Ma$e was an integral part of Bad Boy during their prime, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t prefer other artists before joining the collective. The 49-year-old rapper recently revealed his preference for 2Pac over The Notorious B.I.G before standing side-by-side with the late Brooklyn rapper.
During a recent episode of It Is What It Is, the “Feel So Good” artist opened up about his early days as a rapper. Before getting signed to Bad Boy, he worked on his flow, delivery, and bars by studying greats such as LL Cool J, Method Man, and Nas. Though he credits his songwriting to LL, his bounce to Meth, and his waves to Nas, there was one guy in particular he simply enjoyed listening to.
“I wasn’t at first listening to Big. I was more like a 2Pac fan,” he admitted. “So when I got signed to Bad Boy, it was like, ‘Now I’m with Bad Boy, but [I’m] really a 2Pac fan.’” Nonetheless, being aligned with Biggie helped his craft and overall starpower significantly. “Biggie was letting me hear his raps… And I learned so much about rap like that,” Ma$e added. “And then one day, he was performing at the Apollo, and he brought me out, and that was the part that just changed everything.”
Ma$e would go on to work with The Notorious B.I.G. on records like “Mo Money Mo Problems,” “Been Around The World,” and “Only You.” He also released all three of his studio albums, Harlem World, Double Up, and Welcome Back, while under Bad Boy Records.
Most recently, his career has taken off as a sports and culture commentator alongside Cam’ron on It Is What It Is. Their humor and wit have created a strong following, but also some rivalries. Jim Jones recently body-shamed the veteran rapper as part of his ongoing feud with Killa Cam.
“He need to go on a diet,” Jones told XXL. “He need to get his life together. He need to go to the doctor and get a physical. He look terrible. Ni**a look big around the neck, waist look crazy. I’m body-shaming this ni**a. He need to go get his sh*t together, get on the treadmill, do some push-ups, do something, especially if you’re playing with me. You gonna need it.”
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