From Scratchpad
Harlem World is the multi-platinum debut album by rapper Mase, released October 28, 1997. Seen as Puff Daddy's new protege since the passing of The Notorious B.I.G., Mase rose to fame after being a member of fellow Harlem rapper Big L's rap collective Children of the Corn. After the death of Bloodshed and the subsequent disbanding of the group, Mase was signed to Bad Boy, catching the public eye when appearing on the track "Mo Money, Mo Problems" from Biggie's 1997 album Life After Death. Puff Daddy began to promote Mase as the new premier act of Bad Boy and within a year had released "Harlem World", a highly successful album spawning hits such as "Feel So Good" and "What You Want".
Mase released his first solo LP, Harlem World, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Pop and R&B LP charts selling over 270,000 copies in the U.S. its first week of release. Joining Mase on his solo LP was a long list of rap dignitaries including Busta Rhymes, The Lox, Lil' Kim, Total, and Monifah. Mase told MTV about his first solo effort: "Well, basically what I'm trying to establish is a strong identity and foundation for Mase so a lot of people could know that Mase is his own person and Mase can do other things besides rap and music and things in that nature." Entertainment Weekly said of the album: "...creatively refreshing, well-crafted lyrics... rap's newest bad boy more than holds his own on his solo debut... his distinctive marble-mouthed drawl... creates a regular-guy persona all too rare in hip-hop."
Mase hit the Top 40 helping out Brian McKnight with "You Should Be Mine (Don't Waste Your Time)."
[edit] Track listing
[edit] Chart positions
| Year
| Chart
| Position
|
| 1997
| The Billboard 200
| 1
|
[edit] Singles
| Single Information
|
"Feel So Good"
- Released: 1997
- Billboard Hot 100: #5
- Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #5
- Hot Rap Singles: #1
|
"What You Want"
- Released: 1997
- Billboard Hot 100: #6
- Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #3
- Hot Rap Singles: #3
|
"Lookin' At Me"
- Released: 1998
- Billboard Hot 100: #8
- Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #8
- Hot Rap Singles: #1
|
[edit] Personnel
- Barry White - Grooming
- Eightball & MJG - Performer
- Billy Lawrence - Performer
- Busta Rhymes - Performer
- Sean "Puffy" Combs - Producer, Mixing
- DMX - Performer
- Jermaine Dupri - Producer, Mixing
- Ben Garrison - Engineer
- Tony Maserati - Mixing
- Michael Patterson - Engineer, Mixing
- Herb Powers - Mastering
- Phil Tan - Engineer, Mixing
- Doug Wilson - Engineer
- Total - Performer
- Nasheim Myrick - Producer
- Monifah - Performer
- 112 - Performer
- Jay-Z - Performer
- Lil' Kim - Performer
- Puff Daddy/P. Diddy - Performer
- Deric Angelettie - Producer, Associate Executive Producer
- MJG - Performer
- Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander - Mixing
- Carlos "6 July" Broady - Piano, Producer
- Lisa Peardon - Photography
- Kelly Price - Vocals
- Lane Craven - Mixing
- Groovy Lew - Stylist
- Mase - Rap
- LOX - Performer
- Pharrell Williams - Producer
- Stephen Dent - Engineer
- Jimmie Wilson - Engineer
- Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence - Producer
- J-Dub - Programming
- Chad Hugo - Producer
- Dame Grease - Producer
- DJ Iroc - Scratching
- Richard "Younglord" Frierson - Producer
- Lil' Cease - Performer
- Black Rob - Performer
