The best known is the rapper, whose extensive Wikipedia page has been partly copied below.
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975),[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, actor and inspirational speaker. He was an artist on Sean "Diddy" Combs's hip hop label Bad Boy Records. 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[citation needed] 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.
Contents
[hide]
1 Early life
2 Career
2.1 Harlem World
2.2 Double Up and retirement
2.3 Return to music and subsequent controversy
2.4 Second comeback
3 Discography
3.1 Albums
3.2 Compilations
3.3 Official Mixtapes
3.4 Filmography
4 References
5 External links
[edit] Early life
Rapper Mase was born Mason Durell Betha in Jacksonville, Florida on August 27, 1975, 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 in 1993 he performed as "Murder Mase" in a rap group called Children of the Corn which also included successful solo artists Big L and Cam'ron (at the time known as Killa Cam). Of his ten childhood friends, eight were murdered and two went to prison. 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] Career
[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, stating that he left to find God in his heart and follow him.[citation needed] He declared it was time for him to serve God in his way, saying rap was not real and that he wanted to deal with reality, and that he had become unhappy with what he did, no matter how much it paid.[citation needed]
[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 earlier, Mase has begun to appear on popular R&B artists' remixes. In early June 2009, 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, 2009, 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, but rather allow him to appear on songs with artists from other labels.[3]
Phone Conversation
Mase Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dre get the phone!
[Mase:] Chill Dre I got it. Hello?
[OREON:] Hello?
[MASE:] Yeah, who this?
[OREON:] It's Oreon, Hi Mase!
[MASE:] Oh, whassup you miss me?
[MASE:] What time?
[OREON:] Whatever time is good for you.
[MASE:] Whassup wit 7:00?
[OREON:] 7:00 is good.
[MASE:] Hold on, hold on, hold on. Hello?
[GINA:] Hello?
[MASE:] Who this?
[GINA:] This' Gina.
[MASE:] Gina whassup you miss me?
[GINA:] Yeah.
[MASE:] So tonight, you tryin' to see me?
[GINA:] No doubt. Wuz up wit you?
[MASE:] I don't know. Wuz up?
[GINA:] What you mean you don't know.
[MASE:] It's gonna hafta be later cause
I was sposta be goin' somewhere wit wit my brothas.
[GINA:] How late is late?
[MASE:] Like 11:00?
[GINA:] Oh, that's good.
[MASE:] Hold on 'cause I got my mother on the other line alright. Hello?
[OREON:] Yes baby.
[MASE:] Wuz up. So I think I'ma be able to do it at 7:00.
[OREON:] 7:00 is good?
[MASE:] Yeah where you want me to pick you up?
[OREON:] I'll be in front of the building.
[MASE:] Alright hold on my man on the other line. Alright?
[OREON:] Okay.
[MASE:] Yo, Oreon?
[GINA:] Who the fuck is Oreon? What happened to your mother?
[MASE:] You know I was just playin' Lis- oops.
[GINA:] Who the fuck is Lisa? Motherfucker you must of lost your mind!
[MASE:] You know I was sayin' that shit to get you mad.
[GINA:] Oh, you want to be callin' names motherfucker
The real nigga I wanted was Puffy but he didn't come to the club
That night fool, I know that make you real mad!
[Gina hangs up the phone hard]
Mase's Phone Conversation is a dialogue between the rapper and two women, Oreon and Gina, who both want to see him. This song narrates a phone call from the rapper's perspective; he picks up the phone and talks to his two love interests. Oreon, the first woman on the phone, misses Mase and wants to see him that night. They agree to meet at 7 pm, and she tells him she will be in front of the building. While still on the phone with Oreon, Gina calls. She also misses him and wants to know if they can see each other that night. He tells her it would have to be later, around 11 pm. He then puts her on hold to talk to Oreon once more, confirming they will meet at 7 pm.
However, the conversation takes a sharp turn when Gina finds out about Oreon, and she becomes angry. She asks who Oreon is, what happened to his mother, and who Lisa is. Mase tries to explain by saying that he was only playing with her and that he said those things to make her mad. But Gina retaliates by telling him that Puffy was the real person she wanted to see, but he didn't come to the club that night. She then ends the call abruptly, leaving Mase hanging.
The song captures the complex emotions and dynamics in dating relationships. It shows how people can quickly shift from being loving and caring to feeling angry and hurt. It also portrays how people can use jealousy and possessiveness to try and control the person they are dating.
Line by Line Meaning
[phone ringing]
The phone is ringing.
[Mase:] Chill Dre I got it. Hello?
Mase answers the phone.
[OREON:] Hello?
Oreon speaks to Mase.
[MASE:] Yeah, who this?
Mase asks for the caller's identity.
[OREON:] It's Oreon, Hi Mase!
Oreon identifies herself and greets Mase.
[MASE:] Oh, whassup you miss me?
Mase asks if Oreon misses him.
[OREON:] Yeah I miss you, I'm tryin' to see you tonight.
Oreon expresses her desire to see Mase that night.
[MASE:] What time?
Mase asks for a specific time to meet.
[OREON:] Whatever time is good for you.
Oreon offers Mase the freedom to choose a meeting time.
[MASE:] Whassup wit 7:00?
Mase suggests a specific time of 7:00 PM.
[OREON:] 7:00 is good.
Oreon agrees to meet at 7:00 PM.
[MASE:] Hold on, hold on, hold on. Hello?
Mase receives a call waiting notification and puts Oreon on hold.
[GINA:] Hello?
Gina speaks to Mase.
[MASE:] Who this?
Mase asks for the caller's identity.
[GINA:] This' Gina.
Gina identifies herself to Mase.
[MASE:] Gina whassup you miss me?
Mase asks if Gina misses him.
[GINA:] Yeah.
Gina affirms that she misses Mase.
[MASE:] So tonight, you tryin' to see me?
Mase asks if Gina would like to see him that night.
[GINA:] No doubt. Wuz up wit you?
Gina agrees to see Mase and asks for his plans.
[MASE:] I don't know. Wuz up?
Mase doesn't have specific plans and asks for Gina's ideas.
[GINA:] What you mean you don't know.
Gina questions Mase's uncertainty.
[MASE:] It's gonna hafta be later cause I was sposta be goin' somewhere wit wit my brothas.
Mase explains that he has plans with his friends later in the night.
[GINA:] How late is late?
Gina asks for the specific meeting time.
[MASE:] Like 11:00?
Mase suggests meeting at 11:00 PM.
[GINA:] Oh, that's good.
Gina agrees to meet at 11:00 PM.
[MASE:] Hold on 'cause I got my mother on the other line alright. Hello?
Mase receives another call waiting notification and puts Gina on hold.
[OREON:] Yes baby.
Oreon speaks to Mase again.
[MASE:] Wuz up. So I think I'ma be able to do it at 7:00.
Mase informs Oreon that he can meet at 7:00 PM.
[OREON:] 7:00 is good?
Oreon confirms that 7:00 PM is still good for her.
[MASE:] Yeah where you want me to pick you up?
Mase inquires about the meeting location.
[OREON:] I'll be in front of the building.
Oreon specifies the meeting location.
[MASE:] Alright hold on my man on the other line. Alright?
Mase puts Oreon on hold to receive another call.
[OREON:] Okay.
Oreon acknowledges Mase's request.
[MASE:] Yo, Oreon?
Mase speaks to Oreon again.
[GINA:] Who the fuck is Oreon? What happened to your mother?
Gina interrupts the call and demands to know who Oreon is and what happened to Mase's mother.
[MASE:] You know I was just playin' Lis- oops.
Mase tries to cover up his mistake by playing it off as a joke.
[GINA:] Who the fuck is Lisa? Motherfucker you must of lost your mind!
Gina becomes enraged and demands to know who Lisa is.
[MASE:] You know I was sayin' that shit to get you mad.
Mase admits to saying something to intentionally upset Gina.
[GINA:] Oh, you want to be callin' names motherfucker The real nigga I wanted was Puffy but he didn't come to the club That night fool, I know that make you real mad!
Gina reveals that she wanted to see Puffy instead of Mase and that he didn't show up, which enrages Mase even more.
[Gina hangs up the phone hard]
Gina angrily hangs up the phone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MASON BETHA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind