Time to get back to a NY masterpiece, with one of the best from Queens : Cormega. There are a few LP's, which are part of the foundation of real hiphop, of the realness...
The albums that, at the time, only people from the blocks were aware of (if not from the block, connected woth people from the block, or involved into Hiphop at some point), time when hipsters did not exist, fake ass gangtaz were getting smoked up and wack rappers couldn't get on stage (all those things are allowed nowadays, unfortunately).
Yeah, at that time it was blunt heads and all kind of crooks who were bumping the real shit in their cars, i'm talking about albums like Infamous mobb, Screwball, Mobb Deep, Biggie, Geto Boyz, Scarface, Agallah, Ice cube, all those master pieces. One should have been dropped during the same area : The testament. Let's go back to the story, this album was actually supposed to be released mid-90's, and if it would have been the case, well, the Testament would be recognized as a classic (it is in the underground,k but just the underground, right?). But Cory was on Def Jam at the time, and his debut album was well awaited in the streets... the buzz was on (without the help of the Internet then), we're in 1997 at that time. The buzz is getting bigger and bigger, and Def Jam does not have a better policy than trying to get it even bigger. Fail. Time goes by, people want the albums, bootleggers make money. This is how this street classic was born, unofficial album, but classic anyway.
So, in 98 people play that shit, and Cormega must be well on his nerves; and in 2004 when he got enough money, he bought his own music to Def Jam to finally release it as an official album on his label : Legal Hustle. So, the thing is, for those who were missing 90's raw Hiphop in 2005, and did not have the album, it was a very good news : a TBT! A dope TBT ! 2005 is quite a poor year for Hiphop, this album was one of the best of the year (as music was from 98!).
Quite a dope track right? Especilly in 2005! you have no girly single on it, or nothing for the clubs, just thug music. I cannot continue the TBT without mentionning that classic :
Actualy, this track is one which has leaked in the street, and created all the buzz around the album, after a listen to it, it's easy to understand... What a beat man... The feat are on point : Moàbb µDeep, and Fatal Hussein, perfect. And that's the definition of a solo LP by the way... Havoc does production on it, as well as RNS (who did One Love). We have to mention Dead Man Walking, Montana Diary and Angle Dust, cause they are fire. But the whole album is fire, and really, if it dropped in 98, Cormega would be much more recognized nowadays, I mean, the mainstream would probably listen to him.... Really Def Jam, I hope you fired the dude who thought it was clever to constantly push back the album, that was soooo well done..! Anyway, fuck it, this album is for the streets, graffiti lovers, mixtape makers, thugs and it still will be. Hipsters and other clowns will never get that one, and clearly it might be one of the best point of this story. Let's finish on a track which would summary this whole 98 atmosphere, this raw and pure hiphop that we love... Peace & support the artists by buying the album :
BUY CORMEGA ALBUM 'THE TESTAMENT' HERE
- BECRI
