Mase
Mase (or
Ma$e; born
August 27,
1978) was an American rapper, best known as sidekick to
Puff Daddy for a brief period before beginning an solo career. Though his first album,
Harlem World, appealed strongly to a mostly new
demographic for
rap, younger children and pre-adolescents due to its simple rhymes and beats, Mase retired in order to become a preacher just before his second album was due for release. Though critics despised his blatant
pop leanings,
Harlem World was a huge hit. His second album,
Double Up was released despite Mase's stated misgivings considering his newfound religious convictions as he became a
born-again Christian. He has since published
Revelations: There's a Light After the Lime.