Dunation.com News Bitz
March 29th 2004
Nineties megastar rapper Mase has had a career changing epiphany - again. The rapper-turned-pastor, who left music to preach as Dr. Mason Betha, is planning a hip-hop comeback. Betha retired from rap in 1999 to minister to the 1,500-strong S.A.N.E. Church International in Atlanta.
In his heyday, Mase was featured on hits by his mentor, Sean (P. Diddy) Combs, as well as Notorious B.I.G., Mariah Carey and Brian McKnight. But he went on to sharply criticize the music industry from his pulpit. A source tells us that although he is still contracted to P. Diddy's Bad Boy Entertainment, Betha is trying to work out a comeback deal with Nelly's label, Fo' Real Records. "Yes it is true," Fo' Real President Ed Holmes told us. "But we're in the process of trying to structure something with Bad Boy to allow Mase to do this project." When asked whether Mase would be recording Christian rap, Holmes replied, "No! It's definitely hip hop. There's no profanity, though. He's still talking about relevant issues."
And in other news. The Neptunes have defected from Arista, moving their Star Trak label to Jimmy Iovine's powerhouse label, Interscope.
The Grammy Award winning duo will ink a deal worth an estimated $5 million dollars. Under their new deal, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo will continue to sign and produce Star Trak artists, as well as acts on Interscope and artists affiliated with the label.
Interscope will handle the sales, marketing, promotion and distribution for the label. The duo's talent for production has generated over $200 million in sales over the years. Interscope is home to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, Eminem's Shady Records and 50 Cent's G-Unit imprint
And in other news. DMX announced at a press conference that he was refusing to deliver any more recordings to Def Jam, the label he is signed to. DMX says that over the years, he has made the label almost $50 million dollars, but received an amount in return that he called "a loan." "The highest paid artist gets paid 18 cents on the dollar, it's straight robbery," DMX said. "They still sit on your music and they ask for maybe 27 songs each album and they only use about 16 and give the rest away. It's straight robbery man, I can't be a part of it anymore." DMX added that record labels tie artists up in unfair contracts that last too long. He also lashed out at the radio industry.
"All the radio stations are bought and paid for, it all comes from the heads of the record companies. It's not about talent anymore."
Dark Man X And Jigga to Retire?
Jay-Z and Dmx used to battle back in the day on the underground of NYC Hip-Hop scene for Hip-Hop supremacy in that city. Almost 10 years later, both NYC Mc’s are planning on hanging up the mics soon. Both have kept busy this past year, X with his new movie "Cradle 2 the Grave", preparing 2 drop his new album this year, and starting beef with Ja Rule and the Murder Inc. fam. on the track "Go to Sleep" that also feat. Eminem and Obie Trice. Jay-Z recently released his new album "The Blueprint 2: The Gift and Curse" on the later part of last year, and has made guest appearances on his label mate Freeway’s new album, also is guest appearing on Rock/Hip-Hop group Limp Bizkit new album.
Back in ‘98 you might of remember Jay-Z talkin about retiring before. He was saying then that he wanted to concentrate on being the CEO of his Roc-A-Fella record label. And that "In My Lifetime Vol. 2" was gonna be his last album. Well 5 years has passed since then and Jay-Z is back to talkin about retiring. In an interview with the British music magazine NME, the hip-hop impresario said his "plan is to make the next album, "The Black Album", my last," adding, "there comes a time when you've got to go and challenge yourself with other areas, you know what I'm saying? Take myself out of my comfort zone. Take the safety blanket off."
Jay-Z wants to go more in the directions of Eminem and go Hollywood. There are no definite plans for any projects but it will probably not take long. He also commented to the Los Angles Times, stating "I want to make [The Black Album] a prequel to Reasonable Doubt, leading up to me having an idea for a song...and that's how the album's going to end,....that's it--it truly, truly is."
Dmx on the other had commented a few weeks ago on 106 & Park that his next album would be his last. Well he recently took a break from his new movie "Never Die Alone", and commented to Mtv.com about the rumors. "That's the truth. It's my last album," X said, referring to his upcoming fifth record, "It's Not a Game". Dmx is still planning on acting and over seeing his Bloodline Records, but neither will be a priority to him. He stated "I'm going into the church," he said. "I wanna take some time off you know, read my Bible and just get more into the word." His family is also gonna be a priority to X, he said "I got kids, and one of my children is at that stage where you have to be around. He's 8 months, and I don't wanna be a stranger to my children. That's more important to me than all this."
His new album. "It’s Not a Game", which he described as even more autobiographical than his previous releases. The album is finished and will likely surface before summer, but that's about all X will reveal. "It's top-secret stuff". One thing you can expect is a collaboration between Dmx and the red-hot 50 Cent. But other then that, not much more information has leaked about this last album of his.
