Ma$e: A Historical Perspective

Stoned Starks · Post by **Stoned Starks** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:28 am

One of the greatest talents ever? A classic case of Puffy hype over 80's jams? The third best member of COC? The best member of COC? A rapper who has aged incredibly well? A tired, retread who got torn apart by Cam'rom and company in 04 (05? Who cares?)?

Where do you stand on Ma$e in 2012?

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:31 am

i always thought mase was painfully average who got by on his charimsa and lazy half-tard flow which was deemed cool at the time. he might not have been even top 4 of COC.

Stoned Starks · Post by **Stoned Starks** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:38 am

Philaflava wrote:i always thought mase was painfully average who got by on his charimsa and lazy half-tard flow which was deemed cool at the time. he might not have been even top 4 of COC.

Interesting. I feel like he's aged incredibly well. In particular one song on the COC comp that came out years ago (I believe its track 17 on that particular album; the one with the simple guitar line, and he's got a line like, "I want bricks so thick you cut em with machetes") shows the potential. In a lot of ways I think that Puffy squandered Ma$e's talent for own personal gain. What's new.

That said, he has some pretty great contributions to both dope club songs and hardcore underground tracks.

step one · Post by **step one** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:42 am

Philaflava wrote:i always thought mase was painfully average who got by on his charimsa and lazy half-tard flow which was deemed cool at the time. he might not have been even top 4 of COC.

Some good songs but that was mainly thanks to the Puffy/Bad Boy input.
He strikes me as being a bit of an idiot.

Angie Martinez: you said rap music is the devil.
Mase: yeah
Angie Martinez: do you think that rap music is the devil?
Mase: No
Jim Jones: oh my god....

Stoned Starks · Post by **Stoned Starks** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:47 am

For argument's sake can we take everything but his musical output out of this conversation?

Jiggy Era Ma$e>>>Jiggy Era Jigga. If he hadn't gone Pastoral does he have a better career?

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:00 am

Murda Ma$e is overrated by internet dudes and dwellers of Lenox Avenue - Bad Boy Betha was a much better rapper and probably NY's best songwriter from Can't Hold Me Down in '97 to Get Ready in '99.

Harlem World is a classic album and, song for song, it's a much stronger debut than Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous.

"Yo, I can't get mad 'cause you look at me
'cause, on the real, look at me.."

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Versive · Post by **Versive** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:02 am

Stoned Starks · Post by **Stoned Starks** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:04 am

Balkongen Loungin' wrote:Harlem World is a classic album and, song for song, it's a much stronger debut than Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous.

Tical Swords · Post by **Tical Swords** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:17 am

Didn't Ma$e say he wrote Big L's lyrics or some thing along those lines.

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:17 am

Also need to mention that Ma$e and Puffy on tracks together were probably the best rapping duo of the late 90s after OutKast. Rick Martel levels of spraying arrogance.

Larry2times · Post by **Larry2times** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:18 am

If he hadn't embarrassed himself in public so often by switching ethos/style/allegiances/religion every year or two and picking up tranny prostitutes I think the internet revisionists would've been much kinder on 97 Ma$e. The waters just been muddied so much that people often miss how great he was back then.

C.O.C. weren't very good for the most part imo.

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:24 am

If we're gonna talk about his comeback, this was the only good joint to come from that period. Despite what Youtube sez this was a Ma$e song with an AZ cameo and not vice versa :

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I always thought 50 Cent should have given Window Shopper to Ma$e during the brief dalliance with G-Unit because his flow/steez would've been perfect for that song/concept.

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step one · Post by **step one** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:26 am

Stoned Starks wrote: Jiggy Era Ma$e>>>Jiggy Era Jigga

No.

Larry2times · Post by **Larry2times** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:33 am

step one wrote:
Stoned Starks wrote: Jiggy Era Ma$e>>>Jiggy Era Jigga
No.

I assume hes counting Reasonable Doubt-era Jay as jiggy era but whatever man, 97-99 Jay >>>>>>> Mase, Reasonable Doubt, The Lox, the whole state of Florida and that Will Smith song.

Balzac · Post by **Balzac** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:48 am

he dumbed down his flow from the COC days. he was so much better back then.

DLG · Post by **DLG** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:56 am

I always thought that he slowed down his delivery in order to mask his lisp

ANU · Post by **ANU** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:00 am

harlme wolrd is a classic, double up is great

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:01 am

Balzac wrote:he dumbed down his flow from the COC days. he was so much better back then.

No, really, he didn't and he wasn't. People who've never really listened to COC always trot that theory out, but he was a 2nd rate Big L with a laughable grimey vocal styling in those days.

Puffy took him back to the Harlem essence of cats like Spoonie Gee, The Super 3 and Dr Jeckyll & Mr Hyde when he signed to Bad Boy and he became a much better artist and a far sharper lyricist as a result.

Career Over Like Mike(NJJ) · Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:09 am

And he even sounded better as Murda Ma$e under Puffy's tutelage than he did in the COC days :

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step one · Post by **step one** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:11 am

"Mase was awesome when he was in COC" belongs to the same school of thought as "Black Eyed Peas were good before Fergie joined"

Tical Swords · Post by **Tical Swords** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 9:19 am

Gyangsta 4 Life · Post by **Gyangsta 4 Life** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 10:11 am

Ma$e was dope. Perfect for the role he played. No way was he better than jiggy-era Jigga, though. Don't be crazy.

And Welcome Back had joints.

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The G-Unit stint I didn't pay much attention to.

Piff Tannen · Post by **Piff Tannen** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:15 am

paging magneto

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:17 am

Balkongen Loungin' wrote:
"Yo, I can't get mad 'cause you look at me
'cause, on the real, look at me.."

First thing that popped in my mind when I saw the thread title.
I hated Mase when he dropped (as I was one of "those" rap fans back then) but I grew to appreciated him later on. His albums weren't great but he had some really dope songs prior to his mental breakdown.

GUCCI CONDOMS · Post by **GUCCI CONDOMS** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:22 am

mase music has aged wonderfully, and if he wasn't such a cornball he would musically fit right in with current dipset/UN/byrd gang

The Rapping Coffin · Post by **The Rapping Coffin** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:23 pm

Balkongen Loungin' wrote:Also need to mention that Ma$e and Puffy on tracks together were probably the best rapping duo of the late 90s after OutKast. Rick Martel levels of spraying arrogance.

Been Around the World remix w/ Carl Thomas > *

step one · Post by **step one** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:30 pm

Race Car Bed Sleeping Rapist Virgin wrote:mase music has aged wonderfully, and if he wasn't such a cornball he would musically fit right in with current dipset/UN/byrd gang

Yup, theres a lot of similarities between Max B and Mase as far as flow and delivery goes.
Mase is/was kind of corny though.

Employee · Post by **Employee** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:34 pm

For a long time I thought he suffered from learning disabilities.

A Kid · Post by **A Kid** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:50 pm

Mase was dope to me. I was a big fan of the G Unit era as well. It was hilarious he spit gangsta again only to go back to the pulpit.

Magneto · Post by **Magneto** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:34 pm

Corny nigga, great rapper