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The Beat Strangler
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illest o.g.
One of the most underrated rappers coming out of Queens, NY, Cormega teamed up with Nas in the 1990’s on “Affirmative Action” from Nas’ “It Was Written” album. After that, he joined The Firm but was later replaced by rapper Nature, which led to a falling out between all emcees involved, and even the record label.
It wasn’t until 2000 when Cormega was released from his contract and was able to do his own thing, in which he started his own label, Legal Hustle Records. All through the 2000s, he released a slew of albums, plus he collaborated with many artists, making a name for himself.
Now in 2014, his latest album is “Mega Philosophy” and he has teamed up with none other than Large Professor, who produced the entire album alongside Cormega. This is my review:
Cormega “Mega Philosophy”
The opening of the album is a dope intro talking about how “A New Day Begins”, and that the time to move forward is now. The background music is really nice and it’s great to hear that there’s no drums, it’s just super mellow.
“Mars (Dream Team)” is where Cormega teams up with AZ, Redman, and Styles P. This is a very smooth head nodder, with a few short vocal snippets throughout and a really dope hook on the beat. AZ comes in smoothly and blends right in to the beat, picking up where Cormega left off. After his verse, Redman does the same thing, which makes this track really dope. Styles P drops in near the end and sounds perfect in that spot. This whole song actually kind of gives me goose bumps!
When “Industry” dropped in, I had to turn that shit up because the beat just sounded so smooth. I heard the piano come in and was hoping it would change up, and sure enough it’s a nice loop. Two piano hits in the same key, and the other two in another key. Simple. Once again, Cormega drops his knowledge about the industry and what he’s all about.
The next track is titled, “More”. When it first starts, it’s just a lo-fi sound but then quickly goes into the full track with some singing on the hook. What’s great is that it continues on from the other two previous tracks and the same vibe. Dope track.
“Divine Unity” is where Cormega taps Nature to help him out and bless us with something special. Guess what? This track is sick. A hard hitting drum track and slick piano is what this track is all about. Back in the 90’s, Cormega and Nature had some beef, but I’m assuming that shit got squashed since they’re now making dope music together.
The dopeness continues with “Honorable”, where Raekwon steps in to help out. “Beef and money don’t mix, invest in peace / I’ve paid dues in the street, respect is my receipt”, spits Cormega as he talks about being honorable in the streets. This track has a slightly haunting vocal loop in the background and an uptempo beat that fits really well.
On “Rap Basquiat”, Cormega spits, “I’m focused and driven / In life nothing is given / So I’m going to get it”. This is an upbeat track with a simple drum loop and some guitar panned left, very fitting for this style of song.
“Rise” has Maya Azucena singing on the hook and this beat is very tight. I really like the music on this one, it makes the whole track very smooth, perfect for the singing. Cormega continues with his message of moving forward, as this is the theme of the album.
The next track is “Home” with Black Rob. I was surprised to hear Ron G scream out at the start because I don’t think anyone has heard from him in ages. The beat is dope and it actually sounds like a Black Rob style of beat, but then again it’s a Cormega beat too. It reminds me of a 70’s movie because I can picture a thug walking down the street on his way to fuck somebody up.
The last track on this album is “Valuable Lessons” and it’s probably the smoothest beat of the bunch. “I risked my life for niggas, who didn’t write or visit / During my time in prison, I realized my friendships”, spits Cormega about some of the hard lessons he’s learned in life. A solid drum track and Spanish guitar completes this beat, once again produced by Large Professor.
Conclusion
I love this album. Not just because it sounds dope, but it’s because it’s nice to see Cormega, a 90’s rap artist come back and drop a really solid album. The fact that he got Large Professor to produce the entire album is awesome because having these two team up is a great thing.
I highly recommend this album to anyone that likes solid Hip Hop with chill beats.
CHECK OUT CORMEGA’S “MEGA PHILOSOPHY” ALBUM ON AMAZON
Rating: 4.5 / 5
More Information
For more information on Cormega, check out his Twitter and Discogs.
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