Former Badboy rap sensation “Mase” was born Mason Durrell Betha in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1977. At the age of 5 Mase’s family moved to Harlem and later returned to Florida when Mase was 13. However, when he turned 15 he moved back to Harlem and discovered rap while entertaining his high school basketball team. Although Mase was blessed academically and earned a scholarship to State University of New York, education took a back seat to his hip hop aspirations. Initially Mase rapped under the name “Mase Murda” when he was a member of hip hop crew “Children of the Corn” and later went solo and called himself “Mase.
In 1996 Mase met Sean Combs aka “Diddy” at a music conference In Atlanta. Originally, Mase specifically went to meet Jermaine Dupri, but couldn’t manage to connect with him.
Mase immediately began producing for Bad Boy Records and by 1997; his first album went multi platinum. Unfortunately, in 1998 Mase was arrested for disorderly conduct and seemingly was going the way of most rap artist that start living the lyrics that they rap about. However, it appears that Mase got a revelation directly from on high, because before his second album was released, he announced he was retiring from the business. What? Yes, it was true; Mase further stated that the music business was conflicting with the call on his life as a minister of the Gospel.
Fans and critics didn’t know whether this was a publicity stunt or if this was for real. Well, it was for real folk. Mase further proved his sincerity when he didn’t schedule any live performances and opted not to go on tour to promote his second album. As a result the album performed poorly.
That was then and this is now. You can find Pastor Mason Betha ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ via Mason Betha Ministries (MBM) which is the Evangelistic Outreach Ministry of S.A.N.E. Church International. Dr. Mason Betha is located in Atlanta Georgia and states the following concerning his ministry: S.A.N.E was orchestrated by God via Dr. Mason Betha. It is another avenue by which the vision of S.A.N.E. Church International is fulfilled. With the commitment of living, loving, and sharing the infallible word of God, MBM is accomplishing its mission and goals of saving the endangered nations of people by taking the Word to uncommon and undesirable places. As specified by God, MBM ministers not only to the prominent yet spiritually depleted, corporate executive, but also to “the drug addict,” “the drunk,” “the gang-banger,” “the homeless,” etc. Dr. Betha states that “this assignment is not pretty, we just look ‘pretty’ doing it” because our obedience brings all glory and honor to the Father. It further brings light to the darkest of situations, turning bad situations into “pretty” ones, making things that look impossible very possible. For, it is only God who can take any person who is at his lowest and darkest point in life then completely turn him around until he reflects the beauty and light as God originally designed him to do.
Mase came back on the hip hop scene with his third album titled Welcome Back in August, 2004. It caused quite a stir in the secular as well as the Christian world when Mase connected with G-Unit and appeared in a Hip Hop video. Some critics said that Mase compromised the Gospel by re-entering the world of hip hop. As a minister myself I had mixed emotions until I caught Mase on a TBN program where he was ministering about the state of today’s youth. I don’t remember the content of the conversation, I just remember that I was blessed by this speaking spirit called Mase and how God was not only walking with Mase, but speaking through him. The word of God was quick and powerful and piercing coming out of his mouth. It was confirmation that God was indeed doing a new thing in His life. Just as Jesus sat and ate with the sinners and was judged by the religious folks; Mase was being judged by the manner in which he chooses to minister the Word.
If we are to be like Jesus, we’ve got to do the same things Jesus did. Jesus didn’t come for the well, He came for the sick and the church still hasn’t received the revelation of this truth. Maybe they are too busy fighting over positions in the church and trying to impress the Pastor that they are forgetting that there is a dying world out there that needs them. As Mase states on his website; you might have to go into some unlovely places to snatch these lost soul out of the fire. I pray that Mase continues walking in the light of God and keeps speaking life into the hearts of our Youth today. Check out what Mase is up to now at www.sanechurch.org
