Cormega - The Realness

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If rap's a hustle and only the strong survive, then Cormega must be an ironman. Better known for what he hasn't appeared on, 'Mega's name first came to light when Nasty Nas mentioned during "One Love" that he'd been incarcerated. Then came his much-publicized non-tenure with Nas's supergroup, The Firm. After years of dealing with street-music biz madness, Cormega has taken his time to craft The Realness. Similar in theme to his friend Prodigy's H.N.I.C., The Realness mainly deals with day-to-day life in the ghetto, while throwing a sideways nod to industry drama and the art of rhyming. On first listen, this might seem to be little more than that ol' bittersweet thug reflection people love to indulge in, but the quiet beats and somber lyrics will grow on you. The real gem here is "American Beauty," a succinct, multidimensional breakdown of the development of hip-hop at the hand of her creators. Are you listening, Nas?

01. Dramatic Entrance
02. American Beauty
03. Thun & Kicko feat. Prodigy of Mobb Deep
04. The Saga
05. R U My Nigga?
06. Unforgiven
07. Fallen Soldiers
08. Glory Days
09. Rap's A Hustle
10. Get Out My Way
11. You Don't Want It
12. 5 For 40
13. They Forced My Hand feat. Tragedy Khadafi
14. Fallen Soldiers (Remix)

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