Mase

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This article is about the rapper. For the municipality in Switzerland, see Mase, Switzerland.

Mase

Background information
Birth name	Mason Betha
Born	October 27, 1977 (age 29)
Origin	Harlem, New York City, New York
Genre(s)	Hip hop
Years active	1996–1999, 2004–
Label(s)	Bad Boy The Union Party

Mason Durrell Betha (born August 27, 1977 in Jacksonville, Florida),^[1] known by stage name Ma$e, is an American rapper, best known as an artist on Sean "Diddy" Combs' hip hop label Bad Boy Records during the late 1990s. Mase also briefly associated himself with G-Unit and recorded songs with several members of the label, despite not being officially signed.

1 Biography
2 Retirement
3 Controversy
- 3.1 Welcome Back: His Return
4 Discography
- 4.1 Albums
5 External links

[edit] Biography

Raised in Harlem, New York, Mason Betha began his music career as a gangsta rapper. Originally a member of Children of the Corn, he called himself "Murder Mase," rapping alongside Big L, Cam'ron, McGruff and Bloodshed. In 1996, he traveled to Atlanta for a music conference, hoping to hook up with Jermaine Dupri; instead, he met Sean Combs, who signed him to Bad Boy after hearing him rap. His image was refined as Combs set about developing a marketable pop rapper out of an artist formerly known for violent imagery in his lyrics.^{[citation needed]}

That same year, Mase was featured on a remix of 112's "Only You," which instantly showcased the young rapper's talent. In 1997, he recorded and released his first album, Harlem World, which became a multi-platinum success, and featured the hit single "Feel So Good," which included a prominent sample of Kool & the Gang's "Hollywood Swinging" and the chorus from Miami Sound Machine's "Bad Boy". Other successful Harlem World singles included "What You Want," "Lookin' at Me," and "24 Hours to Live." Notably popular among mainstream audiences, Mase became one of the label's premiere acts.

[edit] Retirement

On April 20, 1999,^[2] during an interview with Funkmaster Flex of New York radio station Hot 97, Mase announced his retirement from music. This was during the promotional period for his sophomore album, Double Up, and its lead single, "Get Ready". The rapper declared himself a born-again Christian and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he would study at Clark Atlanta University. Mase received an honorary Th.D from St. Paul's Bible Institute in New York and addresses himself as Dr. Mason Betha. He is the founder and pastor of both S.A.N.E. (Saving a Nation Endangered) Church International and Mason Betha Ministries in Atlanta. He also became a member of World Changers Church International in the Atlanta suburb of College Park.

[edit] Controversy

[edit] Welcome Back: His Return

After a five-year absence, Mase returned to music and Bad Boy Records with Welcome Back, and the like-titled single, which contained a sample from the television series Welcome Back, Kotter. Despite returning to secular entertainment, the rapper still claimed the status of a pastor. Thus, the album contained no curse words and was not derogatory in any way toward women.

About a year after his Welcome Back album hit stores, it was rumored that Mase had defected to G-Unit under his old persona of "Murder Mase." After much speculation, he appeared at a concert in Madison Square Garden wearing a G-Unit spinning medallion. In addition to being featured on the Get Rich or Die Tryin' soundtrack, Mase can be seen in 50 Cent's video for "Window Shopper" and also has his own G-Unit Radio mixtape.

Mase's current single is titled "Extraordinary," and can be heard on his official MySpace page. Its accompanying music video is currently in production.

[edit] Discography

Main article: Mase discography

[edit] Albums

Album cover	Album information
	Harlem World Released: October 28, 1997 Chart positions: #1 US RIAA Certification: 4x Platinum Singles: "Feel So Good," "What You Want," "Lookin' at Me"
	Double Up Released: June 15, 1999 Chart positions: #11 US RIAA Certification: Gold Singles: "Get Ready"
	Welcome Back Released: August 24, 2004 Chart positions: #4 US RIAA Certification: Gold Singles: "Welcome Back," "Breathe, Stretch, Shake"
	The Suicide Note Released: 2007 Chart positions: TBR RIAA Certification: Singles: "Extraordinary"