Mase

Biography

• Mase (born August 27, 1977) is the stage name of American hip-hop rapper and songwriter Mason Betha, hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.

  Born in Jacksonville, Florida, but raised in Harlem, New York City until the age of 13, young Mase’s earliest hip-hop excursion came as a member of the rap group Children of the Corn alongside Big L and Cam’ron in 1993. The rapper subsequently attended the State University of New York on a basketball scholarship, before being introduced to Sean Combs and dropping out. Originally performing under the moniker Mase Murder, the rapper signed with Sean Comb’s Bad Boy Entertainment, and made his debut on Combs’ remix of the 112 single “Only You”. Bad Boy Entertainment’s marketing machine was in full motion by this point, and before Mase could release any original material of his own he had appeared on songs by Mariah Carey, Brian McKnight, and Busta Rhymes.

  Mase’s debut album “Harlem World” hit the shelves toward the tail-end of 1997 featuring a host of high-profile appearances including Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, 112, DMX, and Lil’ Cease. Spending its first two weeks atop the Billboard 200, the four-times platinum album was a smash hit, aided by the singles “Feels So Good” and “What You Want”. The rapper continued to contribute to other artists’ music including on Brandy’s “Top of the World”, Cam’ron’s “Horse and Carriage”, 112’s “Love Me”, and Puff Daddy’s “Lookin’ at Me”, later forming his own rap group named Harlem World, who issued their debut album “The Movement” in 1999. The rapper’s sophomore album “Double Up” arrived shortly after in June 1999, debuting at No. 11 on the Billboard 200. Led by the single “Get Ready”, Mase shocked audiences following its release announcing he was retiring from music and was to pursue a calling from God.

  Following a five-year hiatus in which Mase appeared only on Nelly’s “In My Life” and Fat Joe’s “Lean Back”, Mase returned to release his third album “Welcome Back” in August 2004. Featuring his Christian persona the album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, supported by the singles “Welcome Back” and “Breathe, Stretch, Shake”. Following time spent with G-Unit, where he released the mixtape “Crucified 4 The Hood: 10 Years of Hate”, Mase began rekindling his flame by appearing on popular R&B remixes by the likes of Drake and Trey Songz.

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