One of the most intriguing and insightful full-length albums to drop during a time when mixtapes were at their apex was Queensbridge legend Cormega’s first studio LP, aptly titled The Realness, released in 2001 on the indie LandSpeed imprint.

With an array of multi-faceted producers such as Queensbridge cohort Havoc of Mobb Deep, DJ J-Love, Sha Money XL, The Alchemist, and even Mega himself, this was the introduction to the life of the street legend that the Hip Hop world first heard about on Nas’ “One Love.” This album also followed Mega’s release from The Firm after only one chance to shine, which was on the epic “Affirmative Action” single alongside Foxy Brown, Nas, and AZ. So The Realness served as a redemption of sorts after being dropped from Def Jam, showing not only that the label made a mistake dropping a stellar artist but also that it missed out on the unveiling of one of the best albums of 2001.

The 15-track hidden gem, ironically one of the most slept-on albums of 2001, contains a slew of classic yet under-the-radar tracks that resonated with core fans of Queensbridge crime rhyme and beyond. Songs like “They Forced My Hand” featuring original Juice Crew member Tragedy Khadafi aka Intelligent Hoodlum, “Thun & Kicko” with the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep, his “5 For 40” a cappella, the classic “R U My Nigga”, his ode to Hip Hop “American Beauty,” “Killaz Theme”, a hidden track featuring Prodigy and Havoc and an entire vibe of “Realness” that could only be given to the people through Cormega’s unique perspective.

Salute to Mega for dropping this important piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Cormega Dropped His Classic Debut Album ‘The Realness’ 23 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Cormega Dropped His Classic Debut Album ‘The Realness’ 23 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

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