MASE: Music plays a big role in almost every inner-city kid’s life. Without the music I’d probably be dead now, the way my life was going before I got signed. [Mainstream America] should be happy to see me or Puffy or DMX make as much money as we can. That’s one less n—-r they got to worry about rolling up on them.
You have the reputation of being a very laid-back guy–you rap slowly and you don’t show any emotion. Is that the real Mason, or is that what you want us to see?
For a long time I’ve been a loner, because me caring about somebody meant something bad was going to happen to them. I’ve seen too much go down to think this will last. I don’t get caught up. I rap slow, and people made fun of it, but now you hear more and more rappers slowing down their s–t. I made that happen.
What was your relationship like with [the late Bad Boy rapper] Notorious B.I.G.?
He was the best–he and Tupac. That’s what was so hard about them both dying. As fly as they were, at the end of the day, who really gave a damn? It ain’t stopped no show and the same people are still in charge. Just two n—-rs dead. If we learned anything from that, it was what our worth is in this country. We lost two great ones, they didn’t lose nothing.
Does it concern you to be in Puffy’s shadow?
No, because I do what I do and I’m not worried about being the front man. People ask me how my style is different from Puffy’s style, and I tell them Puffy’s style is my style. I wrote his album and mine. But this ain’t even where I see myself being for long. I want to go back to school and get my degree in psychology so I can go work with kids. That’s what I’m about. Not all this fake s–t, with people kissing your ass today that didn’t even speak to you last month.
Is that why you’re giving it all up?
It’s time for me to serve God in his way. I’ve always known that there was something else out there for me to do. Not just this stuff because, like I said before, this isn’t real and I gotta deal with reality. There’s no other way to stay true to the game–the real game of life.
