Mason Derelle Betha (born August 27, 1977 in Jacksonville, Florida), better known by his stage name Mase, is an American rapper and inspirational speaker. He released his debut album, Harlem World, in 1997 and it went multi-platnium, spawning the singles Feel So Good and What You Want. During the promo tour for his second album, Double Up, he announced his retirement from music. In 2004, under guidance from Diddy he made a relatively successful comeback with the album Welcome Back, but then once again went back to focus on his new career as a preacher. In June 2009 a Mase remix of fellow rapper Drake’s hit single Best I Ever Had surfaced on the internet. When asked about his reason to return to music he cited the untimely death of Michael Jackson, and said that unexpected event had once again lit a fire inside of him and he wanted to start making music again in MJ’s memory.
Raised in Harlem, New York, Mason Betha began his music career as a hardcore gangsta rapper. While in the proto-supergroup “Children of the Corn”, he called himself Murder Mase, rapping alongside Big L, Cam’ron, McGruff and Bloodshed. In 1996, Mase travelled to Atlanta in hope of meeting producer Jermiane Dupri. Instead, he ran into Sean Combs and rapped for him on the spot in a nightclub. Puffy instantly signed Mase to Bad Boy records. His image was refined as Diddy set about developing a marketable pop rapper out of an artist formerly known for violent imagery in his lyrics.
In 1997, Ma$e caught one of his first breaks when he signed with Puffy decided to put Mase into 112’s Only You Remix which instantly showcased the young rappers talent. In that year he recorded and released his first album, Harlem World, which became a multiplatinum 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” (featuring Total), “Lookin’ At Me” (featuring Puff Daddy, produced by The Neptunes), and “24 Hours To Live” (featuring The LOX, Black Rob, & DMX). Notably popular among mainstream audiences, Mase became one of Bad Boy’s premiere acts. |
