Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1977),[1] better known by stage
name Mase (often typeset as Ma$e) who was previously known as Murda
Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, television personality and
inspirational speaker. He was an artist on Sean "Diddy" Combs's
hip hop label Bad Boy Records during the late 1990s.
He was introduced as Bad Boy Entertainment's next big artist during
the summer of 1996 when he was featured on the remix to 112's debut
single, "Only You", which peaked at number one on Billboard's
Hot Dance Singles Sales chart as well as its Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Airplay chart. With his soon-to-be-trademarked slow flow, Mase quickly
developed a crossover fan base as he was featured on original tracks,
as well as remixes, by popular R&B artists such as Brian McKnight,
Mariah Carey, Keith Sweat, and Brandy, among others. Puff Daddy (Diddy)
featured Mase on "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems" from The Notorious
B.I.G.'s double-LP Life After Death, the album's biggest hit single.
He then featured Mase on several songs on his own debut album, No
Way Out: the lead single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down",
which hit number one on the Rap, R&B, and Pop charts, as well
as on "Been Around the World", which would also reach number
one on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks. By the time Mase released his
own debut album, Harlem World, in late 1997, the rapper had become
Bad Boy's premier artist, filling the void left by the death of Biggie
Smalls. He is married to Twyla Betha and leads an international ministry.
Rapper Mase was born Mason Durrell Betha in Jacksonville, Florida
on August 27, 1977, moved to Harlem, New York City with his family
at age five, returned to Florida at age 13, and then moved back to
Harlem two years later.[1] Betha was a point guard for the Manhattan
Center High School basketball team and performed as "Murder
Mase" in a rap group called Children of the Corn. Of his ten
childhood friends, eight were murdered and two went to jail. While
attending SUNY Purchase, Mase met hip hop producer Country, was introduced
to producer Sean Combs, and dropped out of college to pursue a rap
career.[2]
[edit] Harlem World
Mase's first solo LP, Harlem World, debuted at #1 on the Billboard
200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.[1]
[edit] Double Up and retirement
Mase's sophomore effort, Double Up, was released in 1999 and distributed
by Bad Boy Records and sold 107,000 copies in its first week, debuting
at #11. Though it reached #5 when popular rap music was dominated
by Master P and his No-Limit crew. Double Up also featured much more
aggressive material. Perhaps no other sign was as clear as a line
in the last song of the album, "From Scratch": "If
I could do it all again, I'd do it all for Christ."
On April 20, 1999, during an interview with Funkmaster Flex on New
York radio station Hot 97, Mase announced his retirement from music
to pursue a calling from God. He felt he was leading people, friends,
kids and others down a path to hell. So he stated that he left to
find God in his heart and follow him. He declared it was time for
him to serve God in his way. He felt that rap was not real and that
he wanted to deal with reality. He stated that its like you become
unhappy with what you do no matter how much it pays.
[edit] Return to music and subsequent controversy
After a five-year hiatus from the music industry, Mase made a comeback
with "Welcome Back" during the summer of 2004. Prior to
the album's release, the rapper was featured on Nelly's "In
My Life," as well as the remix to Fat Joe's "Lean Back".
Mase's third album, Welcome Back, released August 24, 2004. The
album debuted at #4 on the charts, selling 188,000 copies in the
first week; the album would eventually go gold, selling 559,000 copies
in the United States. Released after a five-year break from the rap
scene, the album was a product of Mase's newly developed Christian
persona. Portraying a "cleaner" image during this short-lived
return to the industry, Mase dubbed himself "a Bad Boy gone
clean," on the lead single, also titled "Welcome Back." This
new approach to rap was received with mixed reviews. However, even
though the album was not a commercial success like Harlem World,
the singles, "Welcome Back" and "Breathe, Stretch,
Shake," received moderate radio airplay and video play on BET
and MTV, with the latter reaching #28 on the Billboard Hot 100; both
singles were also certified gold by the RIAA.
Mase for a short time had recorded for G-Unit. He has since said
that working with the group was not something he regrets, but that
the message he was sending was a mistake. He joined G-Unit to appeal
to a different audience so they could see that they could change
just as he did, thinking that "in order to get people where
I'm at, I have to go back to where I once was." Under G-Unit,
he released a "Crucified 4 The Hood: 10 Years of Hate," a
mixtape from the DJ Whoo Kid series, but an official album was never
released. According to 50, Diddy refused to let Mase out of his contract
with Bad Boy for anything less than $2 million. Uncertain that Mase's
album would sell well enough to make up for that type of investment,
50 gave up on trying to bring Mase onto G-Unit.
[edit] Second comeback
Following the formula that worked for him 13 years ago, Mase has
begun to appear on popular R&B artists' remixes. In early June,
he was featured on the last verse of "Uptown Boy" by Harry
O, signed to The Inc., which also features Ron Browz. Weeks later,
Mase appeared on a street remix for Drake's "Best I Ever Had." Mase
stated that since the death of Michael Jackson it has lit the fire
inside him and he is ready to come back. He appeared on Power 105.1
to have a phone conversation with "The Prince of New York" DJ
Self to discuss his latest attempt at a comeback. During this interaction,
former-friend-turned-rival, Jim Jones, called in to make peace and
hinted at the possibility of the two working together in the near
future. Mase would then use that very radio show as his outlet to
release new music throughout the rest of the summer as he'd have
a new song or feature premiere every Friday on DJ Self's show. On
July 3, Mase appeared on the remix to Trey Songz' hit single "I
Need A Girl," where he shouts out "And Diddy told them
that '10 years from now we'll still be on top. I thought I told you
that we won't stop," referring to the line on "Mo' Money,
Mo' Problems."
In October 2009, Mase appeared on a live on-air interview on V-103
with appearance release forms to Bad Boy Records which he gave to
Diddy in the middle of the interview for his signature. Diddy signed
the forms and was quoted: "He has the freedom to go do whatever
he wants to do." However, the forms do not end Mase's contractual
obligations to Bad Boy Records, rather are they allowing him to appear
on songs with artists from other labels.[3]
[edit] Discography
Main article: Mase discography
[edit] Albums
* Harlem World (1997)
* Double Up (1999)
* Welcome Back (2004)
[edit] Compilations
* Children of the Corn: The Collector’s Edition (2003)
[edit] Official Mixtapes
* G-Unit Radio Part 16: Crucified 4 The Hood (2006)
* I Do The Impossible (2009)
[edit] Filmography
Year Title Role
1998 All That Himself
2005 All Of Us Frankie Betha