Former Jay-Z affiliate Sauce Money revealed his disapproval of on again-off again rapper/pastor Mason “Ma$e” Betha. In his eyes, it is very disturbing that it appears Ma$e is abusing religion and misleading the people for the almighty dollar.
“I don’t really give a f*ck what n*ggas do, so I really don’t have a problem with [artists] coming and going. What I do have a problem with – and we was talking about Ma$e I believe – I do have a problem when you step into that arena [of religion] and now you’ve got people following you and people looking up to you and this, that and the third, and people giving you money for what you’re doing because you’re giving a message, it’s almost like you’re leading them astray. You’re fooling them. Them uptown n*ggas is known for that hustling sh*t…I don’t respect that, I can’t respect that…I used to like Ma$e [as a rapper], I don’t respect how he moves in that arena…you’re a scumbag.” (Complex)
Ma$e has addressed his latest return to the world of hip hop in an interview with Funkmaster Flex in the Spring and says that it is legit.
“Flex, let me tell you something before I go, though,” Ma$e said, “I can only do music if I can do it the way I can do it. That’s what be making me stop. I don’t want to do music in a box. Like everybody say what I can’t do and he can’t say this, but if you need me to come do something for you, I’ve gotta be able to come to that event. So I’m taking all the limitations off. They gonna have to pray for me. I regret not giving myself room for growth. That’s what I regret. I went so hard left that I didn’t really leave no room to be an individual, a human being. … I still put God over music any day. I just didn’t give myself room to grow. I went from one extreme to another extreme.” (“The Funkmaster Flex Show”)
Ma$e’s church following has/had gotten very large and it seemed as if the decision to preach was validated; however, the swaying back and forth is detrimental. Detrimental not only to his reputation, but in leading others down a wrong path, or even discouraging someone on the cusp of turning their lives over to Christ. We all have our own cross to bear; but, with the success of Christian artists like Lecrae and Bizzle, there was no reason to believe he could not preach and still spread the gospel through hip hop.
