Mase was an irreplaceable figure in the 1990s, especially when he really began to pop off towards the end of the decade. 1996 was when it all changed for the Harlem, New York native as that's the year he inked a deal with Diddy's Bad Boy Records. He got that contract through his manager having a connection with Puff Daddy and The Notorious B.I.G. From that point on, Mase got to work and began perfecting his craft. As he explains in a recent chat with It Is What It Is co-host, Treasure Wilson, he started learning from the East Coast greats. "I just started working on my flow, working on my bars... delivery," he begins.
"And for six months I studied people like Method Man, LL [COOL J]. I got my ways from Nas, my bounce from Method Man. I got my songwriting from LL... and I just pulled this all together, Redman, Nas, LL..." Eventually, Mase would gain a lot of his knowledge from Biggie, but it took some time. "I wasn't at first listening to Big I was more of Tupac fan, so it was like once I got signed to Bad Boy it was like now I'm with Bad Boy." Once he did come around more to B.I.G., he explains that he allowed him to hear his raps.
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But where he really got the juice was when the "Juicy" MC performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Mase recalls, "He brought me out and that was part that just changed everything. It was like what else could you be solidified by other than the greatest rapper ever to bring you out on stage and say, 'you're the next one.'" He feels like from there he couldn't not make great music for "two years straight." Because of how great things began for him, looking back he feels that his "hand was hotter than probably Drake's." He and Treasure shared a good laugh about that, presumably due to all of the negativity swirling around The Boy.
But he did admit that the Canadian superstar has sustained more success than he has. However, he doubled down on his aforementioned statement adding, "That initial start was hotter than Drake's. I say that so somebody can see. Not for the algorithm but for them to see the level of heat." On a more serious note, though, he took a moment to thank the late icon for giving him that opportunity to shine. Mase also said that he is looking forward to going to Biggie's mother's funeral, who tragically passed away at the age of 72 in February. But yes, Mase was that guy back then being a part of major hits like "Mo Money Mo Problems" and "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down." But his solo catalog was also huge. "Feel so Good," "What You Want," "All I Ever Wanted," the list goes on and on. Harlem World, his debut album, also went on to sell four million copies.
