What did Puff do to make you so mad? How did he wrong you, if he did? And what does “doing dirty” even mean if he helped launch your career?
Let me take my shades off; this is important. Mase was the talk of the town, one of the biggest stars from Diddy’s label, Bad Boy Records. He was a major moneymaker for Diddy. But, like many artists before him, things went south, and Mase ended up broke, without a penny to his name. To this day, Mase blames Diddy for manipulating him and ruining his career.
So, what exactly went wrong, and will Diddy ever apologize for what he did to Mase? Let’s break it all down. Why should we keep supporting these gatekeepers who have done nothing but exploit us and use our talents for their own gain and their children’s gain?
Until then, I’m signing off. This is Mase. This is Mason Bethel. However you know me, that’s how you know me.
It all started in 1996 when Mase dropped out of college to pursue his music career full-time. His sister’s station introduced him to Cuda Love, a road manager for The Notorious B.I.G. Cuda then took Mase to Atlanta, where he freestyled for both Jermaine Dupri and Diddy. Although Jermaine made Mase an offer to sign to his label, Diddy’s offer was irresistible—a $250,000 contract with $50K up front.
After signing with Bad Boy Records, Mase quickly made his mark by appearing in the music video for 112’s “Only You” alongside The Notorious B.I.G. He also featured on Diddy’s hit singles “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” and “Been Around the World,” as well as Biggie’s chart-topping “Mo Money Mo Problems.” His debut album, “Harlem World,” was a huge success, selling 275,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. Mase also contributed significantly to Diddy’s and the family’s joint album “No Way Out” as a songwriter.
Despite his success and the royalties from his songwriting, Mase wasn’t as financially secure as one might expect. The first to notice this was Biggie, who had also signed a disadvantageous contract with Bad Boy Records early in his career. Biggie’s mother revealed in her memoir that he received only $25,000 upon signing with Bad Boy. Determined not to let Mase suffer the same fate, Biggie, who co-owned Undeas Recording and Entertainment with Lance “Un” Rivera, took action. The company managed big names like Lil’ Kim and Lil’ Cease, and Biggie instructed Lance to pay Mase $30,000 to write five songs for Lil’ Cease.
Meanwhile, the tension from the East Coast-West Coast feud was escalating. Mase attempted to stay neutral, but the growing hostility between Bad Boy and Death Row made this increasingly difficult, especially after Tupac’s death. Six months later, Biggie traveled to L.A. for a music video shoot and promotional activities for his upcoming album. He decided to extend his stay by one night to attend the Soul Train Awards. However, Mase received warnings from Death Row associates that the feud was far from over. Concerned, he informed Diddy, who didn’t take the warning seriously. Tragically, just 24 hours later, Biggie was shot four times and killed in L.A.
The death of Biggie had a profound impact on Mase, as Biggie was one of the few people who truly looked out for him. In the wake of this loss, Mase released his album “Harlem World,” which went on to sell over 4 million copies in the U.S. Without Biggie’s support, Mase began exploring ways to earn money outside of Bad Boy Records. He formed a group called Harlem World and established his own record label, All Out Records, with Jermaine Dupri. Harlem World was the first act signed to his label, and they released their debut album, “The Movement,” in 1999.
Mase later appeared on Funkmaster Flex’s radio show to promote his second album, “Double Up.” During the interview, Funkmaster Flex revealed that Mase was planning to retire from music after the album’s release. When asked if the retirement rumors were true, Mase responded:
“Happy. You know, a lot of people gonna say I’m crazy, I’m leaving money behind, and a lot of things. You know how I felt in my heart. Once God puts something in your heart, you know.”
After retiring from rap, Mase went back to college and eventually became a pastor. He married a woman named Twyla, and together they started their own church. However, his life as a pastor and his marriage were short-lived. After stepping down as a pastor, Mase returned to the music studio and resumed his rap career. He made a comeback with his 2004 album “Welcome Back” and even attempted to sign with 50 Cent’s label, G-Unit Records. However, Diddy demanded $2 million to release Mase from his Bad Boy contract, while 50 Cent was only willing to pay $1 million. 50 Cent commented, “He said 2 million. I was like, ‘Mase ain’t worth 2 million with 2 million in his pocket. Are you crazy?'”
After his deal fell through and his comeback album flopped, Mase left the rap game again. Rumors started flying about why he quit. Some said he was scared he might be the next target if he kept hanging out with Diddy, who had plenty of enemies. It wasn’t too hard to believe that if someone wanted to get at Diddy, they might go after those close to him.
In 2009, Mase came back, determined to end the misery he felt Diddy had caused him. While Diddy was on a press tour with his group Dirty Money, Mase showed up with a stack of papers. People who were there said he demanded Diddy sign them to release him from Bad Boy Entertainment. Surprisingly, Diddy did, and Mase was finally free after over a decade of struggle.
But it wasn’t a complete victory. The papers Diddy signed only gave Mase a year of freedom. It wasn’t until 2012 that they finally reached a deal, and Mase was truly free. He even joined Diddy for the Bad Boy Reunion Tour in 2016. But don’t get too excited—by 2020, they were feuding again. Mase blasted Diddy for paying him just $20,000 during his time at Bad Boy Records and for refusing his $2 million offer to buy back his publishing rights unless he matched a higher bid from a European investor.
Mase didn’t hold back. In his song “The Oracle,” he aimed directly at Diddy, rapping, “We ain’t gang, we ain’t gods, we ain’t family, we ain’t foes, and we definitely not bros. We ain’t nothing.”
Diddy fired back during an interview on The Breakfast Club, denying he ever took money from Mase. “There’s been a lot of negative stuff said about me that’s just not true, trying to mess up my reputation. I’m not the type to air out personal business, but when I hear stuff like this, it really gets to me.”
Diddy didn’t stop there. He called Mase a fake pastor and a con artist. “I did one album with Mase. Just one. How much money do you think I owe him for that? One album. Then he goes off and becomes a fake pastor, conning people. And now, he’s trying to drag my name through the mud?”
Diddy also claimed that Mase still owes him $3 million. He said that Mase was given a $3 million advance to make a second album under Bad Boy, but since that album didn’t succeed, he never got his money back. “That’s a fact. I’ve got the receipts. He was paid to do a second album, never delivered. Did the album, never delivered.”
But people weren’t buying Diddy’s version of the story and still accused him of ruining Mase’s career. One person said, “Love Diddy, Puffy, Fruity, or whatever he calls himself, he’s the worst human being in Hip Hop. He is the devil. He complains about there not being an artist he hasn’t robbed or exploited.” Another person jumped in and said, “It’s crazy that Diddy can give Young Miami over 200k a month but can’t even right the wrongs with the people that helped him get where he is today. I don’t know one song he sings by himself, so he’s clearly not the mastermind he thinks he is.”
So, what do you think about this whole fiasco? How do you feel about Mase exposing Diddy for exploiting him and leaving him broke? Do you think Mase will ever forgive Diddy for ruining his career? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below