Harold Stallworth is looking at the front door.
“Remember when” might be the lowest form of conversation, but it’s also the most engaging strain of rap music. Cormega’s last album, Mega Philosophy, which was produced entirely by Large Professor, could have benefited from a healthy dash of “remember when,” a bit of anecdotal evidence to drive home its talking points. Cormega’s misadventures in the music business—particularly through the late ‘90s, when he was ousted from The Firm and effectively shelved by Def Jam—are the stuff of legend. But on Mega Philosophy, his finger-wagging at the industry came off as impersonal to the point of detachment.
To Large Professor’s credit, Mega Philosophy was in large part beautifully produced—an all too common case of the right beats for the wrong artist. The latest leak from Re:Living, his first solo album since 2012’s Professor at Large, continues his streak of great production. And whereas much of his recent work with Cormega had a cold, distant quality about it, “Opulence” is like the trailer to a great biopic that, unfortunately, doesn’t exist.
