Ma$e's Top Visuals
Ma$e takes the stage at the Soul Train Awards.
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Ma$e - In the '90s, no one did it like Bad Boy. They ruled the charts, were always fresh to death and served visuals for their records that helped them reign over the rap game. At the center of that movement was Ma$e. We explore the videos, album artwork and more that best showcase the evolution of Ma$e, the man and the brand.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
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Mo Money, Mo Problems - Who could forget the "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems" video? This Hype Williams-directed classic married shiny suits, defying gravity, massive explosions and one of the first times we saw flat-screen TVs. (See: Notorious B.I.G and Kelly Price on the monitor.) This was also a breakout moment for Ma$e and acted as the prelude to '97s Harlem World.(Photo: Bad Boy Entertainment)
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Harlem World - After garnering buzz from his feature verses on other Bad Boy artists' hit records, Ma$e released his debut album, Harlem World, in 1997. The album's cover photo was shot by celebrity photographer Lisa Peardon and saw a tattoo-baring Ma$e against a two-toned backdrop. The Grammy-nominated album is one of the Ma$e visuals etched in our memories, as it's one of his most revered bodies of work. (Photo: Bad Boy Records)
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'Feel So Good' - "Feel So Good" acted as the lead single from Harlem World. This Hype Williams-directed visual is not only notable because of the flamboyant wardrobe and luxury cars. It also has a coincidental relationship to this year's show. It was shot in Las Vegas, host city of the 2014 Soul Train Awards, and samples Legend Award honorees Kool & the Gang's "Hollywood Swinging."(Photo: Bad Boy Entertainment)
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'Honey (Bad Boy Remix)' - This Paul Hunter-directed visual saw Ma$e playing co-pilot alongside Puffy. In a dramatic yet playful helicopter scene, the two rescue Mariah Carey. Adhering to the shiny suit effect, they showed off more of their signature fashion in the indoor golden-tunnel scene. The popularity of the video was the perfect exclamation point to the uber-successful year Ma$e had in 1997. (Photo: Columbia Records)
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Entering the Pulpit - In 2004, Ma$e covered the October issue of VIBE, announcing his exit from the rap game and entry into the pulpit. Shot at Manhattan's Sky Studios by photographer Erin Patrice O'Brien and styled by Mike B., the artistically striking cover showed a sullied city-line while Pastor Betha held a white dove. Metaphorically, this cover signaled his evolution.(Photo: Vibe Magazine)
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'Welcome Back' - Ma$e re-entered the rap game with the video for "Welcome Back," which was shot in Harlem and parodied the opening scene of Mister Roger's Neighborhood.(Photo: Bad Boy Entertainment)