked Ayatollah's soul-derived chipmunk beat; it sounds very nostalgic, peaceful, and even childish. This wasn't bad either.
10. GET OUT OF MY WAY - I thought this song was all right. Sha Money XL's beat is dramatic, but a bit too busy. Cormega shit talks and rips shit up, which works in this song's favor. Not the most memorable of songs though.
11. YOU DON'T WANT IT - Okay, this song is definitely about Nas. I thought that Godfather Don's beat was pretty decent, but like many beats on here, lacks that special edge... just doesn't feel complete. But Mega just tears shit up here, venting his frustrations towards Nas, even describing him as a brain surgeon.
12. 5 FOR 40 - If I wanted spoken poetry I'd go to a cafe, thanks.
13. THEY FORCED MY HAND (FEAT. TRAGEDY KHADAFI) - I really like Spunk Bigga's beat here; the beat here just smacks, with a good ol' chipmunk sample overlapping. The beat is perfect for both Mega and Tragedy just tearing shit to minces here. Lyrically instead of boasts and bullshit we get lyrics about overcoming the struggle, which again, are on point. Still a regular listen on my playlist.
14. FALLEN SOLDIERS (ALCHEMIST REMIX) - Eh, I still prefer the original, although Mega's new lyrics including a verse about his mother are strong.
15. KILLAZ THEME II (FEAT. MOBB DEEP) (HIDDEN) - This shit just knocks. Seriously, I love this track. Havoc's unorthodox but kick-ass sampling of the Twilight Zone theme is intimidating. Mobb Deep's boasts, alongside Cormega, just take this one home here.
B-SIDES/BOOTLEGS TO TRACK DOWN
NEVER PERSONAL (FEAT MIKE DELOREAN) - This was a track that somewhat leaked out to the media, but was mostly circulated around NY. This, unlike some previous tracks, is a full on attack on Nas, calling him from insults that range from a false gangbanger to a derogatory term for a homosexual. Nonetheless, Mega's rhymes are pretty awesome, over a banging 90s-style NY beat, even if Mike Delorean is a weed carrier you'll never hear from again.
FINAL WORD: The Realness is far from perfect. It's inconsistent, much of the beat selection is questionable, and there's a bit to be desired. Nonetheless, Cormega shows why he is one of the most highly regarded underground emcees out there, with absolutely raw emotion and lyrics. For an album that wasn't even meant to be a proper debut, this is pretty good. It's timeless, suffice to say.
BUY OR BURN? - I'd recommend a buy. There was a time where this was hard to come by, but it has been re-released multiple times. Support good, real hip hop.
BEST TRACKS - "Fallen Soldiers", "They Forced My Hand", "Thun & Kicko", "Glory Days". "Killaz Theme II"
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