Artist profile
Mase
Mason Durell Betha, known professionally as Mase, is an American rapper.
Mase walked in with that Harlem World glow—cool like he already had the keys to the city. This run delivered instant chemistry with the Bad Boy machine: hooks that stick, verses that float, and a style that made the mainstream lean in without losing the block.
The run remains undeniable: “Feel So Good”, “What You Want”, and “Lookin’ at Me” shaped late-1990s radio and video rotation. Then Harlem World debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and moved multi-platinum, confirming major-label star power at full scale.
Mase had that rare combo: playful but sharp, commercial but credible. He could stand next to anybody on the roster and still be the dude you remember first when the beat cut off.
That is star power, and one of the clearest examples of Bad Boy at full shine—Mase helped prove the label could win across radio, charts, and arenas at the same time.
Mase built a chapter here that keeps breathing long after the headlines cooled.
Mason Durell Betha, known professionally as Mase, is an American rapper. The timeline confirms serious output with serious staying power.
Best known for his work with Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 and quickly found mainstream recognition as Combs’ hype man. He guest appeared on Combs’ 1997 single “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down”, which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, while his first two singles as a lead artist, “Feel So Good” and “What You Want”, both peaked within the chart’s top ten.
Mase closes the mase chapter with platinum precision and catalog weight that still hits on replay.
Awards & honors
- Nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (with Diddy ) at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards (February 25, 1998).
- Nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Mo Money Mo Problems" (with The Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy ) at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards (February 25, 1998). "I'll Be Missing You" won the category that night.
Video
Related albums
Harlem World
Ma$e's debut album delivered polished Bad Boy hit-making with major crossover singles.
Lookin' at Me - EP
A focused Ma$e EP release built around "Lookin' at Me" and peak-era Bad Boy momentum.
Double Up
Double Up keeps Mase's 1999 voice center frame—studio dynamics, detail on the third listen.
Welcome Back
Welcome Back (2004) catches Mase mid-sprint: studio craft, hook discipline, zero timid bars.