The Return of Mase

For as predictable as hip-hop can be at times, it’s just as unpredictable. Five years removed from one of the mase infamous radio interviews ever and four from this picture, chances are many doubted ever seeing these two in a recording booth ever again. Who knew when I took this picture in February 2005 on a hot day in Miami, that a few years later these guys would would actually be planning a comeback of sorts…at least so it seemed.

The return of Mase (again) to the realm of hip-hop is essentially too little, too late. At this point, Mase’s character, more than his music, has turned people away permanently, including myself. The rapper-preacher-rapper-preacher-and now rapper again act is tired, played out and down right unacceptable (seeing as how I am a Catholic). Hearing the two (Mase and Cam) on the same track again obviously resonates memories of a fond past, but at this point, not many people yearn to hear what he has to say. Even if he resorts back to his “Murda Mase” days, he still has a congregation in Atlanta to account for, making him look like an even larger hypocrite in the end. It’s a lose-lose situation all-around.

His recent interview with Miss Info proved to be more propaganda than fact. Claims of a “much bigger project” were shot down by Cam himself only hours later, thus adding another chink in Betha’s already war-torn armor. If that wasn’t already enough ammunition against the former leader of Harlem World, his claims of Michael Jackson’s death inspiring him to return to hip-hop and become the “greatest entertainer in the world” were, for the lack of a better term, foolish.

To simply put it, Mase is irrelevant. His stint with 50 failed miserably and now a reunion with Cam seems to be working, just not in the capacity he had envisioned. As Jim Jones said in 2004, “Go back to your congregation in Atlanta.”

This hip-hop sh*t just isn’t for you anymore, Mase.