Happy Birthday and Salute to Mase!

Source: Ilya S. Savenok / Getty

Born Mason Durell Betha in Jacksonville, Florida but raised in Harlem, Mase’s first love was basketball. He began rapping alongside childhood friend and eventual Dipset founder, Cam’ron. The two  formed a group called Children of the Corn and rapped under the name Murder Mase.

Although having enough basketball skills to earn himself a scholarship, he decided to pursue a career as a rapper. In Atlanta, Mase landed a meeting with Sean “Diddy” Combs, where a showcase of his lyrical abilities earned him a quarter-of-a-million dollar deal with Bad Boy Entertainment.

His first appearance on a song was in the summer of ’96, when he was featured on the remix to 112’s debut single, “Only You”. Puffy also featured him on the hit, “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems”. Mase became the leading artist off Bad Boy, after the death of Biggie Smalls.

In 1997, Mase dropped his debut album, “Harlem World”. After his second album in 1999, Mase shocked the music world by announcing is retirement, citing a calling from God to become a pastor.

After a five year hiatus, Mase would return to the music game with a new album called “Welcome Back”. He had a much “cleaner” image, even calling himself a “Bad Boy Gone Clean”.

Mase has gone on to leave Bad Boy and create his own record-label, called Rich Fish.

Today we salute and remember Harlem-born and man of God, Mase!