Dr. Mason Durrell Betha, Th. D (born August 27, 1977 in Jacksonville, Florida), better known by stage name Mase, is an American rapper, songwriter, television personality and inspirational speaker. He was an artist on Sean "Diddy" Combs' hip hop label Bad Boy Records during the late 1990s.
Raised in Harlem, New York, he began his music career as a rapper. He went to Manhattan Center High School where he met Cam'ron. Originally a member of Children of the Corn, he called himself "Murder Mase," rapping alongside Big L, Cam'ron, Fickle Fong, McGruff and Bloodshed when they released "Collector's Edition" in 1992. In 1996, he traveled to Atlanta for a music conference, hoping to hook up with Jermaine Dupri; instead, he met Sean Combs, who had recently attended the annual Player Haters Ball in the area. Combs signed him to Bad Boy after hearing him rap.
