Mase Harlem World CD

Explicit Lyrics

Personnel includes: Mase, Puff Daddy, The Lox, Total, Monifah, Billy Lawrence, Eightball & MJG, DMX, Lil' Kim, Busta Ryhmes, Lil' Cease, Jay-Z, Black Rob, 112 (rap vocals); Carlos "Six July" Broady (piano); J-Dub (programming); DJ Iroc (scratches); Kelly Price (background vocals).
Producers include: Sean "Puffy" Combs, Jermaine Dupri, J-Dub, Ron Lawrence, Deric Angelettie.
Engineers include: Ben Garrison, Stephen Dent, Doug Wilson.
Principally recorded at Daddy's House Recording Studio, Chung King Studios and The Hit Factory, New York, New York; Doppler Studios and Krosswire Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.
HARLEM WORLD was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Album.
Personnel includes: Mase, Puff Daddy, The Lox, Total, Monifah, Billy Lawrence, Eightball & MJG, DMX, Lil' Kim, Busta Ryhmes, Lil' Cease, Jay-Z, Black Rob, 112 (rap vocals); Carlos "Six July" Broady (piano); J-Dub (programming); DJ Iroc (scratches); Kelly Price (background vocals).
Producers include: Sean "Puffy" Combs, Jermaine Dupri, J-Dub, Ron Lawrence, Deric Angelettie.
Engineers include: Ben Garrison, Stephen Dent, Doug Wilson.
Principally recorded at Daddy's House Recording Studio, Chung King Studios and The Hit Factory, New York, New York; Doppler Studios and Krosswire Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.
HARLEM WORLD was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Album.
Personnel: Mase (rap vocals); Kelly Price (vocals); Carlos "6 July" Broady (piano); J-Dub (programming); DJ Iroc (scratches).
Audio Mixers: Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander ; Jermaine Dupri; Lane Craven; Michael Patterson ; Phil Tan; Sean "Puffy" Combs; Tony Maserati.
Recording information: Daddy's Recording Studios, New York, NY; Doppler Studios, Atlant; Hit Factory, New York, NY; KrossWire Studios, Atlanta, GA.
Photographer: Lisa Peardon.
It's a little ironic that Mase, who made his reputation as a guest rapper on records by Puff Daddy and the Notorious B.I.G., almost seems like a guest himself on his debut album, Harlem World. Like many big-budget hip-hop records, Harlem World is nearly a various-artists collection, featuring an array of different producers and guest rappers that often obscure Mase himself. Still, all that talent guarantees that the record will be well crafted, and that certainly is true. With Sean "Puffy" Combs and Jermaine Dupri behind the decks for much of the album, Harlem World has a dense, funky sound that is up-tempo party rap at its best. Like any late-'90s hip-hop record, it's a little too long for its own good, but the singles, such as the bouncy "Feel So Good," make it worthwhile. It still would have been nice to hear more of Mase on his own album, though. ~ Leo Stanley
Bad Boy recording artist Mase made his debut on Puff Daddy's "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" single, and since then it has been nothing but success for the Harlem-born rap star. His unhurried delivery and uncomplicated lyrics are the hallmarks of his unique style. On HARLEM WORLD, Mase proves that there's more to quality hip-hop than mile-a-minute rapping and hard-core beats.
The tracks on HARLEM WORLD are instantly accessible, as most of the songs use samples that listeners will be familiar with. Mase's first single "Feels So Good" reinvents Kool & The Gang's "Hollywood Swingin'," while "Love U So" samples Teena Marie's "Square Biz." With Puffy in his corner, Mase's first at-bat can't help but dominate the hip-hop arena.
Bad Boy recording artist Mase made his debut on Puff Daddy's "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" single, and since then it has been nothing but success for the Harlem-born rap star. His unhurried delivery and uncomplicated lyrics are the hallmarks of his unique style. On HARLEM WORLD, Mase proves that there's more to quality hip-hop than mile-a-minute rapping and hard-core beats.
The tracks on HARLEM WORLD are instantly accessible, as most of the songs use samples that listeners will be familiar with. Mase's first single "Feels SoEntertainment Weekly (11/21/97, p.136) - "...rap's newest bad boy more than holds his own on his solo debut. Like Puff Daddy, he laces hardcore raps with pop hooks and drops Big Willie boasts....his distinctive marble-mouthed drawl, however, creates a regular-guy persona all too rare in hip-hop."
- Rating: B+
Muzik (4/9, p.84) - 4 stars (out of 5) - "...Harlem on the rise? Most definitely."
Rap Pages (1/98, p.105) - Solid Material - "...Creatively refreshing, well-crafted lyrics and a high-energy track over a hyped beat easily make this..."