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 "What's up with Cormega, have you seen him? Are y'all together?" The infamous lines that introduced Cormega to the hip-hop world are exactly what fans have been asking since the lyricist's last solo album, The True Meaning, in 2002.
Well, if you're wondering the exact same thing, Cormega's back with his third solo album, Born And Raised, set for late October.
"This album is the truest look into me, not just as an artist, but as a writer and as a person. I came into my own in a lot of ways on this album," Cormega says of the upcoming project. "Born And Raised is the first album where I talk about being a father and the impact my daughter has had on my life. It's also the first time I experimented with live sound without the guidance of a producer and the first time I got to record with producers and artist whose work inspired me to become an emcee."
While Cormega has released several projects on his Legal Hustle imprint, only two can be considered Cormega solo albums -- 2001's The Realness and 2002's The True Meaning. This upcoming third solo project, features production from the likes of DJ Premier, Large Professor, Easy Mo Bee, Havoc, Buckwild, DR Period, LES, Nottz, Fuzzy Womack, Ayatollah, and Khrysis. Appearances/guests include Big Daddy Kane, Parish Smith, Grand Puba, KRS-One, Tragedy, Havoc, Lil Fame, Marley Marl, and Red Alert.
His proudest musical moment during the making of Born And Raised was the recording of "Mega Fresh X" with Big Daddy Kane, Parish Smith, Grand Puba, and KRS-One, due to the legendary status of all these artists.
"These were the emcees I looked up to, so I wanted to pay homage to them," said Cormega. "I remember the days when I had Kane's posters on my wall, CDs by KRS-One and like everybody in New York, I used to record DJ Red Alert cassettes off the radio, so for me to do a song with Kane, KRS-One, Puba, and P.M.D. and then on top of that have Red Alert on it, is a dream realized."
Cormega has used the internet for years in an effort to promote projects from his indie label. The cover of the upcoming Born And Raised album was created entirely by his online community and is a result of his interaction with the fans
"Besides my own love for real hip-hop, the reason why I still record new music is for the fans," the rapper said. "They energize me, encourage me, and are always full of ideas and I wanted to find a way for them to be a part of the creation of this album, so I reached out to them online. The result is the whole concept of the Born And Raised front cover."
The fonts, graphic editing, and layout were entirely created by fans and members of Cormega's online community.
"I was born in Brooklyn, lived in Co-op City, Far Rockaway, and Queensbridge, so you'll notice each place represented on the album cover," explains Cormega. "We also went through a stack of photos to select the images you see of me through the years."
Born And Raised is set to hit stores October 20. For more info, visit LegalHustle.net.
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