Mason Durell Betha, known professionally as Mase, is an American rapper whose distinctive flow and charismatic presence made him one of the defining voices of late-1990s hip hop. Born on August 27, 1975, in Harlem, New York, Mase first entered the music scene in 1993 when he co-founded the group Children of the Corn alongside fellow New York rappers Cam'ron and Big L. The collective, though short-lived, helped establish his reputation in the underground circuit before he pivoted to form his own group, Harlem World, two years later. That group would eventually sign with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, but it was Mase's solo potential that caught the attention of Sean Combs, then at the height of his powers as the architect of Bad Boy Records.

Signing with Bad Boy in 1996 proved to be the turning point in Mase's career. He quickly became Sean Combs's hype man and a ubiquitous presence on the label's biggest records, most notably delivering a memorable guest verse on the Notorious B.I.G.'s posthumous smash "Mo Money Mo Problems," which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997. His own debut album, Harlem World, released in October of that year, was a massive commercial success, debuting atop the Billboard 200 and earning quadruple platinum certification from the RIAA. The album spawned a string of top ten singles, including "Feel So Good" featuring Kelly Price, "What You Want" featuring Total, and "Lookin' at Me" with Sean Combs. That same year, Mase also appeared on Combs's number one hit "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" and the number two single "Been Around the World," cementing his status as one of the most in-demand rappers in the industry.

Following the whirlwind success of his debut, Mase continued to release music at a rapid pace, dropping his second album, Double Up, in 1999 alongside the Harlem World group project The Movement. Both albums peaked at number eleven on the Billboard 200 and received gold certifications, though they were met with a more mixed critical reception than his debut. Shortly after, Mase shocked the music world by announcing a five-year hiatus from recording to focus on Christian ministry, a decision that saw him step away from the secular rap game at the height of his fame. He returned in 2004 with the album Welcome Back, which peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and was led by the top 40 singles "Welcome Back" and "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" featuring Sean Combs. Despite the moderate success of the comeback, it marked the end of his major-label run, and he parted ways with Bad Boy shortly thereafter.

In the years since, Mase has released music sporadically, with subsequent projects failing to chart, but he has remained a notable figure in hip hop culture. He founded the record label RichFish Records, through which he signed Brooklyn rapper Fivio Foreign in 2019, helping to launch a new generation of drill music talent. In the mid-2020s, Mase re-emerged in the public eye amid Sean Combs's sexual misconduct allegations and criminal trials, openly discussing his past falling out with the mogul and referring to Combs's legal troubles as "payback." His candid commentary reignited interest in his career and legacy, reminding fans of his enduring influence on the sound and style of East Coast rap.