|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 “Mase Murder”, 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. 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. 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. 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 females. 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.”[3] After much speculation, he appeared at a concert in Madison Square Garden wearing a G-Unit spinning necklace. 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. |
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